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By Sophie McComas, ContributorISSUE #037 PROUDLY FOR EVERYONE | News

We’re The Official Gin Partner of Sydney WorldPride 2023!

Sydney, gin and WorldPride? It’s a combo that JUST WORKS. We’re back this year as the official gin partner to Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and WorldPride 2023! To celebrate, we’re doing something a little different and a little slippery, with a major dial up on pleasure and fun.

We’re bursting with joy to finally reveal Archie Rose x LBDO Essensual Lube, a natural, water-based botanical lubricant, made together with Melbourne based sexual wellness company LBDO and featuring Certified Organic hydrating Aloe vera and Kakadu plum and quandong extract. Showcasing artwork by local queer artist, Luke Matthew John Arnold, it was created to celebrate individuality and pleasure, and to feel great doing it, representing Archie Rose and LBDO’s ethos around native ingredients and a shared belief in the exploration of safe, inclusive sexual wellness as well as the joys of an impeccably crafted cocktail.

Or in the words of Archie Rose founder, Will: “We are incredibly proud to be the official gin partner to Sydney WorldPride 2023 and to be collaborating with LBDO as another independent Australian brand who shares the same passion for individuality, inclusion and sustainably sourced native ingredients as our 110 strong Archie Rose team.”

From Wednesday 18 January 2023 you can purchase two celebratory Sydney WorldPride Bottled Cocktails, Peaches on Beaches and Harbour Cruisin’ (more on those below), as well as a customised WorldPride Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin created in tribute to the LGBTQIA+ global community via the Archie Rose website and receive a bottle of Essensual Lube as a complimentary gift.

We’re also involved in over fifty events throughout Sydney WorldPride including a Sexual Wellness Masterclass at the Archie Rose Bar & Cellar Door in Rosebery, Sydney on Thursday 3 March hosted by LBDO founder, Rachel Baker and Sexologist Meg Callander.

According to Rachel: “LBDO is thrilled to partner with Archie Rose for Sydney WorldPride, a festival and celebration close to our hearts. Like Archie Rose, LBDO products use only the highest quality materials and ingredients and are engineered to help people enjoy the moment and elevate pleasure where possible every day. Together with Archie Rose, we’re honoured to participate in this global movement, and are ready to listen, learn, protest and party.”

More On Our Limited Edition Bottled Cocktails, Customised Signature Dry Gin & 50 Plus WorldPride Archie Rose Events

Peaches on Beaches is a limited edition Bottled Cocktail that serves as a tongue-in-cheek ode to long, sticky days recovering on your favourite Sydney beach. It features Signature Dry Gin along with joyous notes of peach, mango, elderflower, native lemon myrtle and a touch of salt.

Harbour Cruisin’ is the second limited edition Bottled Cocktail created for Sydney WorldPride and is a breezy summer aperitivo inspired by Sydney Harbour, the world’s most beautiful beat. It features Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin, Campari, forest berries, and the quintessential flavours of native Australian waxflower and pink peppercorn.

The artwork for Peaches on Beaches, Harbour Cruisin’ and the Essensual Lube has been designed by local queer artist, Luke John Matthew Arnold, whose multidisciplinary visual art and illustration focus on sexuality and the stereotypes surrounding it.

“I treated the artwork almost like a theatre set, setting the ideal scene for where to have a sip or two. Along with some cute, cheeky and explicit innuendos the packaging is also heavily inspired by the progressive pride flag. It’s a nod to the diversity and pride for our community that Archie Rose has also created within their walls,” says Arnold.

A special-edition WorldPride Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin will be available from today at bottle shops and bars nationally along with the Archie Rose Bar & Cellar Door in Rosebery and the Archie Rose website. It features a rainbow neck collar, silver foil and a personalised welcome message to the LGBTQIA+ global community.

We’ll also be involved in more than 50 awesome events throughout Sydney WorldPride including:

-Six events at the Archie Rose Bar & Cellar Door in Rosebery, Sydney including a Sex Ed Sexual Wellness class with LBDO as well as Gay Klay and Drag Bingo.

-Archie Rose gin will be served on Vir-GIN Pride Flights departing from Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth on Friday 24 February 2023 with pre-flight parties, drag shows, DJs and more. The flights will be hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under Stars, Coco Jumbo, Karen from Finance, Kween Kong, Maxi Shield and other drag talent.

-Archie Rose and Hotel Ravesis at Bondi will be staging Drag Brunch and Drag Bingo throughout February and March hosted by diva, Philmah Bocks and RuPaul’s Jojo Zaho.

-Bar 83 on top of Centrepoint Tower in Sydney will be a WorldPride inspired hub, specialising in curated Archie Rose cocktails and music for all your pre, during and post Mardi Gras desires. No tickets required.

-Take an Archie Rose Sydney WorldPride Garden Walk around the Royal Botanic Gardens and enjoy a guided tasting of Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin. Tickets available via the Royal Botanic Gardens website.

Made in gay spirits we open our arms wide and remain, as always, proudly Sydney, and proudly for everyone.