You could be forgiven for thinking the World Premix Awards were the Australian Premix Awards, with canned drinks from Oz picking up the majority of medals in the competition.

It’s hardly surprising, as Australia is the historical heartland of RTDs. They were born here in 1965 when UDL was launched into the market. The rest of the world was a little slow to the party.

As the Sydney Morning Herald noted back in 2005: “While sales of RTDs are flat or in free-fall in markets around the world, in Australia they are booming. No other market has dark spirits-based RTDs such as those in Australia, nor is there a proliferation of drinks in cans.”

But the lockdowns and restrictions triggered by COVID-19 fuelled trial for canned cocktails. The global canned cocktail market is forecast to grow from US$25billion in 2020 to US$155billion in 2030.

World’s Best Classic Cocktail went to Curatif Jacoby’S Trader Vic’s Mai Tai. Gold medals went to Starward Whisky Negroni, Curatif Plantation Hurricane and Cosmo Carrie Premium Cosmopolitan. Silver winners were Curatif Archie Rose Espresso and Ester Spirits Negroni. Curatif also took out Bronze for its Never Never Distilling Negroni.

World’s Best Contemporary Cocktail went to Curatif Plantation Pineapple Daiquiri. Curatif also won Gold for its Black Pearl Toreador. Silver medals were awarded to Archie Rose Red Centre Negroni Bottle Cocktail, Archie Rose Eucalypt Mule Bottle Cocktail and Vintage Vinny Premium Old Fashioned. Bronze medals went to Archie Rose Rosella Sour Bottle Cocktail, Archie Rose Wattleseed & Peach Iced Tea Bottle Cocktail and Curatif Tequila Tromba Margarita.

“In an increasingly competitive category – that is also the highest growth category in the global liquor industry – it is both exciting and rewarding to see Curatif continuing to be recognised as the category leader,” Curatif noted.

“With more incredible collaborations in the pipeline, and new cocktails about to launch, there’s plenty to be excited about in the world of world-class cocktails in cans.”

World’s Best Spirit and Mixer went to Australian brands across all spirit categories: Vodka & Just Vodka Soda Black, Archie Rose Gin Blackberry Spritz, Easy Rider Bourbon & Cola and Master Mary Spiced Rum & Cola

Gold medals were awarded to Staple Drinks Vodka Soda Lime, Just Vodka Soda, Just Vodka Soda Black and Brookie’s Byron Dry Gin & Tonic With Native Finger Lime. Aussie Silver winners were Archie Rose Vodka & Soda, Just Vodka Tropical, Barossa Distilling Co. Australian Garden G&T and Master Mary Spiced Rum & Dry. Bronze went to Archie Rose Vodka Mango Spiritz, Just Vodka Watermelon, Staple Drinks Gin Soda Cucumber, Archie Rose Gin & Tonic and Cunning Drinks For Good.

“This is incredible recognition for us, it is our first entry and our only two entries into the competition, so to have achieved this among some incredible cocktails from around the world is truly amazing,” said Vicki Lyon, founder of Sophisticated Cocktail Co, following the brand’s medal haul, including Gold for its Cosmo Carrie Cosmopolitan and Vintage Vinny Old Fashioned.

Is this the future of RTD cocktails?

Australia dominates seltzer category

The US may have invented hard seltzer, but Australia won World’s Best Hard Seltzer with El Sueno Margarita.

We also picked up Gold for Fellr Watermelon Hard Seltzer; plus Silver for Fellr Passionfruit Hard Seltzer, Somma Pineapple Alcoholic Seltzer and El Sueno Paloma. Bronze Aussie winners in the category were Fellr Passionfruit Martini Cocktail Seltzer and Fellr Watermelon Margarita Cocktail Seltzer.

Additionally, World’ Best Can Design went to Fellr for its Watermelon Margarita Cocktail Seltzer.

“We’re blown away and humbled with FELLR’s recent results at some of the world’s biggest award shows,” said FELLR co-founder Will Morgan. “The highlight being the trophy for our FELLR Watermelon Margarita, winning the World’s Best Can design at the World Premix Awards. In an extremely cluttered and busy space, it’s hugely important to stand out on shelf so we’ve always put a focus on design craft with our can & packaging design. A huge shout out to Tom Schwaiger for his incredible work designing this can.” 

“We’re also pumped with our Gold medal in the Taste category for our FELLR Watermelon,” added co-founder Andy Skora. “As one of the fastest moving Hard Seltzers in the country, this is testament to our focus on only using the best ingredients, and our custom brewing process to develop a clean, crisp and uniquely flavoured Seltzer that’s now pulling in Gold medals overseas.”

Click here for all the winners

Aussie drinks triumph at the 2021 World Premix Awards