Australia’s inaugural Icons of Whisky Awards were announced last night at the Whiskies and Spirits Conference held at the Adelaide Convention Centre in Adelaide, Australia.
The Icons of Whisky Awards celebrate the distilleries, outlets and the men and women behind the doors who dedicate their lives to whisky and its creation. Following a process of local voting on industry nominees, finalists in sixteen categories were scrutinised by a judging panel from the Icons of Whisky team in London.
Two awards – Highly Commended and Winner were presented in each group with the 16 Australian winners now automatically entered to compete to be named best in the world in March 2018 at the World Whisky Awards to be held in London.
In addition, a Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame award (presented in years only when warranted) to recognise outstanding contribution to the industry was presented to Gordon Broderick. Gordon has recently retired, but over the past decades he has worked to support and grow whisky in Australia – primarily through his role as Executive Director of the Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia.
Here is the full list of the winners and highly commended Icons of Whisky Australia 2018.
Icons of Whisky Australia 2018
PEOPLE
Distillery Manager
Winner: Cameron Syme – Great Southern Distillery
Highly Commended: Patrick Maguire – Sullivans Cove
Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year
Winner: Sharon Deane – Hellyers Road
Highly Commended: John Rochfort – The McLaren Vale Distillery
Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador of the Year
Winner: Daniel Hutchins-Read – Glenrothes / Berry Bros
Highly Commended: Dan Woolley – The Exchange/CCA
World Whisky Brand Ambassador of the Year
Winner: Joey Tai – Baranows Emporium
Highly Commended: Paul Slater – New World Whisky Distillery
Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year
Winner: Kate Moran – Pernod Ricard
Highly Commended: Vincent McGrath – Rogue Wines
American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year
Winner: Grant Shearon – Brown-Forman
Highly Commended: Michael Thomas – The Exchange /CCA
Master Distiller / Master Blender of the Year
Winner: Ben Kagi – Great Southern Distilling Company
Highly Commended: Sam Slaney – New World Whisky Distillery
RETAIL
Supermarket of the Year
Winner: Dan Murphys
Highly Commended: The Oak Barrel
Single Outlet Retailer of the Year
Winner: Casa de Vinos
Highly Commended: The Oak Barrel
Online Retailer of the Year
Winner: Nicks Wine Merchants
Highly Commended: Casa de Vinos
Multiple Outlets Retailer of the Year
Winner: Hurley Cellars
Highly Commended: Black Sheep Stores
Travel Retailer Of The Year
Winner: Aelia (Adelaide)
Highly Commended: Heinemann (Sydney)
COMPANY
Brand Innovator of the Year
Winner: The McLaren Vale Distillery
Highly Commended: New World Whisky
Craft Producer of the Year
Winner: Sullivans Cove Distillery
Highly Commended: Whipper Snapper Distillery
Distiller of the Year
Winner: New World Whisky
Highly Commended: Great Southern Distilling
Visitor Attraction of the Year
Winner: Hellyers Road Distillery
Highly Commended: Belgrove Distillery
*** Here are the winners of the Icons of Whisky 2019***
