The Koutetsu
Cocktail bar
Known for unusual cocktails on a menu that changes regularly, with almost 20 Japanese whiskies and nearly 40 gins behind the bar.
📍 555 Hunter Street, Newcastle West NSW 2302
Whisky, gin and agave: 5 bars
Swipe to see all 5 bars →
The Rooftop at QT
Rooftop bar
On top of the heritage former David Jones building, with harbour views and lunar motifs. Japanese-inspired cocktails, plenty of gins and Japanese whiskies.
📍 QT Newcastle, 185 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Bartholomew's
Bar and restaurant
A 1920s-style bar and restaurant in a historic building, with a sophisticated cocktail list and an extensive whiskey collection.
📍 145 King Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Earp Distilling Co.
Distillery bar
Run by an old Newcastle family business, with gin, rum, vodka, brandy, limoncello and absinthe distilled on site. Try The Junipepper or Spill the Beans with the Asian-influenced menu.
📍 41 Darling Street, Carrington NSW 2294
Granddad's Bar
Distillery bar
Pours only spirits from Granddad Jack's Craft Distillery: three gins, a vodka, a coffee liqueur, a whiskey and monthly limited releases. There is a courtyard out back.
📍 515 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Map: whisky, gin and agave
Tap a pin for the bar. Numbers match the list.
Your questions
Where can I drink whisky, gin or agave in Newcastle NSW?
Start with The Koutetsu, The Rooftop at QT, Bartholomew's, Earp Distilling Co. and Granddad's Bar. Our full list has 5 bars.
More Newcastle NSW bar guides
- Cocktail barsCocktail bars in Newcastle NSW: Coal & Cedar, The Koutetsu, Romberg's and The Rooftop at Q
- Date nightDate night bars in Newcastle NSW: Coal & Cedar, Romberg's, The Rooftop at QT and Bartholom
- Hidden barsHidden bars in Newcastle NSW: Coal & Cedar, Newy Fried Chicken and The Underground.
- Rooftops and viewsRooftops and views bars in Newcastle NSW: Romberg's, The Rooftop at QT, Charlie's Rooftop
- Live musicLive music bars in Newcastle NSW: Bernie's Bar, MiiNE, Bar Romeo and The Great Northern Ho
- Fun bars for groupsFun bars for groups in Newcastle NSW: The Koutetsu, Earp Distilling Co., The Falcon and Ch
- Cocktails and foodCocktails and food bars in Newcastle NSW: Romberg's, Bartholomew's, Earp Distilling Co
- Pubs and beer barsPubs and beer bars in Newcastle NSW: The Great Northern Hotel, The Grain Store, Customs Ho
- Late nightLate night bars in Newcastle NSW: Newy Fried Chicken, Jam's Karaoke & Bar, Uptowns Bar and
- CBD and East EndBars in the Newcastle CBD and East End: Coal & Cedar, Romberg's and The Rooftop at QT for
- Newcastle West and HamiltonBars in Newcastle West and on Beaumont Street, Hamilton: The Koutetsu, Charlie's Rooftop,
- Darby StreetBars on Darby Street and in Cooks Hill: Light Years, MiiNE, Bar Romeo, the hidden bar at N
- Merewether and CarringtonBars in Merewether and Carrington: Merewether Surfhouse, The Beach Hotel, The Prince of Me
- Cocktail trailsA ready-made Newcastle NSW cocktail trail on foot: The East End and King Street, Newcastle
Who wrote this guide
This guide is written by the team at M.AD Agency. We run Cocktail Week, the ten-day cocktail festival held town by town across the UK and Ireland. Now we're bringing it to Australia. Since 2022 we have taken it to more than 20 towns and cities and worked with hundreds of bars. We put this guide together from our own research and trusted local guides, including Hunter and Hunter.
No bar paid to be included and nobody can buy a place. We check the guide regularly as bars open, change and close.
Cocktail Week in Australia
Want your bar in this guide?
Run a bar in Newcastle NSW that should be here? Get in touch at hello@cocktail-week.com and tell us about it.