South Australia’s Never Never Distilling has won the World’s Best Contemporary Premix at the World Drink Awards in London.

The cocktail is a nod to the classic Negroni style with a few unique twists. Panettone Negroni is built with the classical ingredients of Triple Juniper Gin, Campari and Regal Rouge Bold Red Australian sweet vermouth, local aged muscat, Australian orange liqueur and then infused with a blend of toasty vanilla and biscuity goodness.

Never Never Co-Founder Sean Baxter said: “It’s a cocktail that began at our McLaren Vale venue and has evolved from there.

“It has always been one of our most popular drinks at the venue, so much so that we decided to bottle it so we could
share it far and wide.

“Every year it keeps getting better and better,” says Sean, “it’s a very welcoming Negroni style that is slightly sweeter than the traditional recipe and contains flavours that are immediately reflective of a panettone Italian sweet bread.”

The award joins the distillery’s 2019 award for World’s Best Classic Gin and World’s Best London Dry in 2022.

“It seems very fitting that the key ingredient in our World’s Best cocktail serve is the World’s Best London Dry,” Baxter said.

“Triple Juniper has been at the heart of everything we do in gin including our bottled cocktails.”

In this year’s competition, Never Never Juniper Freak was highlighted as Australia’s Best Navy Strength Gin with Freak, Triple Juniper Gin and Southern Strength Gin all receiving gold medals in their class, with Oyster Shell Gin winning a silver.

“There’s no doubt that proving ourselves on the world stage has been an incredibly important key to our continued success, but it’s more than just shiny accolades,” Baxter said.

“Awards such as these provide an independent review to both customers and retailers that what you make is of a quality that is absolutely first class, it gives them confidence in the products we make and the claims we proudly stand behind.”