Perth Royal Food Awards | Ross Brown, Production Manager at Matso’s Broome & Sunshine Coast (Champion Distillery). Photo by Dan MacBride
Western Australia’s thriving distilling industry has once again proven it is among the best in the country, with local producers taking out many of the top honours at the 2026 Perth Royal Food Awards – Distilled Spirits.
Hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of WA (RASWA), the annual competition celebrates excellence in Australian distilling, recognising outstanding whisky, gin, vodka, brandy, liqueurs, ready-to-drink beverages and alternative spirits.
This year, 197 entries from across Australia were judged by an independent panel of industry experts. Judges awarded 22 Gold, 77 Silver and 55 Bronze medals, along with 12 Champion trophies.
Matso’s named Champion Distillery
Leading the winners was Matso’s Broome & Sunshine Coast (Palmyra, WA), which claimed the prestigious Champion Distillery title.
Matso’s Production Manager Ross Brown said the award was a proud moment for the team.
“At Matso’s we love to push the boundaries on flavour and showcase amazing Australian ingredients in our drinks. We are proud of our Kimberley roots, and it still inspires our creativity and relaxed approach.”
He said the award recognised the dedication of the team and the quality of Australian distilling.
“Western Australia has some absolutely world-class producers and talented, innovative distillers and we are stoked to be recognised amongst such incredible peers.”
Champion Spirit heads to South Australia
The coveted Champion Spirit award went to St Agnes Distillery (Renmark, SA) for its St Agnes XO, which also won Champion Brandy.
The award-winning brandy inspired a special cocktail for the presentation evening, created by renowned WA bartender Charlie Coates from Nextdoor.
WA producers dominate the winners’ list
Western Australian distilleries enjoyed an outstanding year, reflecting the rapid growth of the state’s spirits industry, which now boasts more than 120 operating distilleries.
Champion winners from WA included:
Carmel Cider Company – Champion Vodka (Orchard Alchemy Lucent) and Champion Liqueur (Orchard Alchemy Limoncello)
Old Young’s (Henley Brook) – Champion Gin for Six Seasons Gin
Esperance Distillery Co – Champion Whisky for Single Malt Whisky – Hungarian Oak
Little Stiller Distillery (Mandurah) – Champion Alternative Spirit for Coffee Vodka
Idle Hands Drinks Co (West Leederville) – Champion Ready to Serve for Lychee and Yuzu Hiball
Among the Special Trophies, Tattarang Springs (Perth) received Best New Product for its Great Southern – Ocean Gin, while Fleurieu Distillery (Goolwa, SA) was named Best New Distillery.
Industry continues to grow
Chief Judge Luke McCarthy praised both the quality of this year’s entries and the strength of the local industry.
“Western Australia is such an exciting place for spirits making. Australia is producing some of the best spirits in the world right now, and the quality across this year’s champion spirits was outstanding.”
RASWA CEO Robyn Sermon said the awards highlighted the close relationship between agriculture and distilling.
“Distilling is an extraordinary meeting point between agriculture, science and creativity. A great spirit starts with great raw ingredients, but it takes tremendous skill and patience to transform them into a product with its own character and identity.”
She said this year’s winners demonstrated the remarkable diversity and innovation found across Australia’s distilling industry.
Every spirit was assessed through a blind judging process, with products evaluated on aroma, palate, balance, complexity and finish. The independent judging provides valuable industry benchmarking while giving consumers confidence that medal-winning products represent outstanding quality.
For a full list of medal and trophy winners, visit the official 2026 Perth Royal Food Awards – Distilled Spirits Results Catalogue.