This year’s Melbourne Royal Australian Distilled Spirits Awards had a record 970 entries from 246 exhibitors across 11 categories. With 20 trophies awarded, South Australia’s Prohibition Liquor Co was named Champion Australian Distiller for 2023.
This year’s Melbourne Royal Australian Distilled Spirits Awards had a record 970 entries from 246 exhibitors across 11 categories. With 20 trophies awarded, South Australia’s Prohibition Liquor Co was named Champion Australian Distiller for 2023.
Prohibition Liquor was co-founded by Wes Heddles and Adam Carpenter in 2015 and by 2019 it was winning local and international awards. From starting in an inner-suburban backyard garage to an Adelaide mainstay, Carpenter and head distiller Hugh Lumsden were on hand to collect the trophy.
The distillery had been awarded:
- Gold for Bootleg Box Series #2 – London Dry, Juniperus Gin, Original Gin, and Prohibition Field Blend Shiraz Gin;
- Silver for Bootleg Craft Spirits – Coffee Liqueur and for Label/Surface Design of its Navy Strength Gin; and
- Bronze for its Prohibition Navy Strength Gin and for Label/Surface Design of its Juniperus Gin.
Puss and Mew Distillery, based in Nunawading, Victoria, was awarded Champion Victorian Distillery, its owners inspired by the legend of Captain Dudley Bradstreet who invented the world’s first liquor vending machine.
Best Victorian Gin went to Naught Distilling for their Naught Classic Dry Gin. The Eltham-based distillery took home the same award in 2022 with its Sangiovese Gin.
New World Whiskey Distillery was awarded Best Grain or Blended Whiskey with its Starward Two-Fold.
Reed & Co Distillery from Bright, Victoria took home Best New World/Contemporary Gin, for its Neo New World Dry Gin. This gin is bursting with bold Yuzu and Shincha green tea notes.
The Best Navy Gin was Nagambie Brewery & Distillery with their 3608 Navy Strength Gin and Best Other Gin went to The Craft & Co Old Tom Gin from Gypsy Hub.
Melbourne Royal CEO Brad Jenkins said, “Over four days at Melbourne Showgrounds, 53 judges assembled to critique and provide commentary on each of the entries, with the panel led by Shaun Byrne, making his debut as Head Judge.”
There was a 12 per cent increase in the number of award entries and organisers were thrilled with the new Design Award receiving 35 entries.
With the awards in their ninth year, Royal Melbourne made some changes to the program: a Design Award was added, the Vodka category reworked, and a new trophy for Best Fruit or Wine Gin.
Shaun Byrne was appointed to head judge this year, as Seb Costello had completed his three-year term in the role. Costello was Gin chair in this year’s judging.
Byrne has been involved in the awards since they began and brings more than 20 years’ experience in hospitality and judging to the role, as well as being a director of Maidenii Vermouth and Marionette Liqueurs.
Byrne said, “To be asked to lead the judging as the Head Judge is a great honour and carries a weight of responsibility to ensure that entrants are receiving fair and valuable feedback and appropriate recognition of their products.
“And as a spirits producer, the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards are invaluable in receiving feedback on upcoming new products.”
The Design Award reviewed brand execution and packaging. Royal Melbourne said, “It was intended to highlight spirits packaging which can be appreciated on its aesthetics, functionality, environmental impact, and novelty.”
The Vodka category now has two awards to reflect the category’s growth: Best Pure/Neutral Vodka and Best Flavoured Vodka.
Similarly, the growth in fruit and wine gins meant it gained its own trophy this year. There were also refinements to the definitions of rum, cane spirits, gin, and agave categories.
Royal Melbourne’s manager Awards Programs Food, Beverage and Horticulture, Damian Nieuwesteeg, said the industry evolves at such a pace the awards need to adjust to ensure they are relevant to the industry and consumers.
“Medal and trophy winners can leverage their success and market medal-winning products using the Melbourne Royal Australian Distilled Spirits Awards seal of excellence,” said Nieuwesteeg.
With gin accounting for almost half of all entries and judging being held across five panels, Byrne said they introduced an overarching judge position of ‘Gin Category Chair’ for the grouping.
“The idea here is to ensure there is a consistency of judging through all gin panels. This was a great success and something that will be added to the regular roster for years to come,” he said.
“Agave spirits are on the rise, with some really interesting examples that impressed the judges, a section of the industry that will certainly grow in the coming years and something to keep an eye on.
“Wine gin is really working its way into being something iconically Australian. Whilst not something that is exclusively made here, we are certainly pioneering the category and helping to define it for the wider industry. The judges were really impressed with the evolution of this category and looking forward to seeing it growing in the years to come,” Byrne said.
2023 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards – Major Trophies
Champion Australian Distiller: Prohibition Liquor Co., South Australia
Champion Victorian Distiller: Puss and Mew Distillery, Victoria
Consistency of Excellence:
- Archie Rose Distilling Co., Bone Dry Gin, New South Wales
- Imperial Measures Distilling, Ounce Gin Bold, South Australia
- Archie Rose Distilling Co., Rye Malt Whisky, New South Wales
Best Single Malt Whisky: The Hunting of the Snark, Fleurieu Distillery, South Australia
Best Grain or Blended Whisky: Starward Two-Fold, New World Whisky Distillery, Victoria
Best London Dry Gin: Triple Juniper Export Strength Gin, Never Never Distilling Co., South Australia
Best New World/Contemporary Gin: Neo New World Dry Gin, Reed & Co Distillery, Victoria
Best Navy Gin: 3608 Navy Strength Gin, Nagambie Brewery & Distillery, Victoria
Best Fruit or Wine/Grape Gin: Syrah Gin, Big River Distilling Co., ACT
Best Other Gin: The Craft & Co Old Tom Gin, Gypsy Hub, Victoria
Best Victorian Gin: Naught Classic Dry Gin, Naught Distilling, Victoria
Best Pure (Neutral)/Contemporary Vodka: Hartshorn Distillery Sheep Whey Vodka, Hartshorn Distillery, Tasmania
Best Flavoured Vodka: Local Spirit Caramel Vodka, Local Spirit Group, ACT
Best Brandy: St Agnes XO, St Anges Distillery, South Australia
Raymond B ‘Spike’ Dessert III Trophy for Best Rum: Coastal Cane Pure Single Rum, Winding Road Distilling Co., New South Wales
Best Cane Spirit: Jimmyrum Navy, Jimmyrum, Victoria
Best Liqueur: Scylla Raspberry Liqueur, Scylla Distilling Company, New South Wales
Best Alternative Spirit: Act of Treason Greta, Top Shelf International, Victoria
Best Bitter: Bitter Citrus Aperitivo, Aromatic Bitters, Saint Felix Distillery, Victoria
Best Vermouth: 78 Degrees Rose Vermouth, Semi Dry, The Hills Distillery, South Australia
Best Design: 30 Knots Southerly Gin, 30 Knots Spirits, Western Australia
