2026 NZ Spirits Awards on the way
The key dates for this year’s New Zealand Spirits Awards have been announced with entries opening on 20 March.
Presented by Spirits New Zealand Inc. and Distilled Spirits Aotearoa (NZ) Inc., the NZ Spirits Awards judge and award the best available products in the market, in a New Zealand context.
Key Dates for 2026
Entries open: 20 March
Entries close: 16 June
Final day to receive judging samples: 23 June
Judging: 15 - 17 July
Medal winners announced: 30 July
Awards dinner and trophy winners announced: 14 August
The top spirits in each category are recognised with bronze, silver, and gold medals as judged by panels of industry experts and the very best are recognised with Trophies.
Trophies are also awarded annually for New Zealand’s best Emerging Product, Packaging Design, Innovation, Cocktail Bar, and Bartender.
