The Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania (RAST) has launched its inaugural 2026 Royal Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Awards, supported by Lark Distillery founder and industry veteran, Bill Lark, as Patron of the Awards.
RAST organises and hosts several awards programs, including the Royal Hobart Wine Show and Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards. This year marks the first annual Royal Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Awards, conducted in partnership with the Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Association (TWSA).
The Tasmanian program is the latest in a range of state-based Spirits Awards, with the Royal Agricultural Societies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia having their own editions.
RAST president, Greg Melick, said the awards have been long anticipated and provide an opportunity for some of the world’s finest distillers to showcase their craft in front of a world class panel of judges.
“We hope they will bring together whiskies and spirits from across the globe while also providing an opportunity for new and exciting producers to benchmark their product against the world’s best,” said Melick.
“We look forward to celebrating the year’s achievements at the Whisky & Spirits Awards Dinner – an evening that will bring together producers, industry professionals, and supporters for a memorable night of networking and celebration.”
Bill Lark acts as Patron of the Awards in the program’s inaugural year. Lark was integral to amending small batch distillation laws in Australia that had been in effect for over 150 years, and made it almost impossible to start spirits production, allowing him to establish Lark Distillery in Tasmania in 1992. More than three decades later, the state is home to over 70 distilleries, with its clean water and prime grain-growing conditions supporting whisky makers to produce globally recognised spirits.
Lark, who is widely regarded as the Godfather of Australian Whisky, was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2026 Australia Day Honours List, recognising his contributions to the Australian distilling industry and Tasmanian community.
Entries for the 2026 Royal Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Awards are now open online at entries.hobartshowground.com.au, and will be closing 21 June. Judging takes place from 4-5 August, with major trophies to be announced at a function in Franklin Wharf, Hobart, on 27 August.
