[ awards ]
GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT OF THINGS The winners of the inaugural New Zealand Spirits Awards have been announced, and here they are… THE WINNERS of the inaugural New Zealand Spirits Awards have been announced, with Kiwi distilleries taking home 14 Gold Medals and seven trophies. Seventeen local and overseas judges – including The Shout’s Tash McGill – blindtasted more than 250 spirits over two days in March and the overall winners were revealed at a gala dinner at Wellington’s Embassy Theatre on May 10. “The NZ Spirits Awards have exceeded our expectations,” says Spirits New Zealand
Chief Executive, Robert Brewer. “We would have been very happy to get 100 entries, but 254 entries is truly amazing in its inaugural year. It is also a really solid indication of the growing strength of the New Zealand spirits industry, since almost half of these entries were New Zealand distilleries and products,” he says. Local Gold Medalists include Juno, Scapegrace, Thomson and Denzien. For a full list of medal winners, visit www.spiritsawardsnz.nz.
The trophy winners Best New Zealand in Category - Botanical & Other Spirits Elemental Grapefruit & Hops Bitters Best Overall in Category - Botanical & Other Spirits Dolin Vermouth Rogue Best Overall in Category – Brandies Remy Martin XO
Denzien Te Aro Dry Gin took home two trophies
New Zealand in Category – Gin Denzien Te Aro Dry Best Overall in Category – Gin Denzien Te Aro Dry Best New Zealand in Category – Liqueurs Lewis Road Creamery Chocolate Cream Liqueur Best Overall in Category – Liqueurs Lewis Road Creamery Chocolate Cream Liqueur
Seventeen local and international judges blind-tasted each spirit
Best Overall in Category – Rum Pusser’s Rum
Thomson Whisky Two Tone won the NZ whisky category
Best New Zealand in Category – Vodka The White Sheep Co. Sheep Milk Vodka Best Overall in Category – Vodka Grey Goose Best New Zealand in Category – Whiskey Thomson Whisky Two Tone Best Overall in Category – Whiskey Talisker 10 YO
Judges Keith Tibble and Tash McGill
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FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - MAY 2019
New Zealand Innovation Award TeKiwi 100% Blue Agave Spirit