Cocktails

The Amaretto Sour Recipe: How to Make the Grown-Up Version Worth Drinking

The amaretto sour gets a serious upgrade. Learn how to make the grown-up version with bourbon, lemon, and egg white — properly balanced and worth drinking.
Cocktails

The Whisky Sour Recipe: Egg White In or Out? Here’s the Honest Answer

The whisky sour is one of the great classic cocktails. Here's how to make it perfectly, with or without egg white, plus NZ whisky options.
Cocktails

The Tequila Cocktails Every Serious Drinker Should Know (And Why They Work)

From the Margarita to the Paloma, these are the tequila cocktails worth understanding, making, and drinking well. A guide for NZ drinkers.
Cocktails

The Rum Cocktails You Should Be Making Instead (Or As Well As) the Mojito

The Mojito is just the start. Discover five brilliant rum cocktails worth making at home, with real recipes and specific bottles to look for in NZ.
Low & No

The Zero-Proof Negroni That Refuses to Be Boring

A zero-proof Negroni that actually delivers bitter, botanical depth. Our NZ-friendly recipe uses clever swaps to nail that classic grown-up flavour without alcohol.
Food & Drink

The Best Drinks to Have With Fish and Chips (And Why They Work)

From Marlborough sauvignon blanc to a cold pilsner, here's what actually works with fish and chips — and what to skip. A proper NZ pairing guide.
Beer & Cider

Sour Beer Explained: Why It Tastes Like That (and Why That’s a Good Thing)

Sour beer confused you? From Berliner weisse to fruited sours, this plain-language guide explains every style and where to begin.
Low & No

The Honest Guide to Non-Alcoholic Gin: What’s Actually in the Bottle and How to Drink It Well

Non alcoholic gin is more complex than you'd think. Here's how it's actually made, what makes a good one, and how to use it in drinks at home.
Regions

Light, Latitude and Aromatic Whites: The Spiritly Guide to Nelson Wine

Spiritly Wine Desk Spiritly Wine Desk -
Nelson produces some of New Zealand's most distinctive whites and aromatic varieties. Here's what makes the region tick, and the producers worth knowing.
Food & Drink

What to Drink with Roast Lamb: A Course-by-Course Pairing Guide

Spiritly Food & Drink Desk Spiritly Food & Drink Desk -
Roast lamb deserves a great drink match. Here's exactly what to pour for every course, from starter to dessert, plus zero-proof options too.

Regions & Producers

Cocktails

Most Read

Irish Whiskey Explained: What Makes It Genuinely Different from Scotch

Spirits
Irish whiskey has a distinct character all its own. Here's what sets it apart from Scotch, how it's made, and what to try if you're just getting started.

Pinot Noir 101: Why New Zealand Makes Some of the Most Exciting Reds on the Planet

Wine
New to Pinot Noir? This beginner's guide covers what it tastes like, where NZ grows it best, and which bottles to try first.

The Classic Margarita Recipe: Why Balance Is the Only Thing That Matters

Cocktails
A great margarita recipe lives or dies on one ratio. Learn how to balance tequila, lime, and triple sec for a classic that actually tastes right.

Sour Beer Explained: Why It Tastes Like That (and Why That’s a Good Thing)

Beer & Cider
Sour beer confused you? From Berliner weisse to fruited sours, this plain-language guide explains every style and where to begin.

Gin Cocktails Worth Making at Home This Spring (With Recipes That Actually Work)

Cocktails
From a proper Negroni to a spring Gimlet, these gin cocktails are worth making at home. Real recipes, NZ producers, and no bar tab required.

The Dirty Martini Recipe: How to Find Your Perfect Level of Dirty

Cocktails
The dirty martini is all about olive brine ratios. Here's the recipe, the right balance, and how to dial it up or down to suit your glass.

The Mojito Recipe You Should Actually Be Making This Spring

Cocktails
The classic mojito recipe, made right. Fresh mint, proper rum, real lime — no shortcuts. Plus NZ tips, zero-proof swaps, and food pairings.

The Pornstar Martini Recipe Worth Making Properly

Cocktails
The Pornstar Martini turns 25 this year. Here's how to make it properly, with tips on passion fruit, vanilla vodka, and why the Prosecco shot matters.

Editor's Picks

The Sauvignon Blanc You Haven’t Tried Yet: Beyond Marlborough’s Famous Zip

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is iconic, but there's a wider story. Discover what Hawke's Bay, Loire, and other regions do with the grape differently.

The Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide That Actually Explains Why It Works

Not all wine and cheese combos work. This NZ pairing guide names exact bottles and cheeses, explains why they work, and flags the matches to avoid.

What to Drink With Spicy Food: The Asian Takeaway Pairing Guide That Actually Works

Spicy food and the wrong drink is a bad night. Here's exactly what to drink with Asian takeaways, from Riesling to lager, with NZ picks throughout.

Hazy IPA Explained: Why New Zealand Brewers Can’t Get Enough of It

Hazy IPA is one of New Zealand's favourite craft beer styles. Here's what makes it cloudy, juicy and different from other IPAs — explained simply.

Spirits

Five Bottles, Endless Cocktails: The Smarter Way to Stock a Home Bar

Spirits
Five bottles is all you need to make a dozen great cocktails at home. Here's exactly which ones to buy and what you can do with them.

Irish Whiskey Explained: What Makes It Genuinely Different from Scotch

Spirits
Irish whiskey has a distinct character all its own. Here's what sets it apart from Scotch, how it's made, and what to try if you're just getting started.

Baileys Irish Cream: What It Actually Is and the Best Ways to Drink It

Spirits
Baileys is one of the world's most recognised liqueurs. Here's what's actually in it, why it works, and the best ways to drink it in New Zealand.

From a Handful of Distilleries to More Than 100: The Story Behind the NZ Gin Boom

Spirits
NZ gin went from almost nothing to over 60 distilleries in roughly a decade. Here's the real story of how it happened and which producers shaped it.

Mezcal vs Tequila: The Real Differences (And Why They Both Deserve a Place in Your Glass)

Spirits
Mezcal vs tequila — what actually sets them apart? This plain-English guide covers production, flavour, and what to try first in New Zealand.

Wine

One Grape, Three Styles: How Riesling Goes from Bone Dry to Beautifully Sweet

Wine
Riesling can be bone dry or lusciously sweet — often from the same grape. Here's how to tell the difference and what to try first.

Merlot Explained: The Soft Red Wine That Deserves a Second Look

Wine
Merlot is smoother than you think and more complex than its reputation suggests. Here's everything a curious beginner needs to know about this approachable red wine.

Port Wine Explained: The Difference Between Ruby, Tawny and Vintage (And Why It Matters)

Wine
Port wine is richer and more varied than most people realise. Learn the difference between ruby, tawny and vintage styles in this beginner's guide.

The Grape That Conquered the World: A Beginner’s Guide to Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine
Cabernet Sauvignon is the world's most planted red grape. Here's what makes it tick, how it's grown around the world, and where New Zealand fits in.

Sherry Explained: Everything Between Bone-Dry Fino and Syrup-Sweet Pedro Ximénez

Wine
Sherry spans bone-dry to treacle-sweet in a single wine category. Here's how to understand every style, read the label, and find where to start.

Food & Drink

What to Drink With Spicy Food: The Asian Takeaway Pairing Guide That Actually Works

Food & Drink
Spicy food and the wrong drink is a bad night. Here's exactly what to drink with Asian takeaways, from Riesling to lager, with NZ picks throughout.

The Best Drinks to Have With Fish and Chips (And Why They Work)

Food & Drink
From Marlborough sauvignon blanc to a cold pilsner, here's what actually works with fish and chips — and what to skip. A proper NZ pairing guide.

What to Drink with Roast Lamb: A Course-by-Course Pairing Guide

Food & Drink
Roast lamb deserves a great drink match. Here's exactly what to pour for every course, from starter to dessert, plus zero-proof options too.

Wine Pairing Basics: Five Rules That Actually Help (And One That Doesn’t)

Food & Drink
Stop guessing what wine goes with dinner. These five wine pairing basics actually work — with NZ examples, real logic, and no snobbery required.

The Wine and Cheese Pairing Guide That Actually Explains Why It Works

Food & Drink
Not all wine and cheese combos work. This NZ pairing guide names exact bottles and cheeses, explains why they work, and flags the matches to avoid.

Beer & Cider

Low & No

Wine

Spirits

More Stories

Beer & Cider

From Homebrew Sheds to Tap Rooms: The Breweries and Styles That Built New Zealand Craft Beer

From the first indie brewers to today's hazy IPAs and sours, here's how New Zealand craft beer really developed, and which breweries made it happen.
Regions

Stone, Cold Air and Pinot: The Spiritly Guide to Central Otago Wine

From Bannockburn schist to Gibbston's cold-climate Pinot Noir, this is your complete guide to Central Otago's wine region, producers and styles.
Food & Drink

Wine Pairing Basics: Five Rules That Actually Help (And One That Doesn’t)

Stop guessing what wine goes with dinner. These five wine pairing basics actually work — with NZ examples, real logic, and no snobbery required.
Beer & Cider

Pilsner Explained: The Beer Style That Quietly Took Over the World

Pilsner is the world's most popular beer style — but most people don't know why it tastes the way it does. Here's your friendly beginner's guide.
Spirits

Irish Whiskey Explained: What Makes It Genuinely Different from Scotch

Irish whiskey has a distinct character all its own. Here's what sets it apart from Scotch, how it's made, and what to try if you're just getting started.