The Best 5 Distilleries in Adelaide with Award-Winning Liquors
I was a tour guide to a group of enthusiastic first-timers in Adelaide. For their first week, I toured them around the best local spots for live music. We had a lot of fun jamming and dancing!
It was so fun, they asked me to put together a new itinerary. They specifically asked for distilleries because good music is better with liquor! So I booked distilleries and toured them for a few days, which they loved.
For those who are eager to indulge in local libations, I’ll share our itinerary below!
Prohibition Liquor Co.
Media credit: prohibitionliquor
Address: 22 Gilbert Street
Contact: +61 8 8155 6007
Operating hours:
Wednesday to Thursday – 11:30 am to 10 pm
Friday to Saturday – 11:30 am to 11 pm
Sunday – 12 pm to 6 pm
First on the itinerary was Prohibition Liquor Co. at Gilbert Street. Their location made it accessible for us to visit them for a full, immersive tour of how they do their process from start to finish!
Plus, they also offered free testing of the finished products, and it felt like an exclusive sneak peek!
In their distillery, the staff brought us along to their dining and wine bar areas. It was perfect with their in-house live music! One drink we paired with the food we ordered was their original gin, a strong yet simple liquor served with an orange garnish.
We were curious if we could recreate the gin at home. The staff said that they also offer gin masterclasses! If we were interested, we could sign up and learn the basics of gin-making, like the distillation method and selection of correct gin ingredients.
Imperial Measures Distilling
Media credit: imperialmeasuresdistilling
Address: 31 W Thebarton Road, Thebarton
Contact: +61 8 7001 7717
Operating hours:
Friday – 5 pm to 9 pm
Saturday – 12 pm to 9 pm
Sunday – 12 pm to 5 pm
On the first day’s last distillery stop, we went to Imperial Measures Distilling in Thebarton, where we dined and tasted their signature cocktails in their cellar door.
They initially focused on gin, but they eventually branched out. Their custom drinks even garnered them the 2024 Best Distiller Award at the Tasting Australia Spirit Awards!
In their tasting flight sessions, we chose their limited release menu. A few of us had the Cerise Liqueur, a French-inspired drink made with almonds and cherries, making it taste nutty and sugary. Others had Ounce Whisky, a blend of roast coffee, berries, and cacao, leaving a robust and energising feel.
At the end of our tour, the staff invited us to the COLAC opening, coming this August 2025 at Port Adelaide. They said it’s a redevelopment project they participated in. It’s made to showcase Adelaide’s distilleries, so we should come and support them in this venture!
Ginny Pig Distillery
Media credit: ginnypigdistillery
Address: 796 Main Road, McLaren Vale
Contact: +61 414 605 099
Operating hours:
Wednesday to Friday – 12 pm to 4 pm
Saturday to Sunday – 10 am to 4 pm
After a few days of rest, we headed to Ginny Pig Distillery in McLaren Vale on the second part of our distillery tour. The best part of our tour was that we could have a little picnic session on their lawn as we sipped their liquor!
Their gin is produced in small batches, with only one or two distillation runs per release, making it exclusive.
People could order their products at their in-house bar. Their botanic gin won the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It was awarded double gold for its unique blend of herbs and aromatics, so it was in demand for us visitors!
I loved its subtle sweetness thanks to the juniper and lemon myrtle flavours. It also had a slight spicy aftertaste with the added elderflower, rosemary, and pepperberry ingredients. The flavours blended well, so it wasn’t overwhelming to the palate!
Ambleside Distillers
Media credit: amblesidedistillers
Address: Corner of Ambleside Rd &, Mount Barker Rd, Hahndorf, Adelaide Hills
Contact: +61 408 834 010
Operating hours:
Wednesday to Friday – 12 pm to 6 pm
Saturday to Sunday – 11 am to 6 pm
Ambleside Distillers not only has a range of gins, but also various activities at their distillery! We were able to dine in their garden and sample their liquors.
For their lunch menu, they recommended meals paired with their gins, best for a group like us to share!
Plus, they also had gin-making and cocktail classes available. For gin-making, we were walked through how to blend gin using their ingredients, like botanical herbs. For the cocktail classes, we were able to use our gin to create Negronis and martinis.
The most exciting part of the tour was the activity called Chopper Sips. We were flown around their estate in a helicopter! After the ride, we had complimentary snacks and gin, such as their blossom gin, a seasonal release made from strawberry, rose, and rhubarb.
Never Never Distilling Co.
Media credit: neverneverdistillingco
Address: 56 Field Street, McLaren Vale
Contact: +61 8 8125 5565
Operating hours:
Sunday to Thursday – 11 am to 5 pm
Friday – 11 am to 7 pm
Saturday – 11 am to 6 pm
What we enjoyed the most at Never Never Distilling Co. was that it was located on the Fleurieu Peninsula, which blessed us with a beautiful view of nature!
We also checked out their gin and tonic tour. The staff guided us through their liquor-making process, with a taste-testing session at the end.
We were also interested in their seasonal cocktails. This was made in their in-house bar, paired with fruits suitable for the occasion. This could also be sipped alongside coffee and Italian food available on their menu.
For their seasonal cocktails, we had the Lime Leaf Gimlet, which had a slight tang because of the oyster gin used. We also had the refreshing and cool Southern Southside, made with mint and lime.
Others checked out their tasting flight, sampling three flavours from their negroni, martini, or gin selection.
