With more craft spirits made here than in any other part of Australia, the Inner West Distillery Trail leads you to the cellar doors of where some of the finest handmade gin, whisky, rum and vodka in the country come to life.
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Sydney’s Inner West has long been synonymous with craft beer. Its Inner West Ale Trail has processions of thirsty pilgrims marching the streets of Marrickville, Enmore and St Peters every weekend.
But now it’s our distilleries’ turn.
Running from Balmain and Rozelle to Lilyfield and Marrickville, the Inner West Distillery Trail is more than just a bar-hop around the suburbs — though you can do that if you want!
It’s more like a treasure map littered with Xs and each one has its own liquid booty (that sounded better in my head).
Check out our video of the Inner West Distillery Trail – a rendition of the video that now sits at the top of the Distillery Trail website:
Follow the Inner West Distillery Trail
Going from north to south, here are the distilleries you’ll find on the Inner West Distillery Trail.
Blackwattle Distilling Co – their Classic Dry Gin is a winner
This little ripper is secreted round the side of a courtyard in White Bay in Rozelle, almost next door to where White Bay Brewery once was.
These guys don’t have a full bar licence (yet), so front of house is not much more than a couple of barrels where you can taste Blackwattle’s delicious spirits and a shop, but this is a great start to the Trail. Blackwattle’s Classic Dry Gin is the one to look out for, winning Best in Class at the 2025 Australian Gin Awards.
Red Mill Rum – for their Stout Cask Rum
Just across the road from the Rozelle Bunnings on Mullens Street, Red Mill Rum is such a striking distillery.
Taking up an enormous warehouse that was once used as a munitions store in WWII, Red Mill’s home is now packed with barrels, rum and history lessons. Book a private tour to get down amongst the barrels, taste their goodies and learn more about this distillery that has a history going back to 1933.
My favourite rum here is the Stout Cask, packed with lovely roasted oats and chocolatey goodness, but everything here is outstanding.
I took some mates to Red Rum recently. Click here to see how it went.
Otter Craft Distilling and Bar 26 – for food and cocktails
If you want ‘tucked-away’, you need to visit OCD and its superb front-of-house bar. Hidden in the back streets of Lilyfield and through a door that feels like you’re going into an apartment block, Bar 26 gives ultimate speakeasy vibes.
While the juice here is supremely well made (limited release Shiraz barrel whisky and mesmerising Gold Leaf Vodka especially) and well mixed into meticulous cocktails, the food at Bar 26 is off the charts.
House-made woodfired pizzas, and charcuterie boards full of carefully sourced meats and cheese are a knockout.
Lily Fields Distilling Co – for G&T and a roll
While the actual still of this distillery is based elsewhere, Lily Fields’ bar is in one of the best spots possible.
Prime position on the garden side of Leichhardt Bowls Club (which in its turn is just on the Lilyfield side of the Leichhardt border), this bar is the perfect spot for a cheeky G&T or two and a barefoot roll with friends.
If lawn bowls aren’t your thing, grab a table close to the bar and work your way through the cocktail menu of this award-winning gin distillery.
Moonshiner – for a great range of gin (and people-watching)
This tiny gin bar has burrowed right into the middle of Marrickville’s brewery district. In spite of its small stature, the range of gins and liqueurs on offer here is astounding.
With so many different types of gin featuring everything from cumquats to walnuts to gin rested in ex-maple syrup barrels, it’s worth coming for a tasting session or at least a couple of cocktails.
What’s more, the tables in the little street-side courtyard make for superb people-watching while you sip!
Poor Toms – for food and their Sydney Dry Gin
Part beer hall, part ’80s disco, this distillery, pizzeria and gin bar is a perfect spot for friends to get together in the heart of Marrickville.
We met owners of Poor Toms – Jesse Kennedy and Griffin Blumer – in their first premises when they were just starting up all the way back in 2017!
Poor Toms make some delicious gins, masterfully stirred into cocktails by friendly bar staff, and the permanent collab with Oltra Pizza adds an extra highlight on the Inner West Distillery Trail.
Ester Spirits – for gin tastings and pure creativity
There’s something about Ester Spirits that makes me feel like I’m in the inner circle of hospo secrets. This cool distillery bar in Marrickville has the mix of grit and glamour just right.
Ester turns out some pretty special spirits such as its highly awarded Strong Gin to its Old Tom, which took home Best in Show at the 2025 Australian Gin Awards. Ester’s gin flight tasting is a must, where you get generous pours of four different gins and liqueurs as well as two cocktails.
Unexpected Guest Distillery – for quirkiness and their London Dry Gin
Full of fun details and artwork, Unexpected Guest Distillery and its bar is a lot of fun.
Not only does this central Marrickville bar have a wonderfully comfortable vibe, it’s home to some outstanding gins as well. Indeed, their Bobby’s London Dry Gin notched up the highest score of all Aussie gins at the vaunted London Spirits Competition in 2025.
Eureka Distilling – for liqueurs and whisky
Although these guys don’t have a visitable cellar door, the spirits they make, not far from the banks of the Cooks River and the southern border of Marrickville, are excellent.
Look out for Eureka’s gins, vodkas, rums, whiskies and liqueurs in all good bars and bottlos around the Inner West or shop online.
Click here to start your trip along the Inner West Distillery Trail!
