Top 50 innovative spirits launches of 2025: 30-21
The 2025 launches landing in positions 30-21 in our most innovative spirits of the year list include a non-alcoholic ready-to-drink that will make you feel good, and a gin that will make your eyebrows raise.
We’re at the halfway mark of our countdown, and things are starting to get interesting and, in some cases, a little strange. But this list is all about brands that thought outside of the box in 2025, and these 10 spirits have definitely done that.
Missed the first two parts of our countdown? You’ll find the products that landed at 50-41 here, and 40-31 here.
30. New Grove Inception
Grays-owned distillery New Grove released the oldest Mauritian rum to date in September: 21-year-old Inception. Legal distillation only returned to Mauritius in the early 2000s following a prohibition era that lasted more than a century. Bottled at 50% ABV, the rum is said to taste of orchard fruits, citrus peel, prunes and sweet spices.
29. Bruichladdich Grace Vineyard Cask Series
Islay distillery Bruichladdich and Grace Vineyard created what’s believed to be the first Scotch whisky aged in Chinese wine casks. The range features three whiskies aged for nine, 15 and 21 years, each at 63% ABV, 56% ABV and 56% ABV, respectively.
28. Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut
Hand-harvested sea salt crystals from the pink salt marshes of Camargue in France were the unique botanical for Monkey 47’s annual special bottling. The ‘fleur de sel’ crystals were the 48th botanical in the gin, which kept the brand’s signature 47% ABV.
27. Casa Malka Queen’s Brew
Casa Malka put its own riff on the classic Espresso Martini cocktail, switching the traditional vodka base for its reposado Tequila. The canned ‘Teqspresso Martini’ is also made with Wandering Bear Cold Brew, and offers layered notes of vanilla, oak and caramel.
26. Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey
This was Colarado’s Smokeye Hill Whiskey’s first venture beyond Bourbon, and the first rye to be made with heirloom blue corn. Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, the whiskey is made using a mash bill including rye, heirloom blue corn, yellow corn and malted barley.
25. Compass Box Confluence
Part of a recent collaboration between Compass Box and Bonhams was the auction of eight new and rare whiskies – which included a one-off Scotch-Swedish 49.1% ABV blended whisky, Confluence. It was created by Angela D’Orazio, creative director of whisky making at Compass Box. It sold for US$22,500 including premium at auction.
24. Nirvana
Headquartered in the US, Nirvana burst onto the drinks scene at the end of October with a line of ready-to-drink sparkling coconut water cocktails, believed to be a first. Each edition comes in a 340ml can and sits at 5% ABV. The brand’s flagship flavour is Chill, a sparkling vodka and strawberry lemonade cocktail.
23. Everest Gin
With botanicals sourced from the foothills of the Himilayas, and snow collected from the Everest summit, Everest Gin piqued our interest. The small batch 40% ABV gin was inspired by British climber Kenton Cool. Botanicals used include juniper, coriander, angelica and bay leaf.
22. Smiling Wolf RTDs
Non-alcoholic ‘spirits’ brand Smiling Wolf entered the ready-to-drink category with four functional canned cocktails made with nootropics. Each drink – the G&T, Mojito, Aperitivo Spritz and Negroni – is 0.5% ABV.
21. Sullivans Cove 25 Years Old
Tasmanian distillery Sullivans Cove broke its own record in October when it launched Australia’s oldest single malts in the form of two 25-year-old whiskies. One was bottled from a 200-litre ex-Bourbon barrel, while the second was sourced from a 300-litre ex-Bourbon barrel.
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