Big Barrel Newtown

About Big Barrel Newtown

Big Barrel Newtown is the Constable Street branch of the Big Barrel liquor store network, sitting at the Te Aro end of Wellington's inner city. It's one of a long list of Big Barrel stores across New Zealand — from Mt Eden and Otahuhu in Auckland through Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North, Whanganui, Taranaki and the Hutt Valley down to Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown — and it carries the chain's full-range approach to beer, wine and spirits.

The spirits wall is the deep end. Whiskies are split into eight categories — American, Australian, blended, Canadian, Irish, Indian, Japanese spirits and single malt Scotch — with dedicated ranges for dark, silver, gold and spiced rum, plus gin, vodka, tequila, vermouth, schnapps, liqueurs, light spirits, grappa and Chinese baijiu. Brandy lovers get brandies, cognacs, armagnac and calvados from the Calvados region of France, and there's a miniature range alongside a non-alcoholic spirits selection.

Wine is organised by style and origin: New Zealand, Australian and imported reds; Australian and imported whites alongside NZ sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and other local varietals; sparkling wines and champagnes; dessert and fortified wines; and a cask wine range. Beer covers craft beers, NZ classics, imports, Australian beer, flavoured and light beers and lagers of the world, with crates for bulk buys, and an RTD range broken down by base spirit.

Around the bottles, the sundries range takes in chips and nuts, soft drinks, mixers, energy drinks and juices, cigarettes and cigars with smoking tools, cups and glass hire, gifting extras, apparel and recovery pills. Online there are exclusively online deals, general specials, gift ideas and a new products list worth browsing before you visit.

Big Barrel Newtown: Whisky, Wine and Craft Beer on Constable Street, Wellington

Walk along Constable Street at the Te Aro end of Wellington's inner city and you'll find Big Barrel Newtown — the local outlet of one of New Zealand's most widespread liquor retail networks. With Big Barrel stores stretching from Mt Eden and Otahuhu in Auckland to Queenstown in the south, this branch brings the chain's full-range approach to the capital, serving Newtown locals and inner-city shoppers after anything from a weeknight bottle of wine to a specific style of single malt.

A spirits shelf that goes deep

Spirits are where the range shows its breadth. The whisky alone is split into eight categories: American whiskey, Australian whiskies, blended whiskies, Canadian whisky, Irish whiskey, Indian whiskies, Japanese spirits and single malt Scotch. Beyond that sit dedicated ranges for rum — dark, silver or white, gold and spiced — plus gin, vodka, tequila, vermouth, schnapps, liqueurs, light spirits, grappa and Chinese baijiu.

Brandy drinkers are covered too, with brandies, cognacs, armagnac and calvados from the Calvados region of France all given their own sections. If you're after something small-format, a miniature range collects smaller bottles across the categories, and there's a selection of non-alcoholic spirits for anyone mixing without the alcohol.

Wine for every occasion

The wine wall is organised by style and origin. Reds come from New Zealand, Australia and further afield as imports, while whites include Australian whites, imported whites and a strong New Zealand line-up of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and other local varietals. Sparkling follows the same pattern, with New Zealand, Australian and imported options alongside champagnes for celebrations.

After-dinner drinkers have dessert wines and a fortified range spanning New Zealand, Australian and imported bottles, and the cask wine range keeps things practical for bigger gatherings. Non-alcoholic wines sit alongside the rest for guests who skip the alcohol.

Beer, RTDs and the no-alcohol aisle

Beer is split into craft beers, New Zealand classics, imported beers, Australian beer, flavoured beers, light beers and a "lagers of the world" section, with crates for stocking up. The premixed and RTD range is similarly thorough, organised by base spirit — bourbon, vodka, gin, rum, tequila, whisky and shot-style drinks — with a non-alcoholic premixed range as well.

Zero-proof drinking extends beyond that one section: non-alcoholic spirits, non-alcoholic wines and non-alcoholic premixed drinks all have homes on the shelves, backed by soft drinks, mixers, energy drinks and juices.

More than the bottle

Like the other Big Barrel stores, the Newtown shop carries a sundries range that turns it into a one-stop stop for hosting: chips and nuts for the snack bowl, cups and glass hire for events, gifting extras, cigarettes and cigars with smoking tools, clothing and apparel, and recovery pills for the morning after.

Online, the website runs an "exclusively online deals" section alongside a general specials page, a gift ideas hub and a new products list, so it's worth checking what's on before you head in.

Visiting Big Barrel Newtown

You'll find the store at 34 Constable Street, Te Aro. Whether you're piecing together a cocktail cabinet, grabbing a crate for Friday night, tracking down a particular whisky style or assembling a last-minute gift from the miniatures and gifting ranges, the branch stocks the chain's full category spread. Browse the online-only deals first, and come with a rough idea of the style you're after — the range is broad enough that the hardest part is choosing.

Signature items

• World Whiskies
• NZ Sauvignon Blanc
• Craft Beers
• Champagne & Sparkling
• Non-Alcoholic Range
• Rum Range

Menu

Beers

• Imported Beer — Imported beers from beyond Australia.
• Australian Beer — Australian beer brands.
• Craft Beers — Craft brewery releases.
• Flavoured Beers — Fruited and flavoured beer styles.
• NZ Classic Beers — New Zealand's classic beers.
• Lagers of the World — Lagers from brewing nations worldwide.
• Light Beers — Light beer options.
• Crates — Crate packaging for stocking up.

Wines

• Champagnes — Champagne selections for celebrations.
• Dessert Wines — Sweet dessert wine styles.
• Non-Alcoholic Wines — Alcohol-removed wine options.
• Australian Red Wines — Red wines from Australian producers.
• Imported Red Wines — Red wines imported from abroad.
• New Zealand Red Wines — Locally produced New Zealand reds.
• Australian White Wines — Whites from Australian wineries.
• Imported White Wines — White wines from international producers.
• NZ Other White Varietals — Less common New Zealand white wine varieties.
• NZ Sauvignon Blanc — New Zealand sauvignon blanc selection.
• NZ Chardonnay — New Zealand chardonnay selection.
• Imported Sparkling Wines — Sparkling wines from international producers.
• Australian Sparkling Wines — Sparkling wines from Australia.
• New Zealand Sparkling Wines — New Zealand sparkling wines.
• Fortified Imported — Imported fortified wine range.
• Fortified Australian — Australian fortified wines.
• Fortified New Zealand — New Zealand fortified wines.
• Cask Wine — Cask wine range for bigger pours.

Spirits

• American Whiskey — Bourbon and US whiskey styles from the American range.
• Australian Whiskies — Whiskies produced by Australian distillers.
• Blended Whiskies — Blended whisky styles from the blended range.
• Canadian Whisky — The dedicated Canadian whisky range.
• Irish Whiskey — Irish whiskey styles from the Irish range.
• Indian Whiskies — Whiskies from Indian producers.
• Japanese Spirits — Japanese whiskies and spirits.
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies — Single malts from Scotland's distilleries.
• Dark Rum — Dark rum selections from the rum range.
• Silver or White Rum — Lighter-bodied white and silver rums.
• Gold Rum — Gold rum selections from the rum range.
• Spiced Rum — Spiced rum styles from the rum range.
• Armagnac — The French Armagnac grape brandy selection.
• Brandies — Brandy styles from the brandy range.
• Cognacs — Cognac from the dedicated cognac category.
• Calvados — Calvados from the Calvados region of France.
• Chinese Baijiu — Traditional Chinese baijiu spirits.
• Gin — Gin styles from the gin range.
• Grappa — Grappa spirits from the dedicated range.
• Liqueurs — Liqueur range spanning sweet and herbal styles.
• Light Spirits — Lower-strength light spirit range.
• Miniatures — Small-format bottles from across the ranges.
• Non-Alcoholic Spirits — Zero-alcohol spirit alternatives.
• Other Spirits — Specialty and niche spirits beyond the main ranges.
• Schnapps — Schnapps styles from the dedicated range.
• Tequila — The tequila range.
• Vodka — The vodka range.
• Vermouth — Vermouth range for cocktails and sipping.

Sundries

• Chips & Nuts — Snacks to pair with drinks.
• Glass Hire (Hirage) — Glass hire listed under other sundries.
• Cups — Cups listed under other sundries.
• Gifting — Gifting sundries and extras.
• Soft Drinks — Soft drink range.
• Non-Alcoholic Mixers — Mixers for drinks and cocktails.
• Energy Soft Drinks — Energy soft drink range.
• Juices — Juice range.
• Cigarettes — Cigarettes from the tobacco range.
• Cigars — Cigars from the tobacco range.
• Smoking Tools — Smoking tools and accessories.
• Clothing & Apparel — Clothing and apparel items.
• Recovery Pills — Recovery pills for the morning after.

Deals & Gifting

• Exclusively Online Deals — Web-only offers on selected lines.
• Specials — Current specials across the ranges.
• Gift Ideas — Gift suggestions for every occasion.
• New Products — Latest arrivals across the store.

RTDs & Premixed

• Bourbon Premixed — Bourbon-based ready-to-drink drinks.
• Tequila Premixed — Tequila-based premixed drinks.
• Non-Alcoholic Premixed — Zero-alcohol premixed options.
• Whisky & Others Premixed — Whisky and other spirit premixed drinks.
• Vodka Premixed — Vodka-based premixed drinks.
• Rum Premixed — Rum-based premixed drinks.
• Gin Premixed — Gin-based premixed drinks.
• Shot Premixed — Ready-to-drink shot-style drinks.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Big Barrel Newtown located?

At 34 Constable Street, Te Aro, Wellington — the Newtown branch of the Big Barrel network.

What kind of store is Big Barrel Newtown?

A liquor store selling spirits, wine, beer and RTDs, plus snacks, mixers, soft drinks, juices and tobacco.

Are there non-alcoholic options?

Yes — non-alcoholic spirits, wines and a non-alcoholic premixed range, along with soft drinks, mixers, energy drinks and juices.

What whisky styles are stocked?

American, Australian, blended, Canadian, Irish, Indian, Japanese spirits and single malt Scotch whiskies.

Can I shop Big Barrel deals online?

The website has an 'Exclusively Online Deals' section plus a general Specials page — check both before you visit.

Is it a good place to buy a gift?

There's a Gift Ideas section, gifting sundries and a miniature range of small-format bottles.

Does the store sell tobacco?

Yes — the sundries range includes cigarettes, cigars and smoking tools.

Tips

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• {"body":"Current specials across beer, wine and spirits are listed on the site's Specials page.","title":"Scan the Specials page"}
• {"body":"The miniature range is a simple route to gifts, tastings and stocking fillers.","title":"Miniatures make handy gifts"}
• {"body":"Chips, nuts, mixers, juices, cups and glass hire are all part of the sundries range.","title":"Think beyond the bottle"}
• {"body":"The cask wine range and beer crates are there for bigger gatherings.","title":"Hosting a crowd?"}