The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW has announced the recipients of its inaugural Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show, with 14 champions from across Australia crowned. 

Regional Australian spirits were the stand-out, with gins from Lord Howe Island, Yamba and the Central Coast all taking home champion prizes, while the Central Coast was also named the home of single malt whisky. 

Taking the top award, however, was St Agnes Distillery which won the inaugural Best Distilled Spirit of Show thanks to the St Agnes XO Grand Reserve, with the 40-year-old world-class brandy earning an impressive 98 points out of 100. 

Sydney Royal Chair of Judges Stuart Gregor (above) said: “The inaugural Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show was, I think, a great success with the competition receiving more than 270 entries and delivering a wonderfully varied range of winners, with a strong emphasis on regional NSW.

“The highest pointed entrant in the entire show was the St Agnes XO Grand Reserve 40-year-old brandy and quite honestly nothing really came close. The final aggregated score for it was 98/100 and to be perfectly truthful I’m a bit surprised it didn’t end up as 99 or 100.

“This is a truly incredible brandy, as good, and frankly probably better than many of the most expensive and prestigious French Cognacs. It has an almost impossibly rich and unctuous palate and length that seems to go forever. Sure, its expensive – $1000 a bottle or thereabouts – but if drinking the greatest spirits in the world is your thing, then you simply MUST taste this St Agnes.”

Attendees at the awards ceremony at L’Aqua in Sydney’s Darling Harbour were fortunate to have the opportunity to sample the winning spirit.

The Central Coast’s Amber Lane Distillery took home Champion Single Malt Whisky with their Alchemical Series: Water, putting the Central Coast on the whisky map.

“The winner of the whisky class was a brilliant effort from Amber Lane Distillery,” Gregor said.

“Their Alchemical Series: Water was a really strong winner and continues a run of wins for this Central Coast based distillery. An outstanding whisky from a producer who will very soon surely be much better known.”

The inaugural Champion Ready to Drink went to Curatif’s Espresso Martini, which impressed the judges with its complex flavours while Champion Liqueur went to The Canberra Distillery for its Coffee Liqueur. 

The Canberra Distillery also struck gold with the Old George Reserve Rum winning The Chair of Judges Annual Prize.

“The inaugural winner of the competitive Ready to Drink class was a truly delicious and perfect for early afternoon judging, Espresso Martini from Curatif,” Gregor said.

“This was as good as anything you would expect to be served in the best bars around town, it retained a lovely crema on top and balanced coffee and sweetness perfectly.”

The competition’s highest entered category was Gin, with three standouts stealing the show.

Yamba Distilling Co which won Champion Traditional Gin thanks to its Duke – Dry Gin, the Central Coast’s Pants off Distillery which claimedChampion Contemporary Gin with its Pants Off Antz Pants Ginand Lord Howe Island Distilling Co which took home Champion Other Gin courtesy of its Wolfe Rock Gin. 

“The wildest named winner was the Pants Off – Pants Off Antz Pants gin which collected the trophy in the largest and most competitive class in the show – Contemporary Gin,” Gregor said.

“It is a lovely modern style showcasing some great pepper characteristics and a soft, well balanced palate.”

Top Shelf International can now add Champion Alternative Spirit to its accolades with Act of Treason Reposado taking the top prize. 

“Australia is now growing a few thousand Hectares of Agave, the succulent that makes the famous Tequila and Mezcal spirits of Mexico and our inaugural winner, the Act of Treason – reposado (meaning rested in barrel for several months) was as good an example as most highly regarded commercial Tequilas. The agave for this is grown near Airlie Beach in Northern Queensland and is a product to watch for sure.”

Also recognised was Manly Spirits Co’s Grape & Grain Vodka which won Champion Vodka and Champion NSW Distilled Spirit.

Fleurieu Distillery’s Country to Coast #5 was crowned Champion Grain or Blend Whisky and Lord Byron Distillery’s Pure Single Rum – Ex Red Wine. 2023 release Cask #8 which scored Champion Cane Spirit or Rum.

To view all of this year’s champion and medal winners, please visit: www.rasnsw.com.au

Australia’s best beer revealed at 2024 Sydney Royal Beer & Cider Show