You know and love the wine, so shake things up with a standout distillery in the Hunter Valley.

Rolling green hills, rose-freckled vines and swirly strawberry sunsets: I can’t think of a better setting to host getting giggly over a few G&Ts. While the Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s premium wine countries, spirits have grown in momentum and crafty grape-crushing folk are nailing unique takes on classic drops. Silky smooth gin, sweet vodka, shockingly good whiskey – there’s no stopping the creativity at every top distillery in the Hunter Valley.

In short

If you only visit one distillery in the Hunter Valley, make it The Loft at Pepper Tree Wines for its cosy, dedicated setting above the famed winery’s cellar door and seriously delicious creations.

1. Tower Whiskey Distillery

Prefer darker spirits? Tower Whiskey Distillery is the Hunter Valley’s OG whiskey aficionado, launching in 2021 with single malt blends that continue to knock my socks off. It’s a slick operation spearheaded by the region’s famed Hope family of Hope Estate (who have their own spirits label, too – more on that below) and it offers pre-booked or walk-in tasting flights. Grab a quick selfie in front of the striking Spanish revival entrance before settling in for the flight’s four individual samples that span American and French oak releases. I walked in and forked out $45 for the experience but if you book ahead online, you can get it for $40 a pop.

Address: Corner Halls and Broke Rd, Pokolbin

2. The Loft at Pepper Tree Wines

I’m still holding onto a 2014 Block 21A cab sauv from Pepper Tree Wines, so I was delighted to step upstairs at its cellar door during my last Hunter Valley visit and experience the label’s homage to the harder stuff. The Loft at Pepper Tree Wines offers a $20 gin tasting experience paired with salty snacks that covers the winery’s traditional dry, citrus dry and ultra dry varieties. I especially loved the cute, branded paddle, custom carved to house each little glass, that arrived during my tasting but settled for a take-home bottle of gin to help savour such fond memories.

Address: 86 Halls Rd, Pokolbin

3. FAR Distilling

Jessica and Ben Whittemore-Tulloch launched FAR Distilling in late 2023 and speedily sold out of their first batch of gin. Now, their creations light up tables across the best Hunter Valley restaurants, including Bistro Molines, Jimmy Jones and Muse Restaurant, as well as hot spots across the wider region. I recommend bookmarking a visit to their tasting venue at 989 Hermitage Road, upstairs within the Keith Tulloch Wine Cellar Door, as it’s totally charming. For $10 per person, you’ll sample a selection of the range, while the team share their unwavering passion for locally led artisanal craft.

Address: 989 Hermitage Rd, Pokolbin

4. Kawal Rock Distillery

A celebration of wine-based spirits amid spectacular bushland, Kawal Rock Distillery is so intoxicating that disliking gin (or moonshine, or brandy) won’t even hinder the fun. Located roughly 25 minutes from Broke Road and surrounded by mountain ranges, tasting experiences roll outdoors where sensational vistas abound. You’re also invited to jump on board ‘Picnic in The Sky’ where a helicopter will zoom you, a gourmet picnic and a bottle of Moscato to a stunning rock formation on Sentry Mountain (located on-site) to soak up the views. Prefer your revelry on solid ground? Get the team to mix your preferred poison into a signature cocktail out of their distillery bar.

Address: 260 Milbrodale Rd, Fordwich

5. Hunter Distillery

Arguably the region’s most-famous spirit studio, Hunter Distillery, attracts consistent crowds (I counted three hens’ parties during the 45 minutes I last visited) for its top-notch range of vodka, liqueur, Schnapps, gin, rum and more. Located along Broke Road right near Tyrrell’s, this place is a well-oiled machine, rolling visitors into its rustic cellar door to sample the all-organic fruits of its labour very efficiently. I love the test tube-filled samples you get with a $10 tasting flight (there are six choices per flight), which can include the team’s award-winning Copperwave Distilled Gin.

Address: 1686 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

6. Pokolbin Distillery

A minimalistic build set against aisles of vines and gum trees, Pokolbin Distillery is entirely tempting from the moment you’re seated. The small-batch distillery in the Hunter Valley is in the buzz of Broke Road, opposite Hope Estate, and crafts its own gins, vodkas and liqueurs spanning an array of unusual ingredients. Sweet tooths will adore the Salted Caramel and Mocha vodkas (the Bubblegum Liqueur is also interesting) while native nods are found in the Native Plum Finger Lime Gin, Bush Gin and more. Tastings cost $15 per person.

Address: 2198 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

7. Hope Estate

And you thought Hope Estate’s finest contributions peaked with 2017’s Bruce Springsteen concert. The legendary winery launched a line of spirits in 2020, cranking out gin, vodka, moonshine and liqueurs from their central Broke Road headquarters, of which you can sample by spirit category from $20 per person. Whether you opt for the gin, vodka, Pokolbin Single Barrel or liqueur and schnapps selection, they’re each beautifully presented, accompanied with garnishes, a bucket of ice and mixers. If you’re staying for lunch, they can also organise a pre-booked pizza or charcuterie package, plus there’s a range of grab-and-devour snacks over the bench.

Address: 2213 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

8. Small Mouth

You’ve probably walked past it a bunch of times while exploring the Hunter Valley Gardens Shopping Village, but Small Mouth is worth a sip-stop. Once you step inside, the distillery in the Hunter Valley is hard to forget given the vivid rainbow of gins, vodkas, rum and liqueurs splashed with edible glitter. In-store tastings are free so sampling the likes of their Shimmering Berry Pink Gin, Chocolate Hazelnut Vodka, Espresso Liqueur and Spiced Rum is basically non-negotiable. It’s a small-batch business but these flavour combinations pack a supersized punch.

Address: Shop 20, 2090 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

9. KissOfire

A family-run distillery in the Hunter Valley, KissOfire is also located within the Hunter Valley Garden Shopping Village. Home to 22 butterscotch creations spanning the brand’s original and best-known chilli variety through to summer classics like lychee and pineapple, the tiny-but-mighty store offers tastings by friendly staff during your visit.

Address: Shop 2A, 2090 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

10. Millbrook Estate

Often frequented for its wines, Millbrook Estate also crafts spirits, namely brandy and liqueurs. In the way of liqueurs, ingredients span aniseed, ginger, orange and lemon, while the brandy gets a great wrap from customers who have likened it to cognac. There’s a tasting room for small groups at this distillery in the Hunter Valley plus there’s an underground wine cellar built out of an old quarry that’s worth a squiz.

Address: 1617 Mount View Rd, Millfield

11. Tempus Two

I rarely go a summer without a Tempus Two rosé (whatever the vintage, they’re always superb), but did you know the Hunter Valley winery knocks together gin, too? One of the Hunter Valley’s most frequented wineries, sleek right from the fit-out to its staff, makes three unique gin offerings which can be sampled through one of their many tasting experiences. The Copper Prosecco Gin, Copper Wild Botanical Gin and Copper Shiraz Gin can also be savoured in a private tasting room with cheese and chocolate, if that’s your thing. Speaking of which, I’ve gathered the Hunter Valley’s best cheese and chocolate stops, so add that to your day’s itinerary, too.

Address: Pavillion, D/2144 Broke Rd, Pokolbin

12. Tamburlaine Organic Wines

Tamburlaine Organic Wines, located just past Brokenwood on McDonalds Road in the middle of Pokolbin, is also aboard the spirits train, releasing their own Herding Cats range. Unique blends are distilled on their Instagram-friendly property: Sunday Bloody Sunday, a blood orange-based gin, Double Dutch with coriander, cardamon and citrus, and That’s Amore, an Italian-inspired blend. There’s also a vodka to get stuck into. The tastings aren’t gin specific, but tastings are organised at the cellar door as well as guided tours if you fall head over heels with the site and struggle to leave.

Address: 358 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin

13. Night Merchant Distillery at Bimbadgen

Already a fan of the region’s most famous bell tower? Then you’re probably all over Bimbadgen’s. Night Merchant Distillery, the stalwart’s famed spirits-focused cellar door. For $18 per person, you’ll be guided through the entire small-batch range while comfortably seated in a plush lounge setting as the team talks you through origins, their craft, and what each creation is worth pairing with. Once you’re done, go forth to lunch at one of the winery’s famed eateries: Esca Restaurant, which plays with seasonal fare and pan-Asian flavours, and the courtyard’s Woodfire Pizzeria, which speaks for itself. Need somewhere to sleep it off? The Lane Retreat, located on-site, is one of the Hunter Valley’s best accommodation picks.

Address: 790 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin