Dan Murphy’s has unveiled the winners in its inaugural Decoded Spirits Awards including best gin, whisky and mezcal. More than 600 spirits were blind tasted by ten judges over five days.
Dan Murphy’s Spirits Category Manager and Decoded Spirits judge James Duvnjak said that Decoded was all about identifying outstanding quality and value for money for customers in the spirits category.
“Customers are drinking less, but better, so making a delicious cocktail at home has become an event on a Friday or Saturday night. The ingredients are important; increasingly customers are looking for craft producers and innovative expressions of traditional spirits,” Duvnjak said.
More than 300 of the 600 entries were gin. NSW distillery Archie Rose’s Bone Dry Gin was named Best Australian Gin, while South Australian-made 23rd Distillery’s Violet Gin was Best Coloured Gin.
“Gin remains a customer favourite, and it’s great to see that Australian gin distillers are continuing to produce world-class drinks,” Duvnjak said.
Australian whisky is a rapidly growing category, with Dan Murphy’s having seen sales double in the last 12 months. Corowa Distilling was awarded Best Australian Whisky with its Characters Single Malt Whisky.
Duvnjak said that Australian whisky distillers had found a way to create spirits that were uniquely Australian, and they are now competing with the Irish and the Scotch on the world scene when it comes to quality whisky.
“Rum is also having a renaissance, and Australian rums have really been stepping it up in the last few years,” Duvnjak said.
West Australian distillery Illegal Tender’s Distiller’s Cut Rum was named best Australian rum.
However, agave spirits - which includes tequila and mezcal - is the fastest growing of all spirits categories for the leading drinks retailer.
“Mezcal is increasingly popular among customers thanks to its varying styles and different flavours. Whereas tequila has to be distilled in a specific region from only 100% Blue Weber agave, mezcal can be produced from many different types of agave and so the distillers can explore different styles and flavours outside the realms that Tequila can achieve,” Duvnjak said.
All the winners in the Decoded Spirits Awards will now be promoted in Dan Murphy’s stores across the country, which for some boutique producers like Illegal Tender Rum, Corowa Distilling and 23rd Distillery means that they have almost quadrupled the number of stores their products are ranged in thanks to their award.
Corowa Distilling Co’s Managing Director Dean Druce said this meant a lot to the distillery.
“12 months ago, we were in 10 local Dan Murphy’s stores, and now with the opportunity to be ranged in almost 260 stores nationally, it is very exciting and at the same time daunting for us. It is great to get recognition for the hard work and tireless hours we have put in over the years,” Druce said
Although this is the inaugural Dan Murphy’s Decoded Spirits Awards, Dan Murphy’s Decoded Wine awards are now in their third year.
Dan Murphy’s Managing Director Alex Freudmann said the Decoded Wine Awards were launched as a way to make great wines more approachable for consumers.
“The Awards have been a huge success with customers enjoying discovering great drops, and suppliers getting their products in front of more customers. We are excited to extend the success of the Decoded Awards to the Spirits category, and we hope customers as well as distilleries will discover the value of the Awards,” Freudmann said.
