SPIRITS NEWS
Gold for Kiwis at World Whiskies Awards
New premium vodka from imagination
New Zealand Category Winners
Moonlight Creek Manuka Smoked – Category Winner Gold (New Make & Young Spirit) – Young Spirit Moonlight Creek New Make Spirit – Category Winner Gold (New Make & Young Spirit) – New Make Scapegrace Vanguard – Category Winner Gold (Single Malt) – No Age Statement The Cardrona Otago Pinot Cask – Category Winner Gold (Single Cask Malt) – 12 Years and Under Thomson Quercus Alba Single Cask – Category Winner Gold (Single Cask Malt) – No Age Statement Waiheke Whisky Peat + Port – Category Winner Gold (Small Batch Single Malt) – 12 Years and Under
NEW ZEALAND distillers celebrated a slew of gold medal wins at the World Whiskies Awards 2025 for Whisky Rest of World (RoW). The winners of the World Whiskies Awards RoW will go on to compete against other winners from France, Scotland, USA and Ireland. All country winners have the chance to become the World’s Best in their category, the results of which will be announced at the Global Dinner in late March.
Gold Medals
The New Zealand Whisky Collection Dunedin DoubleCask – Gold (Single Malt) – No Age Statement Waiheke Whisky Cantankerous – Gold (Single Cask Malt) – 12 Years and Under worlddrinksawards.com
Good George releases Pisces Limoncello Gin THE LAST release in the current Zodiac Series of gins from Good George is Pisces Limoncello Gin. (Pub quiz tip: Pisces is the 12th and final astrological sign in the zodiac.) The clear glass bottle highlights the spirit’s golden-yellow hue. It has bright, zesty fresh lemon aromas with subtle hints of juniper and floral sweetness. The tartness of lemon peel is balanced by a delicate sweetness while the juniper backbone adds structure, and gentle herbal and floral nuances from the botanicals provide depth. Good George Pisces Limoncello Gin (40% ABV) 500ml RRP $50 Good George
IMAGINATION DISTILLERY has launched a new premium Triple Distilled Vodka, presented in an eye-catching chrome-coated bottle. The Kāpiti Coast distillery is known for its bold gin flavours and Head Distiller Chris Charteris says the vodkamaking process was similar to that of the first stage of their awardwinning flagship Triple Distilled Dry Gin. “We capture rainwater at the distillery, hundreds of thousands of litres, which we charcoal filter to produce our gin, creating an unmistakably pure taste experience.” The vodka is also put through an additional carbon filter process over three days for further purity and watered down with rainwater. Chris Charteris says the vodka has been created with: “a sweet and silky taste to deliver a smooth creamy finish.” It is presented in Imagination’s custom branded bottle, which features embossing in the glass to represent the distillery location, the surrounding fauna and flora, and the rainwater used in production. “The one-of-a-kind chrome coating on our new vodka represents the purity and silky-smooth texture of the spirit,” says Charteris. “We have complemented this with gold and silver finishes in logo and label design.” imagination Triple Distilled Vodka (40% ABV), 700ml RRP $77.99 imagination
1919 whisky sets sail DISTILLER SOREN Crabb of 1919 Distilling has launched a nautical experiment by sending a barrel of his First Light whisky around the North Island by sail boat. Having worked at sea for 10 years, Soren says he’s keen to see what effects an ocean voyage might have on the spirit. 78 DRINKSBIZ MARCH / APRIL 2025
The 190-litre cask left Auckland in early 2025 on a 52-foot yacht and is due to return at the end of June, when a chemical analysis of the spirit will be compared with a sample taken before departure. Soren says he’d expect to see accelerated maturation from the
constant shift in temperatures and agitation from the boat’s movement. He’s also keen to see if the salty notes often attributed to whiskies that have spent time in coastal locations are evident “...or if it’s all in our heads!” The barrel will be bottled at the end of the experiment.