Newcastle bars are delivering cocktails and spirits

It’s not just the capital cities like Melbourne and Sydney that are continuing to mix up drinks for sofa, bed, or shower consumption. In Newcastle, the team behind Babylon and The Blind Monk have got you covered.

Takeaway cocktails are quickly becoming the drink du jour as bars across Australia, and the rest of the world, try to stay in touch with their community.

With a curated list of drinks available, tasty meals and even flights of spirits, Babylon and The Blind Monk have found a way to bring their latest and best creations to the customers they can no longer welcome in-venue. Taking advantage of the new and temporary licensing laws, staff from both venues will be delivering orders straight to your door, usually within 40 minutes.

So what looks good?

The spirit flights from Babylon will catch the attention of any whisky or gin fan – or those of us bored with our living room choices. Coming in three x 50ml serves with tasting notes to help, the options include Australian, Irish, Japanese, American rye and Scotch whisky flights as well a premium and rare selection for those looking for an at-home treat. But it’s not all whisky, you can also order a tasting of premium rums, gins, and tequilas to experiment with, top with mixers or sip neat. Take a look at what’s on offer here.

“The tasting sets come in a huge range of pricing options,” says owner John Elsley, “so people really don’t have to spend too much to get their hands on some great spirits and a new experience to boot.”

Cocktails, curated by Babylon bar manager Ryan Duck, are delivered in a jar with the garnishes ready-to-go on the side. Simply add ice and shake.

“We tried looking at options with long life juice in them,” continues John, “but it just doesn’t taste the same, so we’re prebatching everything but the juice, and then adding that in right before it goes out for delivery - ensuring the drinks are super fresh when they reach people’s doors.”

That does mean however the cocktails are best drunk the night you order them, and shouldn’t be popped in the fridge for two days.

Cocktails come in serves of two, all priced at $29 and there’s some heavy hitters on the menu at Babylon such as a Barrel Aged Old Fashioned as well as bright, fresh drinks such as a Pisco & Pomegranate Sour or Cabellero De La Cruz. Looking for an after dinner treat? A classic Espresso Martini will no doubt add a touch of glamour to your social distancing plans.

Over at The Blind Monk there’s a shorter, more classic list with icons such as the Margarita, Amaretto Sour and French Martini alongside coupes and margarita glasses on sale if you're feeling like a fancy serve. Both venues also have plenty of beer, wine and date night platters to see you through till the bars can open their doors again.

Order from The Blind Monk here and Babylon here.