Trophy results spotlight Kiwis at NZ Spirits Awards

New Zealand distilleries have shone against their international counterparts in the 2025 New Zealand Spirits Awards, beating global brands in more than half of the spirits categories.

More than 550 spirits from local and international distilleries were entered in this year’s awards, which are hosted by industry bodies, Spirits New Zealand and Distilled Spirits Aotearoa and were held in Auckland on Friday night.

Kiwi distillers won nine of the 13 spirits trophies up for grabs in the event.

David Hawk, Head Judge of the Awards and DSA member said organisers were thrilled with the calibre of spirits entered in 2025, and especially with New Zealand’s performance. “It shows our local distillers are exceeding industry expectations and holding their own on the international stage. It’s very exciting to see our independent distilleries pitted against global brands, and doing so well,” he said.

For the first time in the history of the Awards, there were joint winners for the NZ Innovation Award: Reefton Distilling Co. from the West Coast and Awards newcomer, Remarkable Cream from Auckland.

Another notable trophy win was for Kiwi whisky distillery, Waiheke Whisky, which won the World Whisky title for its Waiheke Moss Single Malt), amongst a line-up of highly regarded international distilleries.

This year also saw the introduction of new categories: NZ Bartender of the Year won by Charles Gillet from The Last Word, Christchurch; NZ Best Cocktail Bar awarded to Panacea in Auckland; NZ Best Pre-Batched Cocktail, awarded to Good George Distilling Co. in Hamilton; and NZ Best Gin & Tonic, awarded to Kākāpō Distillery in Arrowtown, and Wellington newcomer, Woodward St. Distilling Co., following as runner-up.

NZ SPIRITS AWARDS 2025 - SPIRITS TROPHY WINNERS

BEST OVERALL GIN
Classic (Juniper-Forward): Broken Heart Spirits Original Gin (Queenstown, NZ)
Contemporary: Juno Extra Fine Gin (Taranaki, NZ)
Flavoured & Aged: Awildian Gin Testamentum Series Tangelo (Coromandel, NZ)
Navy Strength: Sandymount Ladybird Navy Gin (Dunedin, NZ)

BEST OVERALL WHISKY
Scotch/Irish: Jura 12YO (Scotland, UK)
North American: Knob Creek 9YO (Kentucky, USA)
World Whisky: Waiheke Whisky Waiheke Moss (Waiheke, NZ)

BEST OVERALL VODKA
Neutral: Juno Vesta Extra Fine (Taranaki, NZ)
Flavoured: National Distillery Company Aquifer Yuzu Vodka (Hawkes’ Bay, NZ)

BEST OVERALL RUM
Last Light Rum Solera Aged (Auckland, NZ)

BEST OVERALL AGAVE
Chichicapa Del Maguey Mezcal (Oaxaca, Mexico)

BEST OVERALL BRANDY
Tesseron Composition Cognac (Châteauneuf-sur-Charente, France)

BEST OVERALL LIQUEUR
Remarkable Cream Brazilian Dark Roast Coffee (Auckland, NZ)

NZ SPIRITS AWARDS 2025 -INDUSTRY TROPHY WINNERS

LIQUORLAND NEW ZEALAND INNOVATION AWARD
Remarkable Cream Keto Piña Colada Cream Liqueur (Auckland, NZ)
Reefton Distilling Co. (West Coast, NZ)

CUE MARKETING NEW ZEALAND EMERGING PRODUCT AWARD
Prophecy Distilling Company Ltd (Central Otago)
Runner up: Juno (Taranaki, NZ)

CPACK NEW ZEALAND PACKAGING & DESIGN
Reefton Distilling Co. (West Coast, NZ)

NZ COCKTAIL BAR OF THE YEAR
Panacea (Auckland) 

NZ BARTENDER OF THE YEAR
Charles Gillet, The Last Word (Christchurch)

NZ PRE-BATCHED COCKTAIL
Pornstar Martini - Good George Distilling Co. (Hamilton)

FEVERTREE NEW ZEALAND NZ GIN & TONIC AWARD
Kawakawa and Pink Peppercorn Gin – Kākāpō Distillery (Auckland)
Runner up: Penguin’s Crossing - Woodward St. Distilling Co. (Wellington)

W: For full medal and trophy results visit spiritsawardsnz.nz/results