Andrew Fitzgerald and Ben Bowles were at the Australian Distillers Association conference when they got an email announcing their whiskey was the nation's best.
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Their spirit, The Gospel straight rye whiskey, was awarded 96 points by judges at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) awards in London. High honours in the industry.
Mr Fitzgerald turned to the table of his peers and announced the news.
"I gave them a bit of grief about it," he said.
Rye whiskey is growing on Australians, but the category "isn't a big market, by any means," the distiller said.
That's what makes accolades like these valuable, Mr Fitzgerald said.
"It gives us a position of authority to say 'look, it's delicious,'" he said.
Typically made in Canada or the U.S., rye whiskey is fermented from at least 51 per cent rye grain, distilled and aged into a rich and complex dark spirit.
The Gospel sources their rye from a single farm outside Pinnaroo in South Australia, they opt for 100 per cent unmalted to avoid homogenising the grains.
On top of securing the highest score for an Australian whiskey, The Gospel tied for second place in the "world's best rye" category.
"We've been on a mission to refine our straight rye," he said.
International spirit-lovers are starting to take notice, with online sales skyrocketing for the Brunswick-based distillery.
"We had ten times the volume of sales in the three to four days after the announcement was made," Mr Fitzgerald said.
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In South Australia, Kangaroo Island Spirits head distiller Charlie Schmidt said their high-scoring gin has made them proud, racking up 98 points with the IWSC judges.
Mr Schmidt uses plants growing around the distillery to make a gin that reflects the native flavours of Kangaroo Island.
"We can walk or drive around the island and find flavours we'd like to forage," he said.
The distillery owners, Sarah and Jon Lark, had the foresight to plant juniper in their backyard. A choice that's starting to pay dividends eight years on.
Juniper is a crucial ingredient in gin, with most of the world's supply coming dried from Macedonia.
Mr Schmidt said the difference between fresh and dried juniper is "night and day".
"When we pick it straight off the bush it's so much more concentrated with oil, so much more flavourful - potent," he said.
Australia had 18 spirits hit high scores at the IWSC awards, securing gold medals across the country.
Queensland gold medal winners
- Granddad Jack Craft Distilling 65 miles gin, Miami - 98 points and a gold Gin and Tonic award
- Beachtree Distilling Co. organic skippy gin, Caloundra West - 95 points and a silver Gin and Tonic award
- Capricorn Distilling oak aged gin, Burleigh Heads - 95 points
- Capricorn Distilling pure single rum, Burleigh Heads - 95 points
- Mt Uncle Distillery FNQ iridium five year-old rum, Walkamin - 96 points
New South Wales gold medal winners
- North of Eden connoisseur gin, Stony Creek - 95 points
- Archie Rose Distilling Co. rye malt whiskey, Sydney - 95 points
- Archie Rose Distilling Co. true cut vodka, Sydney - 95 points
South Australian gold medal winners
- Never Never Distillery juniper freak gin, McLaren Vale - 95 points
- Kangaroo island Spirits O gin, Cygnet River - 98 points
- Settlers Spirits yuzu gin, McLaren Flat - 97 points
- Vok Beverages 23rd st yuzu gin, Renmark - 95 points
- Square 1 sea legs navy strength gin, Balhannah - 95 points
Western Australian gold medal winners
- Australian Distilling Co. shiraz gin, Denmark - 95 points
Victorian gold medal winners
- Four Pillars bloody Underhill Vineyard shiraz gin, Healesville - 98 points
- Four Pillars single barrel S36 gin, Healesville - 98 points
- Grainshaker Australian wheat vodka, Melbourne - 98 points
- The Gospel Whiskey straight rye whiskey, Melbourne - 96 points
Anna Houlahan
Anna Houlahan is a journalist for Explore and the Senior. Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
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