If you’re searching for the best spirits to sip on, look no further than the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Every year since 2000, thousands of the world’s spirit producers submit their chosen brands in hope of taking home a medal. This year had a record 2252 entries, and of those, 91 Australian producers took home a medal (19 received the notable distinction of a double gold or gold).

Australia took home three double gold winners for gin, including the Signature Gin from Renmark’s Twenty-Third Street Distillery, Poltergeist Unfiltered Gin from Shene Estate & Distillery in Tasmania, and The Broadside Gin from The West Winds in Margaret River. Among others, The Melbourne Gin Company took home a single gold.

Limeburners – a port cask strength single malt whiskey from the Great Southern Distilling Company in WA – took home a double gold as did Renmark’s St. Agnes, a 15-year-old brandy, and Twenty-Third Street are Not Your Nanna’s Brandy.

Under the “other whiskey” category, gold medals went to Belle Epoch single malt Scotch from Dobson’s in New South Wales, Director’s Cut M230 single malt whiskey and Heavy Peat single malt whiskey, both from Limeburners of Margaret River and Albany.

As for rum, a gold medal went to Solera Rum, Master Distillers’ Collection from Bundaberg of Queensland.

The next time you reach for an aperitif before a meal, consider choosing Adelaide Hills Distillery’s Italian Bitter Orange. This spirit won the award of best apéritif in its class. Inspired by the classic aperitifs from Italy, its herbal yet bitter taste was a product Adelaide Hills Distillery had long desired to produce.

Read more at source: broadsheet