The Spirit of Craft Awards (SOCraft Awards) has announced its 2025 winners, the competition's second year of spotlighting producers from around the world, with Launceston Distillery’s Single Malt Tawny Cask Matured coming out on top.
Launched in January 2024, The SOCraft Awards is the first Asia-based spirits awards to include sustainability as a core judging criterion. This year, entries from nine countries – Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, England, India, Indonesia, Philippines, New Zealand and Switzerland – made their way to Singapore for judging, which took place from 6-7 May 2025.
From 6-7 May 2025, a panel of 20 industry experts – including Asia’s top mixologists, spirits critics, and beverage authorities – undertook several rounds of rigorous judging, tasting no more than eight spirits per 60-minute session.
The spirits were scored independently, and awarded 1-3 Stars, and a Green Ring if they achieved more than 15 green points for their sustainability efforts.
SOCraft Awards stated it does not award “best of” winners across categories, and firmly believes that every craft spirit is unique and precious in its own way. Each spirit is scored on its own merits, not against others.
Overall, 25 craft spirit winners were awarded this year: two craft spirits with 3 Stars (Platinum), six craft spirits with 2 Stars, 17 craft spirits with 1 Star, and 17 craft spirits with Green Rings.
Tasmanian-based Launceston Distillery was one of these top performers, awarded a 3 Star (Platinum) status for its Single Malt Tawny Cask Matured, for the second consecutive year. Cambodia's Casa Seekers Mekong Bitter was the other leader, highlighting the region’s growing craft influence.
Gin was the leading spirit for 2025, showing its popularity in Asia by receiving 12 wins, including three from Gold Coast located Artisans Secret Distillery, awarded for its Aussie Dry, Chili Plum, and Jaffa Gins. The Philippines, New Zealand, England and Belgium were also awarded for gins.
Both Furneaux Distillery Flinders Island Peated Single Malt and Battery Point Distillery Shiraz Cask received 1 Star, showing Tasmania’s dominance in the Asia Pacific whisky scene. Sydney’s Eureka Distilling “V” Premium Vodka also received 1 Star, joining the Philippines, New Zealand, and Switzerland in representing the resurgence of craft vodka popularity in the region.
Check out the full list of winners and find out more about the program and judging at spiritofcraftawards.com.
