The Melbourne Royal Food & Beverage Award has recognised some of the country’s finest distillers across 33 categories in the 2026 Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirits Awards.

This year marked the first time international spirit producers were included in the awards. Distillerie Bonne Mère (Guadeloupe, France) took out the Champion International Distiller award, while Cipriani White Peach Bellini from Italy claimed Best Ready to Serve Pre-Mix or Spritz.

This year also saw the addition of a new Best Gin and Tonic category, which went to Bunker Distillery’s Traditional Dry Gin (NSW) mixed with Strangelove Coastal Tonic.

Other standout winners include Bird, a blended malt whisky created through a collaboration between Mark Bouris, South Australia’s Fleurieu Distillery and Bird in Hand Winery. Meanwhile, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Teremana Añejo Tequila was awarded Best Tequila or Agave Spirit.

See the full list of winners below.

2026 Champion Trophy winners include:

Champion Large Australian Distiller — St Agnes Distillery, South Australia

Champion Medium Australian Distiller — Nil Desperandum Rum, Queensland

Champion Small Australian Distiller — Maidenii, Victoria

Champion International Distiller — Distillerie Bonne Mère, Guadeloupe, France

Champion Australian Nomad Distiller — Island Coast Spirits, Tasmania

Champion Victorian Distiller — Maidenii, Victoria

Champion category winners include:

Champion Australian Gin — Triple Juniper Gin, Never Never Distilling Co, South Australia

Champion Victorian Gin — Australian Dry Gin, Daylesford Spirit Distillery, Victoria

Consistency of Excellence Awards include:
Recognising products that have demonstrated exceptional quality over multiple years

Rye Malt Whisky — Archie Rose Distilling Co, New South Wales

All Seasons Gin Liqueur — Imbue Distillery, Victoria

Troppo Yuzu Gin — Northern Distilling, Northern Territory

Hazelnut and Macadamia Liqueur — Prohibition Liquor Co, South Australia

Best in Class Winners include:

Whisky

Best Australian Single Malt Whisky — Tapestry, Fleurieu Distillery, South Australia

Best Blended Malt Whisky — Bird, Bird in Hand and Fleurieu Distillery, South Australia

Best Grain Whisky — Rye Malt Whisk, Archie Rose Distilling Co, New South Wales

Gin

Best London Dry Gin — Triple Juniper Gin , Never Never Distilling Co, South Australia

Best New World / Contemporary Gin — Troppo Yuzu Gin , Northern Distilling, Northern Territory

Best Navy Gin — Man O’ War, Hold Fast Distillery, New South Wales

Hold Fast

Best Fruit or Wine/Grape Gin — Strawberries and Cream Gin, Brogan’s Way Distillery, Victoria

Best Other Gin — Old Tom Gin, Ester Spirits, New South Wales

Best Gin and Tonic — Traditional Dry Gin, Bunker Distillery, New South Wales

Vodka

Best Unflavoured Vodka — Midnight Vodka, Saint Felix Distillery, Victoria

Best Flavoured Vodka — SUNCHASER Dirty Vodka, Oakburn Distillery, Victoria

Brandy, Rum, and Cane Spirits

Best Brandy — St Agnes XO – 15YO, St Agnes Distillery, South Australia

Raymond B ‘Spike’ Dessert III Trophy for Best Rum — The Triple Six, Nil Desperandum Rum, Queensland

Best Cane Spirit — Virgin Cane Spirit, Burdekin Rum, Queensland

Tequila and Agave

Best Tequila or Agave Spirit — Teremana Tequila Añejo, Destilería Teremana De Agave, Jalisco, Mexico

Liqueurs, Bitters, and Alternative Spirits

Best Liqueur — Caretaker’s Cottage Black Forest, Marionette, Victoria

Caretaker’s Cottage Black Forest

Best Alternative Spirit — Absinthe Verte, Cedar Fox Distilling Co, Victoria

Best Bitter or Vermouth — Alternativo Aperitivo, Ester Spirits, New South Wales

Ready to Serve

Best Ready to Serve Cocktail — Pornstar Martini, Good George Distilling Co, Waikato, New Zealand

Best Ready to Serve Pre-Mix or Spritz — Cipriani White Peach Bellini, Cipriani Bellini, Italy

Design

Best Design — Single Cask, Timbertide, Western Australia

Photography by SDP Media

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