Organised by Melbourne Royal, the Australian International Spirits Awards (AISA) is the country’s most prestigious spirits competition—formerly known as the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards until its international expansion in 2025. Now open to distillers around the world, AISA provides a respected platform for benchmarking excellence and celebrating innovation across the global spirits industry.
While the competition spans a wide range of spirit styles, whisky remains a central focus, with categories that reflect both Australian and global trends. Judged by an expert panel of industry leaders, a medal from AISA signals technical precision, quality, and character. For distillers, it offers powerful recognition in an increasingly competitive market.
For those seeking a quick overview, the following table summarizes the essential details of the Australian International Spirits Awards. This at-a-glance format provides the most critical data points for a rapid understanding of the competition’s framework.
Organiser: Melbourne Royal
Founded: 2015 (as Australian Distilled Spirits Awards); rebranded to AISA in 2025
Headquarters: Melbourne, Australia
Cadence: Annual
Next Awards: 2026
The Australian International Spirits Awards judging panel is composed of distillers, spirits writers, bar professionals, and retailers, each selected for their deep expertise and product knowledge. This diverse panel ensures that every entry is evaluated through a well-rounded industry lens.
To preserve impartiality, entries are blind tasted and presented with a Tasting Order Number that is distinct from the exhibit’s catalogue number. Spirits are judged by class and ascending ABV, with each assessed on its own merit—never in direct comparison to others. Judges critically and quantitatively evaluate entries for commercial excellence, technical quality, and authenticity of style.
Medals—bronze, silver, and gold—are awarded based on scoring thresholds. Gold medal winners undergo a second round of scrutiny to determine category trophies, which are selected using the Borda Count method to ensure a fair and rigorous ranking process.
The Australian International Spirits Awards features a strong and growing presence of whisky entries from both Australia and abroad. Judging spans categories including single malt, blended, grain, rye, corn, and cask-finished whiskies, accommodating a wide range of production styles and maturation techniques.
The top honour in each category is the Trophy, awarded to the highest-scoring spirit. In addition, gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded based on quality thresholds rather than competitive ranking alone. These accolades signal exceptional quality and are recognised across the industry as a mark of excellence in craft and consistency.
An Australian International Spirits Award is a strong marker of excellence in a competitive and fast-growing market. For producers, it offers independent validation from a respected judging panel and helps elevate brand prestige both locally and internationally. Medal and trophy wins are often leveraged in marketing campaigns, export strategies, and distributor outreach, providing a trusted seal of quality to trade buyers.
For consumers, the AISA’s medals act as a guidepost to quality in a crowded retail environment—especially in categories like whisky, where diversity and innovation continue to expand. For the trade, including bars, restaurants, and retailers, AISA accolades offer assurance when selecting products for shelves or menus, with an emphasis on craftsmanship, commercial appeal, and style fidelity.
For more information or to view past winners, visit the official website: https://www.melbourneroyal.com.au/australian-international-spirits-awards/
