Australian spirits producers had an outstanding showing at the 2025 International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London, with top scoring producers including 30 Knots Spirits, Australian Distilling Co., Ester Distilling, Mt. Uncle Distillery, Nine Circles Distillery, and Turner Stillhouse.
The IWSC has been running since 1969, and the 2025 edition brought more than 250 specialist judges from all over the world together to score and review over 4100 entries, submitted from across 98 countries.
Over 55 Australian producers were awarded 178 total medals across the spirits categories, including six Outstanding Gold – four more than 2024 – and 19 Gold medals.
Ester Distilling’s Alternativo Aperitivo, Mt. Uncle Distillery’s Fnq Palladium Rum, Australian Distilling Co.’s Navy Gin, 30 Knots Spirits’ Sea Spray Gin, Nine Circles Distillery’s Signature Gin, and Turner Stillhouse’s Three Cuts Distiller's Release Gin were the top-scoring spirits, all receiving 98 points.
The winners represent a span of Australian producers, with distilleries based in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia. This year, Turner Stillhouse became the first Tasmanian distillery to receive an Outstanding Gold at the IWSC, in the history of the competition.
Fellow Tasmanian distillery, Callington Mill, also received high praise – achieving Gold and Silver for all 12 of its submitted single malt whiskies, and Bronze for its two gin submissions – taking home the most medals of any Australian producer this year.
Callington Mill founder, John Ibrahim, said the company knew entering a wide range of whiskies would give the judges a real sense of Callington Mill’s DNA.
“Each whisky was crafted to showcase something unique – different casks, different blends, different ideas,” said Ibrahim.
“Our focus is to showcase the best of what Tasmanian whisky can be. We’re not trying to follow in anyone’s footsteps – Callington Mill’s built-in automation allows our distillers to focus on the craft, moving in our own direction, shaping our own future.”
Full results are available at iwsc.net, with trophy winners expected to be announced in early October.
