Get Negronis, expertly curated wines and craft tinnies delivered to your door each month.
Drinking in has never been a hotter topic. Whether you’re keen to broaden your boozy horizons, flex your post WFH cocktail-making skills, or on the hunt for a more convenient way to stock up your wine cabinet, there’s a new wave of alcohol subscription boxes to help ensure you never run dry at home.
So what kind of perks can you expect when signing up to a drinks subscription service? Well, for one, experts pick the perfect restaurant-quality wine for your upcoming dinner party, plus you can try bottles you wouldn’t otherwise consider from a far-flung corner of the world – not just your local bottle-o. Consider it your global drinking passport. Here are our picks of the best home-delivered drink subscriptions.
Best gin subscription: Gin Society
For $95 every two months, Gin Society gives members access to craft bottles sourced by its team of experts from around the world. You’ll also benefit from its in-house magazine, the Gin Journal, to take a deep dive into the world of gin via tasting notes and cocktail recipes, and by connecting with mixologists, makers and fellow ginthusiasts from across the globe. Whether you stick to your usual firewater of choice or try something new, Gin Society is great for toe-dippers and seasoned gin drinkers.
Shop now: ginsociety.com
Best wine subscription: The Australian Wine Box
The Australian Wine offers wine plans that aren’t just a great way to keep your wine rack stocked, it’s your chance to take your wine loving journey further.
Open your door to a world of handcrafted, flavour-packed wines from Australia and beyond. Conveniently delivered to your door every 3 months (and a special case at Christmas) and backed by a 100% Money-back Guarantee.
Best whisky subscription: Whisky Loot
Since 2016, Whisky Loot has been delivering monthly and quarterly subscription boxes filled with hard-to-find single malts, scotches and new world whiskies hailing from the Highlands of Scotland, to Japan, and more local ambers. The $59 monthly box includes three 60ml top-shelf tasting bottles filled with $380 worth of whisky, tasting advice, plus a dose of exclusive release bottles. It’s a different theme each time, so you’ll never drink the same thing twice, making the service a good crash course into the world of whisky.
Related story: If you’re serious about your plonk you need one of these 6 wine fridges
Best beer subscription: Bucket Boys
This Sydney-based bottle-shop-cum-brewery offers subscription boxes for craft-beer lovers, beer geeks, and everyone in between. Owners Johnathan Hepner & Clint Elvin don’t discriminate on borders, so expect to see brews from all corners here, including Scandi, American, and New Zealand beer. There are plenty of different subscription boxes available, including the Expert box, starting from $89 for 16 craft beers. Have yours delivered every month, two months or three months. Bucket Boys have expanded to offer cider and wine, but it’s beer they do best.
Best cocktail kit subscription: Cocktail Porter
Looking to flex your bartender skills at home? Or maybe you want to up your Friday post WFH drinks ante. Whatever your endgame, Cocktail Porter provides all the arsenal your home bar needs. The brainchild of Cameron Northway (co-owner of Rocker Bondi), Cocktail Porter will send you premium spirits, pre-measured ingredients and recipe cards created by some of the world’s best bartenders, to make your favourite cocktails each season/quarter. Boxes are $135 each and can make up to 18 cocktails, meaning each drink works out to be around $7.50 – much cheaper than your regular Friday night haunt. Boxes range from old faithfuls like espresso martinis and Negronis, to the vodka and sparkling passionfruit-based Pornstar martini.
How do alcohol subscriptions work?
Alcohol subscriptions work similarly to food-based ones. There’s usually a sign-up process, then select the subscription service you’d like (monthly, bi-monthly, etc). Each service varies, but most will ask for your boozy preferences, and then you check out via a secure payment portal. Then comes the hard part: waiting for the courier to deliver your goods.
Are alcohol subscription boxes good value?
Absolutely. Buying in bulk in this format means you’re almost always saving money. As you’re not buying from a bricks-and-mortar retail store, the subscription service can likely offer greater concessions, as it doesn’t have as many overheads. All of the above subscription providers offer free sign-up and you can cancel or pause the subscription at any time.
Why should I join an alcohol subscription service?
Subscriptions are a good way to venture outside your comfort zone and discover new favourites. Because your subscription box is often curated by experts in the field, you can bet on the quality being high, and on learning something new along the way. Some services come complete with crafty add-ons like food-pairing advice, tasting notes, or invitations to special boozy events, sweetening the experience further, and offering an education in the process.
Related story: 7 stylish whisky decanters that deserve a place on your bar cart
Comments
Join the conversation
Log in Register