Vanguard Luxury Brands

We at Vanguard Luxury Brands are proud to be the exclusive Australian importers of the outstanding brands listed below.

Aviation Gin

Hailing from Portland, Oregon USA, Aviation Gin is a small batch New Western Style Dry Gin made in partnership between Christian Krogstad and Lee Medoff of House Spirits Distillery™ and Mixologist Ryan Magarian of Liquid Relations™. Aviation Gin is thought to be the first true partnership between distiller and bartender.

Aviation has the delicacy of a London dry gin, yet the weight of a Dutch genever. As with most dry gins, Aviation shines brightest when properly mixed in classic and modern culinary cocktails, especially citrus-accented drinks that play off its unique notes of lavender, cardamom, and Indian Sarsaparilla. However, unlike most dry gins, Aviation sets itself apart with its slightly subdued juniper and citrus presence against the backdrop of creamy rye spirit which makes it uniquely enjoyable all by itself, both ice cold and at room temperature.

Aviation takes its name from the Aviation Cocktail which was invented by Hugo Ensslin, a bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York sometime during the early 20th Century.

The House Spirits Aviation Cocktail Recipe:

Carefully measure the following ingredients with a jigger into a large mixing glass:
60 ml Aviation Gin
20 ml Maraska Maraschino Liqueur
20 ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Shake vigorously for 6 seconds
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve up with a Luxardo Cherry on a pick.

For more information, please click here.

Creme au Caramel cream liqueur with a pinch of sea salt

Salted caramel is a taste profile that has won a great deal of recent attention from the likes of Masterchef, the New York Times and many other sources. Made in France, Creme au Caramel liqueur is the only salted caramel liqueur available. Fine French brandy is married with fresh cream, caramel and a pinch of sea salt to create a delicious liqueur that is more sophisticated in flavour than traditional cream liqueurs.

Flor de Cana Slow-Aged Rum

Flor de Cana slow aged rum is the world’s most awarded rum, having earned over 100 awards in international competition since 2000.

Flor de Cana is a molasses rum distilled, aged and bottled in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. It is the only distillery in Nicaragua. The distillery is based on the Pacific side of the country so it is not Caribbean Rum; the heat is drier, the climate less humid and maturation rates are slower.

Flor de Cana’s original brick barrelhouses have no air-conditioning, electrical ventilation or humidifiers and create a natural, undisturbed environment in which to age at sea level.

Flor de Cana rum is 100% the age stated on the label. There is no blending between ages and no Solera system.

For more information, please click here.

Vanguard Luxury Brands imports six varieties of Flor de Cana into Australia.

• 4 Year Old White (also known as Extra Dry) - the oldest white rum available. A soft, round entry leads to a smooth, dryish medium-bodied palate with vanilla, coconut, and a dash of bourbon barrel spiciness.
• 4 Year Old Gold – a traditional 4 year old rum, medium bodied, buttery with notes of caramel, nuts and vanilla.
• 7 Year Old Grand Reserve – a premium, full-bodied rum with pronounced notes of coffee and dark chocolate, toasted amber in colour. Gives richness and body to a Grand Mojito.
• 12 Year Old Centenario - Stately and semisweet; nougat, almond butter, molasses and sherry abound.
• 18 Year Old Centenario Gold - a full-bodied rum with amber colour, rich complexity and a smooth finish. Judged at the 2007 IWSC to be ‘absolutely jam packed with complex aromas. Flavours abound yet all well ordered, mature fashion. Very impressive.’ A rum to be savoured by itself.

• 15 Year Old Centenario 21 - Limited edition; soon to be discontinued. Once our stocks of this are gone, they are gone forever. Presented in a porcelain decanter with 23ct gold script. An extraordinary spirit chosen for its complex aromas guided with elegance and finesse. One of Spirit Journal’s top 10 distilled spirits in the world – “this distillery has always produced quality rums, but Centenario 21 is in another league, in a completely different universe”.

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Laird's applejack and apple brandies

Laird and Company is America’s oldest family-run distillery and steeped with history. Laird's applejack was first created by William Laird in Monmouth, New Jersey in 1698. It was then discovered by George Washington around 1760 who asked for and received the recipe and introduced Applejack to the Virginia colony. Later, Abraham Lincoln served it in his saloon in 1833 before entering politics. President Johnson asked the Laird family to unlock their warehouse in 1964 so he could give a case of Laird's to the Russian president who was visiting the US.

Laird’s applejack is 35% apple brandy and 65% neutral spirits. It takes 6 pounds (2.7kg) of apples to make one bottle. The apples are grown mainly in Virginia and are harvested in the US autumn. The juice is fermented naturally - i.e. without the use of added yeast. It is then distilled, then water added and aged 4 – 6 years.

Laird's applejack makes a wonderful spirit base for cocktails and is used in several iconic classics including the Jack Rose and Stone Fence.

The Laird's 100 proof straight apple brandy, the 7 and a half year old apple brandy and the 12 year old apple brandy are also available in strictly limited quantities.

For more information, please click here.

St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur

WINNER OF AUSTRALIAN LIQUOR INDUSTRY AWARDS COCKTAIL LIQUEUR OF THE YEAR 2009!

St-Germain liqueur is made from the elderflower, the starry white blossoms of the elder tree, picked fresh from the foothills of the French Alps. The season of these blossoms only lasts a few days each year in late spring.

St-Germain is the first liqueur in the world created in the artisanal French manner from freshly handpicked wild elderflower blossoms. There are other elderflower cordials, but no other elderflower liqueur.

St-Germain’s taste is neither peach nor pear, lychee nor citrus. The sublime taste of St-Germain hints at each of these and yet none of them exactly. It is a flavour as subtle and delicate as it is captivating.

St-Germain's signature drink is made with 2 parts dry sparkling wine, 2 parts soda water and 1.5 parts St-Germain built in a tall glass with lots of ice and stirred. Garnish with a lemon twist. Easy to make and deliciously refreshing! It also goes perfectly in martinis, margaritas, or with Aviation gin and sauvignon blanc in a Left Bank Martini. Endless possibilities!

Each bottle is individually numbered.

Winner of Double Gold medal at San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 2007 and gold at the same competition in 2009.

20% alc/vol

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The Simple Syrup Company - SEE OUR RECIPES PAGE FOR GREAT NEW AUTUMN RECIPES!

Industry gurus Jason Crawley and Alexx Swainston have created this exciting range of luxurious syrups, made with 100% organic sugar. These exquisite small batch syrups help bartenders minimise their prep times and cocktail making time, whilst maintaining and enhancing the intricacy of their cocktail flavour profiles. The mixing potential is huge!

RAW ORGANIC SUGAR SYRUP Made from organic Paraguayan mountain sugar, carrying deliciously nutty, caramel tones. This is the choice for the purist who wants to add the flavour of natural sugar to their drinks, and also longs for completely consistent density from batch to batch.
BURNT ORANGE AND VANILLA BEAN SYRUP Made from freshly pressed Valencia orange & Madagascan vanilla, this works beautifully with premium tequilas and whiskies for some old fashioned twists. It also adds a whole new dimension to the Cosmo.
MADAGASCAN VANILLA BEAN SYRUP Truly decadent, rich vanilla syrup. Countless cocktails and macerations are fantastic with this syrup.
POMEGRANATE AND TAHITIAN LIME SYRUP is fabulous in the Ricky and Collins family of cocktails. One favourite is in a Gimlet, replacing the lime.
SPICED HONEY APPLE SYRUP Deliciously much like an apple pie with cinnamon, aniseed, green cardamom, cloves and nutmeg. Try mixing with Aviation Gin or in a rye Sazerac.
TIKI SYRUP Made from small sweet pineapples and almonds, this suits all things tiki: punches and coladas etc.

For more information, please click here.

Square One Organic Vodka

Square One Organic Vodka, the world's first certified organic American rye vodka, is made from the finest 100% organic North Dakota rye - the premier rye-growing region in the U.S.

Square One is available in its unflavoured rye version as well as a unique and delicious cucumber version. For the serious bar chefs, there is also a limited edition Square One Botanical which contains 8 botanicals: pear, rose, chamomile, lemon verbena, lavender, rosemary, coriander and citrus peel. It has no juniper, so it's not a gin.

Square One is kosher, female owned and operated and brings a green ethos to the spirits business. Square One’s creator and owner, Allison Evanow, comments: “Square One brings an eco-sensibility to the main cocktail ingredient – spirits. We start at square one, farming our rye without the use of harmful chemicals and take that philosophy all the way through our distillation, eco-friendly packaging and green business practices. With a growing emphasis on fresh produce and natural ingredients in cocktails, the premium quality of our vodkas contributes to a spectacular cocktail experience . ”

Very few vodkas are hand-crafted as meticulously as Square One; created in one place, using high quality grain, the purest water and a proprietary method of crafting. The Master Distiller crafts this singularly distinctive, limited production vodka using 100% certified organic, American rye. The water, drawn from deep aquifers imparts unparalleled smoothness, reflecting its origin in the pristine Teton Mountains. The unique, proprietary organic fermentation technique combined with a classic four-column distillation and filtration method is used to create Square One. The precise standards deliver an incredibly silky, high quality vodka with a richness on the palate.

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Tuthilltown Spirits - Hudson Whiskeys

For 220 years Tuthilltown Gristmill used waterpower to render local grains to flour. In 2001 Ralph Erenzo and Vicki Morgan acquired the property and with the help of partner Brian Lee, they converted one of the mill granaries to a micro-distillery. Their whiskies now adorn the back bars of the finest establishments from San Francisco to New York.
The only size available is 350ml and each bottle is hand-filled, capped, waxed and numbered. There are three products available in the range so far:

• Hudson Baby Bourbon - New York's first Bourbon, distilled from 100% New York corn. This was Tuthilltown’s first whiskey and the first pot-still whiskey to be made legally in New York since Prohibition. 46% alc/vol.

- Hudson Manhattan Rye – New York was known for its rye whiskey (until Prohibition), hence rye whiskey being the basis for the legendary Manhattan cocktail. Made from whole rye grain; not blended. 46% alc/vol.

• Hudson Single Malt - pot distilled with 100% unpeated malted barley, one batch at a time. This whiskey is not chill-filtered or charcoal filtered. It is rich in colour and full flavoured. Each batch is unique. Hudson Single Malt stands up nicely to a splash of water, which releases aroma and softens the spirit on your lips. This spirit improves in your glass as it opens up. Enjoy it slowly.

• Moonshine, more formally known as Hudson New York Corn Spirit – Distilled the old fashioned way, one batch at a time from 100% New York corn – and unaged. No sugar is added. Also known as White Dog or White Lightn’ng. It is bottled at 46% alcohol by volume and is also the foundation for Hudson Baby Bourbon.

For more information, please click here.