Beyond Wine: Australia’s Spirits Are Coming

Riding on the success of Australian wine, the country’s spirits industry is now turning its attention to the China market.

While Australia’s domestic spirits market is valued at more than US$4 billion, according to IWSR, its annual exports stand at only around US$150 million.

The gap becomes more striking when compared with wine. In 2022, Australia exported AU$210 million worth of spirits, versus AU$2.1 billion for wine, underscoring how underdeveloped the export side of the spirits sector remains, both domestically and against international peers.

China, despite being Australia’s largest wine export market by value, accounts for just about 2% of its spirits exports.

Against this backdrop, Australian distillers and trade bodies are accelerating efforts to build a presence in the country.

A new industry-focused tasting event, “BeSpirits Shanghai – Australian Spirits Showcase,” has been launched to target the Chinese market, bringing together nearly 20 Australian spirits producers.

The event is jointly organised by the commercial section of the Australian Consulate-General in Shanghai, Austrade Shanghai, and wine industry media platform Vino Joy News. It will take place on May 22, 2026, at The Cannery bar in Shanghai’s Jing’an district.

According to organisers, this marks the first time Australian spirits producers have entered China as a collective group for a dedicated tasting event.

The lineup brings together nearly 20 of Australia’s most distinctive craft distilleries, offering a rare opportunity for China-based importers, distributors and buyers to assess a full spectrum of the country’s spirits in one place.

From single malt whisky and rum to native botanical gin and even Australian-produced baijiu, the portfolio reflects both the depth and diversity of Australia’s fast-evolving spirits scene with a strong emphasis on provenance, innovation and category crossover.

For trade professionals, it also offers a chance to engage directly with producers, understand production philosophies and identify brands with real potential for the China market.

Schedule:

• 13:30–14:00 Registration
• 14:00–16:00 Trade session
• 16:00–17:00 Open to spirits enthusiasts

You can registered here, or scan the QR code below to register, and access is limited to confirmed guests only.

Participating brands in alphabetical order:

Applewood Distillery (South Australia)

Applewood Distillery is a well-known distillery from the Adelaide Hills in South Australia. Its core philosophy lies in deeply exploring native botanicals — such as strawberry gum and riberries — as a way to honour the local terroir.

Applewood Distillery is committed to sustainability and is among the first distilleries in Australia to receive B Corp certification, meaning it meets very high standards in environmental and social responsibility.

Its flagship product, Coral Gin, is inspired by the Great Barrier Reef and features distinctive passionfruit aromas, with an appealing pink appearance. The distillery also produces a limoncello liqueur using fruit from a 150-year-old heritage citrus orchard, reflecting its philosophy of integrating distillation craftsmanship with historical and ecological ingredients.

Artemis Distillery (New South Wales)

Artemis Distillery is a pioneering distillery located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. It is known for its “East-meets-West” production style. In addition to producing premium cool-climate wines, it stands out in the spirits category with Australian-style baijiu, Manuka honey spirits and high-quality gin.

It is one of the very few distilleries in Australia producing baijiu. Its signature product, Goddess Baijiu, is made using Australian sorghum, malt and traditional yeast, combined with local spring water and distilled in pot stills.

Bondi Liquor Co. (New South Wales)

The name “Bondi” originates from the Dharawal language of Indigenous Australians, referring to “the sound of waves breaking on rocks” — vividly describing the natural landscape of waves crashing against the Bondi headlands.

Bondi represents not only a natural setting, but also a simple, healthy and energetic coastal lifestyle. Bondi Liquor Co. was born out of this lifestyle. Established in 2021, it is one of the first officially operating distilleries in Bondi Beach, Sydney.

All its products are handcrafted in small batches locally, emphasising and promoting the “Bondi spirit” of simplicity, purity and accessibility. The distillery avoids additives and uses Australian native, organic and sustainable botanicals wherever possible.

Brogan’s Way (Victoria)

Brogan’s Way is a boutique gin distillery based in Melbourne, Australia. It has created an industrial-style cocktail bar in Richmond, where visitors can not only enjoy cocktails but also observe the distillation process up close.

Brogan’s Way advocates precision and accuracy. Its gins incorporate native Australian botanicals alongside seasonal ingredients. One of its most famous seasonal expressions is Strawberries & Cream — made using freshly harvested strawberries and innovatively incorporating locally sourced cream from Victoria during distillation, resulting in a velvety texture and rich berry aromas.

Cece Liqueur (New South Wales)

Cece Liqueur is a family-owned boutique brand based in Sydney, New South Wales. Founded by Domenico Cece, it carries on a four-generation Italian family recipe.

The brand insists on using locally sourced, unwaxed fresh fruit — such as lemons from Peats Ridge — with all peeling and production done by hand. Known for its “more peel, less sugar” philosophy, it delivers high-intensity flavour and has won multiple international awards, representing a premium fusion of Italian tradition and Australian character.

Coburns (New South Wales)

Coburns is a premium single malt whisky brand from the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, founded in 2016 by Mark Coburn. The distillery is located in Burrawang at an altitude of over 700 metres, where significant day-night temperature variation creates ideal conditions for whisky maturation in oak barrels.

Benefiting from its high-altitude climate, pristine water source and access to private peat bogs in Australia, the brand — despite being relatively young — has won multiple international awards, including five Double Gold medals at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as high ratings from the Whisky Bible.

Unlike many distilleries, Coburns is also known for its whisky barrel investment programme in addition to bottled products.

Itinerant Spirits (Victoria)

Itinerant Spirits is a boutique distillery and multi-functional spirits centre located in Ballarat, Victoria. It produces gin, vodka and whisky using high-quality local ingredients, foraged botanicals and local spring water.

The distillery focuses on carefully crafted small-batch spirits, aiming for high quality and balanced flavour profiles.

Myrlèmon (Queensland)

Myrlèmon is an emerging Australian spirits brand specialising in botanical aperitivo. Its core concept is “Australian Heart, Italian Soul,” aiming to combine Australia’s native botanicals with traditional European aperitivo culture.

The brand was founded with the intention of creating a spirit that represents the essence of Australia’s coastline. It uses lemon myrtle as its signature botanical, and its products pay homage to Italian aperitivo culture, promoting a fresh, sociable and flavour-driven drinking experience.

Nil Desperandum Rum (Queensland)

Nil Desperandum Rum is a boutique rum distillery based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. The name “Nil Desperandum” is a Latin phrase meaning “never despair,” which translates into the Australian expression “No worries.”

The distillery uses certified organic ingredients throughout production, including organic molasses from Bundaberg, natural water from Woombye and wild yeast. It adopts traditional Jamaican-style fermentation to enhance flavour complexity, and all rums are aged for at least two years in wooden barrels — typically ex-bourbon casks that previously held sherry or port — imparting rich fruit character and sweetness.

Six Fathoms (Queensland)

Six Fathoms was born on Australia’s pristine east coast. A fathom is an ancient unit of depth, and “six fathoms” marks the transition from shallow waters to the deep sea — symbolising the brand’s pursuit of depth and purity in distillation.

Unlike large-scale industrial production, Six Fathoms insists on small-batch handcrafted methods. Its core philosophy lies in slow distillation (“The Art of Slow Pour”), which maximises extraction of natural aromas from Australian botanicals, ensuring smoothness and complexity in every drop.

Starward (Victoria)

Starward was founded by David Vitale with a simple vision: to create a distinctly Australian whisky that could compete globally.

Drawing on Australia’s renowned wine regions, the team has adopted innovative production methods. Its two key differentiators are the use of red wine barrels and Melbourne’s highly variable climate.

All raw materials — from grain to barrels — are sourced locally within a day’s drive of the distillery. Melbourne’s famous “four seasons in one day” climate accelerates barrel expansion and contraction, allowing the whisky to extract flavour more effectively.

At its core, Starward is about breaking tradition. Many members of its distilling team come from winemaking backgrounds, bringing a strong focus on flavour precision.

Tanica (New South Wales)

Tanica is a boutique spirits company based in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The brand is about reimagining a spritz culture that’s made here, tastes like here, and feels like here. It aims to create innovative aperitifs that reflect the Australian coastal lifestyle rather than replicate Italian traditions.

Its products align with the low-alcohol trend, promoting mindful drinking. With an ABV of 17%, they are designed for long lunches and daytime social occasions.

Thirteenth Botanical (New South Wales)

Thirteenth Botanical is based in rural Allworth, New South Wales, on a family farm spanning three generations. Rooted in respect for the land, the distillery emphasises traceability and sustainability of ingredients.

Its premium gin features a rare native ingredient — sugarbag honey from stingless bees — which is extremely limited in supply and offers a distinctive citrus sweetness. This ingredient contributes exceptional smoothness, balance and complexity.

Thirsty Group (Victoria)

Thirsty Group is a Melbourne-based spirits producer and marketer. It manages multiple award-winning brands and emphasises natural, additive-free production.

Its flagship brand, Baxter Vodka, was one of the most awarded vodkas globally in 2023 and is among the few to receive the Triple Still Prize.

Turner Stillhouse (Tasmania)

Turner Stillhouse is a craft distillery located in the Tamar Valley, Tasmania, founded in 2018 by Justin Turner from the United States.

As a family-run, grain-to-glass distillery, it focuses on small-batch production and innovation. Its flagship Three Cuts Gin is internationally acclaimed, distilled from premium grapes and infused with three varieties of local roses, delivering a distinctive and silky texture.

We Are Tailored (Victoria)

We Are Tailored specialises in customised and private-label spirits development. The company is entirely Melbourne-owned and operated.

It provides tailored commercial solutions across alcoholic, low-alcohol and no-alcohol categories, with a focus on innovation.

White Light Beverages (Victoria)

White Light Beverages is a premium spirits company based in Melbourne, known for its flagship product White Light Vodka, one of Australia’s most awarded craft vodkas.

The vodka is made from 100% whole grains sourced from New South Wales and triple-distilled to remove impurities while retaining a creamy, smooth texture.