Central Coast producer Amber Lane Distillery claimed three major honours at the 2025 Royal Australian Spirit Awards, including the Champion Spirit of Show.
Amber Lane’s Equinox Australian Single Malt impressed the judging panel across multiple categories, taking home the Voice Design Trophy for Best Spirit in Show, the Bintani Australia Trophy for Champion Whiskey, and the Tarac Technologies Trophy for Champion Small Batch.
Organisers said: “The results reinforce Amber Lane’s growing reputation for premium, small-batch whiskies that highlight local craftsmanship and distinctive Australian maturation.
The 2025 awards also saw a strong showing from South Australian producers, who dominated several key categories. Mad Monkey Distillery was recognised with the Bentley Consulting Trophy for Champion Rum, while Ragazzi e Succo received the MGA Insurance Trophy for Champion Other Spirit for its northern Italian–inspired Amaro, praised by judges for balance and complexity.
In the gin category, Two Cats Distillery’s Maine Coon London Dry Gin secured the Multi-Color Corporation Trophy for Champion Gin, continuing the category’s momentum as one of the country’s most competitive and innovative.
Rounding out the major trophies, Riverland stalwart St Agnes Distillery maintained its long-standing dominance in brandy, once again earning the R.G. (Bob) Hardy Trophy for Champion Brandy, which organisers said was “a testament to its consistency and enduring contribution to Australia’s distilling heritage”.
Organised by the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society of South Australia (RA&HS), the Royal Australian Spirit Awards celebrate excellence and innovation across the nation’s fast-growing distilling sector.
The RA&HS said: “The 2025 results highlight the increasing depth and regional diversity of Australia’s spirits industry, with craft producers from New South Wales and South Australia leading the way across key categories.”
The 2025 Royal Australian Spirit Awards Champions:
- Champion Spirit of Show Amber Lane Distillery
- Champion Rum Mad Monkey Distillery
- Champion Other Spirit Ragazzi e Succo Aperitivo’s
- Champion Brandy St Agnes Distillery
- Champion Whisky Amber Lane Distillery
- Champion Gin Two Cats Distillery
- Champion Small Batch Amber Lane Distillery