Want to know what some of Archie Rose staff are serving up when they’re not on the clock? Here’s your opportunity to see the spirits taking top-shelf priority on their bar carts, and the one person (dead or alive) they’d love to have a cocktail with.

TIM HOSKEN, DISTILLERY MANAGER

What bottle is the most special to you?

“For me, a special bottle always has something more than just the quality of the liquid inside. It’s about sharing an experience with good company – or the memories that are attached to it. It was too hard to choose just one, so here are three of my favourites: a bottling from the Springbank Distillery tasting room in Campbeltown Scotland. I pulled it from a cask with Frank Mchardy in 2014, a Single Malt industry Hall of Famer and one of my early whisky mentors.

The second is a 25-year-old Fuji Gotemba Single Grain Whisky. I secured this bottle from the distillery on my travels about 8 years ago after spending time with the team, this is one of many bottles picked up in Japan that hold so many memories.

The third is the Foursquare Distillery 2005 Single Blended Rum. This bottle was given to me by Richard Seale at the Distillery in Barbados in early 2018. Being a huge rum fan, this bottle sums up many amazing experiences visiting distilleries throughout the Caribbean. All three bottles are some of the best liquids I have ever come across, but the memories are the most important part for me.”

What are you always replenishing?

“Ice. Every home bar needs a constant supply of good fresh ice – and as much as I try we always seem to run out. On the bar front, White Rum and Gin are the two fastest movers. A Daiquiri is the solid favourite at the home bar. The Archie Rose White Cane is on constant top-up, as too is our Limited Release Lemon Scented Gum Gin and also Lillet Blanc – both are my go-to’s for a dry martini with a twist. On the whisky front, Whipper Snapper Upshot Corn Whiskey is a fast pour – both neat or in a sour or an old fashioned.

What do you only serve to special guests?

“Everyone who visits is a special guest at my home. The bar is always open, although I occasionally move some items to the back of the shelf and out of sight. You’ll always get a great whisky and rum neat, or if you are patient you can watch me fumble through the tins for a cocktail. I’m fortunate enough to have a pretty broad selection at home, so I can always create something special. “

If you could invite one person (dead or alive) to your house to share a drink with, who would it be?

“It would be epic to pick the brains of a Distillery Manager from the 19th century. I would love to sit back and swap stories, uncover old secrets lost in time and blow their minds with what we are doing in the industry now. They would of course have to arrive with some of their bottlings. How amazing to try liquid from that era!”

DAVID FISHER, SENIOR SPIRITS BLENDER

What bottle is the most special to you?

“I have a 51-year-old Craigellachie that, as far as I am aware, is the only bottle in existence. When they released it it wasn’t available to purchase, only to win a tasting.”

What are you always replenishing?

“I surprisingly don’t actually drink that much at home! My most replenished would be mezcals and brandies. One is often drunk in larger volumes, less often – the other more often but in smaller volumes.”

What do you only serve to special guests?

“There’s nothing really off-limits in my cupboard, but I’ve been known to try and talk many guests into loving brandy as much as me.”

If you could invite one person (dead or alive) to your house to share a drink with, who would it be?

“Roald Dahl: he was witty, loved food and drink and I know it would be an unforgettable catch-up.”

TIM GOODE, DISTILLER

What bottle is the most special to you?

“Probably the ceramic bottle of Grants 21-year-old. It was given to me by my great aunt and it came from the collection of her late sister, so it means a lot to me. That or my bottles of Good(e) Whisk(e)y for hopefully obvious reasons.”

What are you always replenishing?

“I actually have a rule where I can never buy the same spirit twice. There are far too many amazing bottles to try! As a result, I’m only really replenishing things like vermouth and liqueurs.”

What do you only serve to special guests?

“I have a pretty liberal ‘open bottle’ policy in my house. Anyone is welcome to anything that’s open; there are probably only four or five bottles I keep closed for sentimental reasons. I like trying to invent cocktails when people come over – no guarantee they taste any good though, ha!”

If you could invite one person around for a drink (dead or alive) who would it be?

“I’ll go with Stephen Fry. He seems like a person anyone could have a great chat with, and I believe he’s partial to whisky. It might be interesting to get his opinion on Australian spirits too.”

ANDRES CALDERON, DISTILLER

What bottle is the most special to you?

I have a bottle of my first aged blend of rum some 15 years ago way before I was a distiller (or even thinking of becoming one). I bottled it in a custom bottle that looks like it’s coming from a pirate’s ship… ahoy!

What are you always replenishing?

Rum, rum and more rum.

What do you only serve to special guests?

A glass from my current aging barrel.

If you could invite one person (dead or alive) to your house to share a drink with, who would it be?

So many names floating around in my head but my heart is telling me without hesitation that the person would be my mum.

CINTIA COELHO, EVENTS LOGISTICS COORDINATOR

What bottle is the most special to you?

Archie Rose Red Gum Smoked Single Malt Whisky - it changed my mind about whisky (in the best way possible) and made me appreciate drinking whisky neat or in cocktails.

What are you always replenishing?

Wine, Vodka & Smoky Whisky.

What do you only serve to special guests?

Cachaça (Brazilian spirit). I usually make lime or strawberry Caipirinha with it or can also be drink neat.

If you could invite one person (dead or alive) to your house to share a drink with, who would it be?

Queen Elizabeth I - For me she is one of the greatest female leaders and I would love to have a chat and understand a bit more about her brilliant mind and strategies to overcome the challenges that she had as Queen.