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Distilled Spirits

The Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show identifies the industry’s best producers and drives the continued improvement and refinement of both individual distilled spirits products and the industry as a whole.

Offering a fantastic range of classes including Brandy, Cane Spirit, Gin, Liqueur, Rum, Vodka, Whiskey, Alternative Distilled Spirits, Non-Alcoholic and stand-alone Ready to Drink (RTD) classes, there are 15 Champions up for grabs.

Australian drinks industry veteran and Australian Distillers Association Past President, Stuart Gregor, serves as the Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show Chair of Judges. 

The Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show is a testament to the incredible growth within the industry and provides an important opportunity for producers to benchmark products against industry standards, peers and competitors.

A Sydney Royal win is a true mark of excellence that commands customer confidence. Medal artwork on winning products is a key marketing tool identifying products with the assurance of award-quality.

If you are a distilled spirits producer with either a well-established, recognisable brand or a new, product of innovation, we invite you to enter. Sydney Royal award presentation events and additional Sydney Royal event opportunities for medal winners, are a great place to meet other producers, share stories, expand your network and enjoy the power of the producer community. 

Late May 2025

Entries Open

Late June 2025

Entries Close

18 - 22 August 2025

Deliveries

8 - 9 September 2025

Judging

16 September 2025

Results Announced

The Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show engages the most experienced and respected Judges in the industry and endorses the development of future judges.

The process is overseen by a Chair of Judges and includes four separate judging panels. Each panel consists of one Panel Chair, two Senior Judges and a minimum of one Associate Judge.

Medals are determined by the Judges using the following 100-point scale:

Gold medal for outstanding Exhibits gaining 90pts and over

Silver medal for excellent Exhibits gaining 82pts but fewer than 90pts

Bronze medal for quality Exhibits gaining 74pts but fewer than 82pts

Champion are determined using the Borda Count Method.

To ensure a consistent high standard of judging, the RAS operates the Sydney Royal Associate Judge Program to train the next generation.

Joining the Sydney Royal Associate Judge Program provides unique opportunities to:

  • Lean how to score exhibits from experienced senior judges
  • Experience first-hand what it takes to judge beer and cider
  • Be exposed to emerging trends and the very best producers have to offer
  • Network with industry experts
  • Build experience toward becoming a qualified judge

Stewards play a valuable role ensuring each judging day runs smoothly through the coordination and preparation of exhibits.

Acting as a Steward for Sydney Royal competitions provides unique insight into a specific industry and counts as relevant experience toward an Associate Judge role in the future.

2024 Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Champion winners

Sydney Royal Competitions encourage and reward excellence, with the aim to support a viable and prosperous future for our agricultural communities.

Please select the Sydney Royal Competition/s you are interested in*

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