Ally Ayres has won the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) Emerging Talent in Spirits Award.
She is the Co-founder of Karu Distillery, based in Grose Vale, in the lower Blue Mountains north-west of Sydney.
Ayres has run the craft gin and rum distillery with her husband Nick since 2017.
“Australia’s growing global recognition for its exceptional quality is a vision we shared from the start and we’ve worked diligently to contribute to this very reality,” she said.
“This award for me, is the greatest honour and I am so proud that the hard work and dedication is paying off and is being seen by the world, I couldn’t ask for more.”
She was commended by the judging panel for her energy, broad involvement in the business, and her passion.
IWSC Judge, Dawn Davies, said Ayres has an enthusiasm and zest for life.
“I think it’s energy that we need at this time in this industry, especially in the gin category,” Davies said.
Fellow judge, Olivier Ward, said her personality comes through in the product.
“Ally has an individual voice and it makes her work stand out as a truly disruptive force,” Ward said.
The panel was also impressed with her wider business involvement by leading operations and distilling but also covering brand management, communications and education.
“Entirely self-taught, she approached the steep learning curve of distillation with perseverance, taking the wise advice of a mentor to tackle challenges ‘one bite at a time,’” they noted.
“Today, she brings that same spirit of openness and encouragement to her work, helping newcomers feel at home in the vibrant world of spirits.
“Ally has worked tirelessly to demystify spirits for consumers [and] her philosophy is simple yet impactful: people crave authenticity.”
Ayres told National Liquor News last year that Karu Distillery is on a sustainability journey, which aims to protect and conserve the natural environment that surrounds the distillery.