Western Australian Distilleries Lead Australia’s Spirits Industry

The results from the first Australian Distilled Spirits Awards were announced in Melbourne last week, showing Western Australian distillers to be out on top of the spirit industry, having taken away the most major trophies from the awards.

Western Australia won three of the seven trophies from the awards; Great Southern Distillery’s Limeburners Peated Single Malt Barrel M227 took home Champion Australian Whisky, while The Tailor Made Spirits Company was awarded Champion Australian Gin for The West Winds - The Sabre, and Champion Australian Rum was awarded to Hoochery Distillery’s Spike’s Reserve.

The other trophies went to South Australia’s VOK Beverages, which received Champion Trophy for Brandy with its Black Bottle XO Brandy, and Castle Glen Australia from Queensland took away Champion Australian Liqueur with its Pecan and Hazelnut Liqueur.

Finally, Edgemill Groups Zeus Oyzo from Victoria won Champion Australian Alternative Spirit and Tasmania’s Lark Distillery was named Champion Australian Distiller.

The Champion Distiller Trophy acknowledges outstanding achievement in and consistency of distilling excellence. The trophy is awarded to the distiller with the highest average score, calculated on the basis of the distiller’s three top scoring entries.

On the win, Bill Lark of Lark Distillery said: “It’s a proud moment for me, and a wonderful thing to see how we (the industry) are growing and the respect that our industry is gaining overseas.

“Bars that we once dreamed of being in are now wanting desperately to have more Australian spirits, and Melbourne really is the mecca for that. Winning this award is a huge honour and surprise.”

For more information on the awards and to see the full results, visit www.rasv.com.au/spirits

Image Above: Lark Distillery team (Bill Lark far right) accepting their award in Melbourne last week.

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