Australia’s finest distillers were celebrated last night at the Royal Agriculture Society of Western Australia’s (RASWA) 2025 Perth Royal Distilled Spirits Awards, with a record field of entries and a new line-up of champions crowned at Claremont Showground.
Now in its seventh year, the competition continues to grow at an impressive pace. The 2025 Awards attracted 201 entries from 43 exhibitors across five states.
Twenty-one independent judges assessed products across nine categories, including the newly introduced Ready to Drink (RTD) category, highlighting the industry’s ability to evolve with consumer trends.
This year, 11 Champion Trophies, 30 Gold Medals, 74 Silver Medals and 59 Bronze Medals were awarded. Only entries meeting the highest standards for appearance, nose, palate, balance and finish earned a place on the honour roll.
Swan Valley’s Old Young’s, reigning Champion Distillery from 2024, retained its crown, also securing Champion Vodka for its Old Young’s Smoked Vodka and collecting four Gold Medals.
“Western Australia makes great spirits and the distillers taking part in these awards have been recognised around the planet. For us to be acknowledged in this way, amongst a bunch of really incredible peers, is phenomenal. It’s a massive honour. I’m really proud of the team, proud of the people who rock up each day to make great booze,”said Old Young’s Founder and Owner, James Young.
St Agnes Distillery, based in South Australia’s Riverland with a century of distilling heritage, was awarded both Champion Spirit and Champion Brandy for its St Agnes XO 15, alongside four Gold Medals.
Best New Exhibitor went to Flying Foam, located in Jolimont, which impressed judges with Gold Medals for its Hesperia Pure Vodka and Hesperia Botanical Gin, plus one Silver and two Bronze.
“We’re honoured to be recognised as Best New Talent at the Perth Royal Distilled Spirits Awards. This award celebrates our team’s creativity, passion, and commitment to pushing the boundaries of new liquids, and we’re proud to be part of WA’s vibrant brewing and distilling community,”said Simon Lew, Flying Foam’s Engineering and Services Manager.
Champion Trophies were also awarded to:
- Champion Alternative Spirit – Little Stiller Distillery, Coffee Vodka (Mandurah)
- Champion RTD – Matso’s Broome and Sunshine Coast, Vodka Lemon Lime Crush (Palmyra)
- Champion Liqueur – Sin Gin Distillery, Sloe Gin 2023 (Henley Brook)
- Champion Rum – Urban Jungle Spirits Co, White Rum (Jolimont)
- Champion Gin – Variations Distillery, Premium Gin (Ravenswood)
- Champion Whiskey – Woodlands Distillery, Single Malt Single Cask (Porongurup)
This year’s judging panel was led by Bill Lark.Bill is a leading figure in Australian distilling, founder of Lark Distillery (est. 1992), founding member of the Australian Distillers Association, first Australian to be inducted into the world Whisky Hall of Fame in the UK and a driving force behind the revival of the national whisky industry.
RASWA CEO Robyn Sermon said the future of Australian spirits is incredibly bright, and Western Australia is at the forefront.
“The growth of this year’s Perth Royal Distilled Spirits Awards is a testament to the innovation of Australia’s distilling industry. We are seeing remarkable collaboration in Western Australia, with distillers working closely with local farmers to create exceptional grain-to-glass products. The increase in entries, the return of so many of our highly trained judges, and the introduction of the Ready to Drink category all speak to a sector that is rapidly evolving while maintaining world-class standards.”
“Distilling in WA has so much potential. We’re on the doorstep of Asia. We have access to incredible produce, whether that be barley or corn, the wheat, the grapes, the botanicals. Distillers do a phenomenal job of showcasing that, and so WA always punches above its weight. This is the very start of a great industry here,”said Old Young’s Founder and Owner, James Young.
A huge thank you to the 2025 Perth Royal Distilled Spirits Awards sponsors, Bintanti and RSN Australia (Riedel), for their support.
Established in 2019, the Perth Royal Distilled Spirits Awards recognise the best of Australia’s distilling industry – from metropolitan micro-producers to renowned regional operations – celebrating the craftsmanship, skill and dedication behind every bottle.
A full list of 2025 winners is available in the official Results Catalogue.
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