SPIRITS NEWS
Wins for Kiwi distillers at World Whiskies Awards
THE WORLD Whiskies Awards has revealed the winners in its Rest of World 2026 round and New Zealand distillers are celebrating success in a range of categories. The competition celebrates whisky producers the world-over and all World Whiskies Awards country winners have the chance to become the World’s Best in their respective categories, which will be announced at the Global Dinner on 25 March in the UK. Anita Ujszaszi, awards director, said: “This has been a remarkable year for whisky, with an exciting wave of new expressions alongside the continued strength and support of established brands, even in what remains a very challenging global market. We are deeply grateful to our judges for their dedication over the past six months, and to our international team whose commitment makes this programme possible. Congratulations to all of our winners — every award should serve as an inspiration to the entire whisky community.” Bradley Weir, World Whiskies Awards chair of judges, added: “It has been a privilege to lead the judging on the Rest of World entries this year. It’s been a real
confirmation of the growing strength of so many countries around the globe that are establishing themselves as exciting forces of whisky. I think we can all agree this has been a strong group of winners.” New Zealand’s top scoring winners were: Cardrona Distillery – The Cardrona Single Malt Whisky Sherry Cask: Gold and Category winner (Single Cask Single Malt 12 Years and Under) Pōkeno Distilling – Pōkeno Alchemy: Gold, Country and Category winner (Small Batch Single Malt 12 Years and Under) Pōkeno Distilling – Pōkeno Port Cask: Gold, Country and Category winner (Single Cask Single Malt No Age Statement) Reefton Distilling – Moonlight Creek West Coast Manuka Smoked: Gold, Country and Category winner (Single Malt No Age Statement) Scapegrace – Scapegrace Anthem: Gold and Category winner (Small Batch Single Malt No Age Statement) Waiheke Whisky – Waiheke Whisky Moss: Gold and Category winner (Single Malt 12 Years and Under) See all the winners at worlddrinksawards.com
SHOWCASE
The Ukrainian challenger vodka with a Kiwi connection SVITLO, MEANING ‘the light’ in Ukrainian, is a Ukrainian vodka that is gaining steady momentum in New Zealand with listings in major retailers around the country. The brand was founded in 2023 by NZ entrepreneur Alex Gledhill in partnership with independent distributor, Mineral Ltd and Ukrainian drinks giant Bayadera Group. In 2025, Svitlo earned extensive listings in most retailers including Glengarry, Liquorland and Moore Wilsons. “We wanted to create a brand suited to a new market and saw a huge opportunity to build new traditions in Ukrainian spirits, despite the ongoing war,” says Alex Gledhill. “We’re proud of what we have achieved with comparatively few resources and unique challenges.” The Svitlo point of difference
Svitlo is bottled in central Ukraine in the region of Cherkasy, on the Dnipro river. Ukraine’s farmland has incredibly fertile soil and it is regarded as ‘the breadbasket’ of Europe. This fertility creates an abundance of grain, and greater abundance means broader selection for distillation. Bayadera group, one of the largest distillers in Europe, have been an early
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partner in the project, providing access to serious competitive scale. “Now, it’s more important than ever to collaborate with international partners. Despite the ongoing war, our economy is primed for growth and the spirits industry is a significant contributor,” says Anatoliy Korchinskiy, CEO of Bayadera Holding. Svitlo takes Ukraine to the world
The UK is a fresh focus for the company, with several upcoming hires to support expansion. Notably, Svitlo has secured listings in three of the UK’s ‘Top 50 Bars’, including Tāyer+ Elementary and Amaro Bar in London and The Absent Ear in Glasgow. Gledhill says this is the product’s best endorsement, with price-accessible vodka served in such premium venues. Svitlo has a deep purpose in Ukraine, founding Dodomu (The Svitlo Home Fund) to support creatives working in the country. Over $25,000 has been distributed to photographers, architects, and musicians through grants. Recently, their ‘Generator’ program went live, with a mission to publish Ukrainian electronic musicians on vinyl. To find out more about stocking Svitlo Vodka contact Mineral on orders@mineralwine.co.nz