Australian spirits manufacturers are celebrating a bumper night at the World Whiskies Awards in London, with global honours awarded to several of our distilleries and their personnel.

The Whisky Magazine awards ceremony on Wednesday night featured the announcement of the World’s Best whiskies in the World Whiskies Awards and the Icons of Whisky global winners.

Australia shone in the 2024 Icons of Whisky Awards, with Tasmania’s Sullivans Cove Distillery – a three-time winner of World’s Best Single Malt – claiming four of the 27 Icons awards available on the night.

Sullivans Cove’s Heather Tillott and Ally Bhana respectively won the prizes for Distillery Manager and World Whisky Brand Ambassador, while the distillery also picked up the Sales Team and Brand Innovator gongs.

Fellow Tasmanians Callington Mill Distillery won the award for Visitor Attraction, while Seamus Carroll of The Whisky Club took home the prize for Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador.

Australian Distillers Association chief executive Paul McLeay said it was yet another remarkable showing by the industry in a prestigious global event.

“For Australians to take out six of an available 27 Icons of Whisky awards demonstrates once again that our industry is world class,” he said.

“I would like to congratulate all the winners of these global awards, as well as our distillers who were named Country Winners on the night.”

McLeay said the awards cap off a momentous week for Australian spirits manufacturers, who are relishing the opportunity to participate in the Federal Government’s Inquiry into Food and Beverage Manufacturing in Australia, announced on Thursday.

“These latest global accolades certainly bolster our case for policy initiatives that will support our industry in its quest to grow exports of our premium spirits, which speak proudly of their Australian provenance,” he said.

Icons of Whisky 2024 – Global Winners

Distillery Manager
Heather Tillott, Sullivans Cove Distillery

Visitor Attraction
Callington Mill Distillery

Brand Innovator
Sullivans Cove Distillery

Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador
Seamus Carroll, The Whisky Club

World Whisky Brand Ambassador
Ally Bhana, Sullivans Cove Distillery

Sales Team
The Team, Sullivans Cove Distillery

World Whiskies Awards 2024 – Global Winners

Best Label Design
Callington Mill Distillery – Blue Lake Lodge

World Whiskies Awards 2024 – Country Winners

Best Australian Blended
Coastal Stone – Xplore

Best Australian Blended Limited Release
Hellyers Road – Dark Harmony

Best Australian Blended Malt
Lark – Symphony No. 1

Best Australian Pot Still
Transportation Whiskey – The Journey Single Cask Cask Strength

Best Australian Rye
Backwoods Distilling Co. – Shiraz Cask

Best Australian Single Cask Single Malt
Hellyers Road – American Oak 16 Years Old

Best Australian Single Cask Single Rye
Whipper Snapper ­– Rye

Best Australian Single Malt
Lark – Fresh IPA Cask

Best Australian Small Batch Single Malt
Hellyers Road – Voyager Cask