Australia's bright lights at the American Distilling Institute Awards

Four Australian distilleries were recognised with top honours at the American Distilling Institute (ADI) Craft Spirits Awards overnight.

Adelaide Hills' 78 Degrees won Best in Category - International Whisky and Western Australian newcomer, Republic of Fremantle’s Full Bodied Gin shared the Best in Category Award for International Contemporary Gin with Tasmania’s Turner Stillhouse, Three Cuts Gin (Distiller’s Release) along with two Italian distilleries. Four Pillars' Navy Strength Gin won the award for International Flavoured Gin.

78 Degrees – Best International Whisky

78º Australian Whiskey, launched earlier this year and in his commentary on the win from 78 Degrees, Forbes Magazine’s Joseph V Micaleff said, “Historically, Australian whisky was based on a Scotch whisky template. This is starting to change as Australian distillers begin developing uniquely Australian whiskies.

“78 Degrees is based on a mash bill of unmalted barley combined with 11 different flavoring malts, and undergoes a single distillation. It’s too early to speak of an Australian whisky style, but one is surely coming.”

Distillery Founder and Head Distiller Sacha La Forgia (pictured above) said, “This award is a testament to the focus we’ve been putting into our whiskey production in recent years,” he says. 

“When we set out to create the Australian Whiskey, our drive was not to replicate but to innovate. I think we’ve achieved that and I hope this award puts Australian whiskey on a global stage, and gives it the recognition that it deserves.”

The judges said the 78º Australian Whiskey as a “very graceful whiskey with a grassy, rich palate, decent structure and finish.”

In 2020, Mr La Forgia was named Distiller of the Year at the international Icons of Gin 2020 awards and the Adelaide Hills Distillery 2020 Native Grain Weeping Grass Whiskey was awarded best grain whiskey at the World Whiskies Award in London earlier this year.

Mighty Craft purchased his Adelaide Hills Distillery – now known as 78 Degrees – earlier this year, to accelerate their whisky production and become a leading player in the emerging Australian whisky market. Mr LaForgia has been now appointed to the acceleration committee along with Chris Malcolm and George Campbell.

Their flagship 78º Classic Gin was awarded a prestigious gold medal, while the 78º Native Grain Whiskey and 78º Bitter Orange Aperitif both won silver medals. Bronze medals were received for 78 Degrees’ Sunset Gin, Apple Brandy, and the just-released Muscat Finish Whiskey.

Republic of Fremantle’s Full Bodied Gin & Tasmania’s Turner Stillhouse share Best of Category -  International Contemporary Gin

Republic of Fremantle’s Full Bodied Gin was awarded a Double Gold and Best of Category, sharing the award with three other distilleries including Tasmania’s Turner Stillhouse, Three Cuts Gin (Distiller’s Release) and Italian distilleries Extra Srl and Lakospiriti di Lakovic Andrea.

Republic’s Signature Vodka took out a Double Gold – the first Australian vodka to receive the prestigious Double Gold in the history of the Awards.

Republic of Fremantle’s Master Distiller Oliver Kitson said the international recognition was not only hugely rewarding but also a real testament to the hours of craftmanship behind every bottle at distilled at The Republic.

"We spent years trialling, tasting, and working with our state-of-the-art Müller copper still before we settled on our Signature Vodka and Aromatic and Full Bodied Gins.

"Crafting our spirits has been a true labour of love. Not many distilleries do it, but we made the decision from the onset to create our own base spirit, and in doing so – we’ve been able to control the entire process. It’s unconventional, but we swear by it," said Mr Kitson.

The ADI judging panel commended Republic of Fremantle on their carefully crafted grape-based Full Bodied Gin for its perfect balance and silk-like texture on the palette while the Signature Vodka was awarded the Double Gold for its rich, well-rounded flavour and light elegant finish.

Based in the Tamar Valley of Northern Tasmania, Turner Stillhouse's founder and distiller, Justin Turner, said, “Of the hundreds of entries from all over the world in the Contemporary Gin category, we are very proud to have come out on top."

American born, the ADI awards hold a special place in Mr Turner's heart, having moved to Tasmania from the U.S. in 2018 with his Tasmanian-born wife to launch the distillery.

Three Cuts has also been recognised at the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2020/2021, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020 and the Australian Gin Awards (2019/2020).

Held in Louisville, the ADI Craft Spirits Awards is the world's longest running and largest drinks competition dedicated to craft spirits.