Cocktail Recipes

Here at Manly Spirits, we specialise in vodka, liqueur and gin — so we’ve got an excellent selection of cocktail recipes for all three of these types of spirits. Whether you’re looking for simple, easy cocktails to make for a light afternoon refreshment or are seeking more complex gin cocktail recipes for an evening extravaganza, this guide has a beverage to suit you and your palate. We’re firm believers that there’s a cocktail for everyone out there — and we hope to help you find it!

The Manly Spirits range of gin incorporates a variety of Australian botanicals, lending their distinctive flavours to the final drink. So although you could broadly say all of our gin cocktails are “Australian cocktails”, we’ll hone in a little more. For some easy Australian cocktail recipes, we’d suggest the Sea Spray Vodka & Tonic and the Foraged Coastal Bowl. If you’re looking to challenge your skills a little more, the Lilly Pilly Sour is highly recommended, with its fragrant flavour undertones and pink colour derived from botanicals local to the area. Additionally, the Manly Marine Vesper is a delicious, citrusy Australian twist on an aperitif.

If you’re not a regular gin drinker, you may best off opting for our Amber Spiced Gin Cocktails; slightly lower in alcohol, they also feature a slightly sweeter edge thanks to the inclusion of their spiced flavours. The Amber Spiced Gin & Tonic, Amber Crumble and Amber Dusk Tiki are all excellent options. Our Pink Gin Cocktails are also slightly lower in alcohol than our other gin-based cocktails too.

We’ve got a number of cocktails to make with pink gin, ranging from simple to complex. The Manly Spirits Pink G&T is an easy entry point for those new to cocktails and pink gin alike, while the Lilly Pilly Sour presents an alluring combination of pink and froth for the new and experienced gin fan alike. Last but not least, the Pink Gin Sling also represents a pink gin twist on a classic gin cocktail recipe; adding in a host of sweeter notes, it’s an excellent way to rediscover a long-time favourite.

Who can go past the Perfect G&T or the Zesty Fruit Salad for easy-to-create cocktail recipes? But if you’re in doubt, just look for whether a cocktail is described as “Simple serve”, “Signature serve” or “Complex serve”. “Simple serve” drinks are the easiest to make, while many of the Signature serve cocktails should be easy enough for you to make, even if you’re a relative beginner.

If you’re looking at making cocktails for the first time — or perhaps upgrading your existing skill set — you’ll be pleased to learn that here at Manly Spirits we offer a Cocktail Masterclass. You’ll learn to create three signature cocktails, with our professional mixologist taking you through the process step by step. All of the cocktails featured in the class are inspired by native botanicals and incorporate spirits from the Manly Spirits range.

If you want to get even more down to the nitty-gritty of how cocktails are made, we also offer a gin making class at our gin school. Taking charge of a miniature copper still — just like a miniature version of our own beloved in-house still — you’ll develop and distil your very own 700ml bottle of gin to take home. You can use it to make yourself a sensation at your very next cocktail party! 

Afterwards, you’ll also be able to swing by the distillery tasting bar and sample a variety of other cocktails too; at Manly Spirits, we pride ourselves on our friendly staff and a great selection of locally created spirits and liqueurs.