Pōkeno Whisky scores top honour at World Whisky Masters

Pōkeno Whisky has been awarded a Master and two Gold medals at The World Whisky Masters 2025.

The Master Medal, the highest honour in the competition, was awarded to the Winter Malt from Pōkeno’s special edition Exploration Series. Two of Pōkeno’s signature single malts, Origin and Discovery, received Gold Medals.  

Pokeno Whisky was the only New Zealand distillery to be awarded in the 2025 competition. 

Chaired by The Spirits Business, with a panel of leading spirits specialists, The World Whisky Masters are part of a highly regarded series of blind-tasting competitions held in the UK.  

Pōkeno Whisky’s Winter Malt was awarded a Master Medal

Pōkeno founder Matt Johns says the recognition supports the brand’s global growth, placing the whiskies amongst some of the world’s elite.

“We started Pōkeno with a goal to create great single malt whiskies that capture the essence of Aotearoa and to share them on the global stage. Recognition from The Spirits Business supports our credibility when entering new overseas markets.

“We’re incredibly proud of our unique range of whiskies that we feel showcase the spirit of New Zealand and it's brilliant to see them holding their own against some of the best and biggest names in the business.”