Your Guide to Winter Drinking: Reds, Stouts and Spirits

Our favourite restaurants change with the seasons, so why not drink seasonally too? Alongside the gin and tonics or hazy pale ales that carried you through summer, autumn and winter are a chance to explore richer, fuller-bodied drinks suited to cooler weather.

Not sure where to start? Here are four simple groups of winter sippers to set you on your way, whether you’re already a whisky aficionado or still working out what flavours appeal to you most. These drinks are made for sharing, so keep them in mind for your next mid-year gathering.

Cosy cocktails

Cocktails may conjure images of chilled glasses and abundant ice cubes, but there’s a robust subset of sippers that are perfect for the colder seasons. Think warm spices and inviting aromas, from the restorative honey-and-lemon comfort of a classic hot toddy to the savoury depth of a hot buttered rum. It’s also easy to transform a humble mug of coffee or cocoa into something boozier, while winter spins on classics like the Negroni or Old Fashioned are always worth revisiting. Tea-based cocktails also come into their own at this time of year, as does warm cider spiked with bourbon, apple and seasonal spices.

If you’re hosting, many of these drinks can be made in batches ahead of time to keep the whole group feeling comfy and cared for. And not every winter drink has to be higher in temperature – an Espresso Martini can feel just as warming, especially once the caffeine kicks in. The same goes for a properly spicy Marg.

Warming red wines

Red wine works year-round, but certain fuller-bodied drops feel especially right in winter. Winton Road does a rich, plummy Barossa Valley shiraz that pairs beautifully with red meat (think Sunday roast) and hard cheeses (think charcuterie board), making it an easy pick to share with company.

On the softer side, you’ve got Bijou Terre de Providence pinot noir, a light and fruity French wine from near the Pyrenees. This one would pair well with a roast chicken and root veggies, or something earthier like mushroom risotto.

You can also make red wine extra warming by mulling it in seasonal spices and a grounding spirit like brandy, then letting everything warm slowly together. (Hint: you can make mulled white wine too.) Fortified wines like port are also a natural fit for the colder evenings.

Dark beers

Dark beers cover a surprisingly broad spectrum, from roasty porters to rich stouts. Coffee and chocolate often show up in the flavour profile, as does caramel. They range widely in sweetness and body, with milk stouts adding lactose, and oatmeal stout adding, well, oats. There are also black lagers and IPAs for drinkers after something a little maltier or hoppier.

Most craft breweries offer at least a couple of darker styles, making them a great place to start exploring beyond the bigger brands. There are even winter festivals showcasing dark beer around Australia, including Obsidian and Darker Days in Victoria alone. So if you’re only familiar with Irish dry stouts, there’s a lot of happy exploring to do.

Slow-sipping spirits

Winter tends to shift drinking habits towards darker, slower-sipped spirits. Brandy, Scotch, rum and bourbon are often enjoyed neat or over ice this time of year, thanks to their richer flavour profiles and cask-aged notes of vanilla, spice and smoke. Sometimes you don’t need a full cocktail to experience the best in a spirit – just a well-made pour and enough time to enjoy it properly.

Cask-aged for two years, St Helena brandy is a French import that’s ideal for after-dinner sipping. Similarly, Black Hound blended Scotch whisky is a smoky yet approachable gem from the Scottish Highlands, with subtle vanilla notes throughout. Dark rum, bourbon and rye whisky also work beautifully on their own when thoughtfully made, without needing much else in the glass. Just bring enough to share.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Liquorland.