St Agnes Distillery has won big at the 2024 Melbourne Royal Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, winning three top awards including Australia’s Champion Distiller.
The Distillery took the top prize at this year’s ADSA, earning recognition for “Best Brandy”, “Consistency of Excellence”, and the coveted “Champion Australian Distiller” award at Australia’s first and only national spirits awards program.
“We are immensely proud to receive these awards,” shared Richard Angove, the fifth generation of his family to helm St Agnes.
“This is such an amazing award to receive with so many exceptional Australian Spirits being made around
the country. It is a testament to 99 years of patience, perseverance and craft, but also a testament to the many hands that contribute to making our St Agnes Brandies. In particular, our current master distiller, Ben Horley and his late predecessor John Norman, but also the entire team at the distillery and winery, from vineyard through to packaging, marketing and sales, many hands have carefully crafted these amazing spirits that sit comfortably as exceptional on a world stage.”
The St Agnes XO and St Agnes XO Grand Reserve won gold in the Grape Brandy, Age Statement category and the St Agnes VSOP, won gold in the Grape Brandy, Non-Age Statement category. Overall, the XO Grand Reserve was named the Best Brandy and the St Agnes XO was awarded for consistency of excellence.
Hailing as Australia’s oldest continually run craft distillery, St Agnes Distillery has been carefully handcrafting artisan spirits in Renmark since 1925. Throughout their almost 100 years of operation, just 6 Master Distillers have passed their skills and knowledge to the next in line, ensuring the finest quality of spirits to be produced.
“We are Australia’s oldest family-owned distillery, and our proud history is hugely important to us in how we approach our spirits,” Mr Angove shares.
St Agnes Distillery has patiently crafted some of Australia’s most highly awarded brandies, including winning best brandy in the world on three occasions.
In 2014 Blind Tiger Organic Gin was created by the team, using the finest organic botanicals and spirits distilled from organic wheat, with the inaugural release collecting Gold at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition.
At the 2024 ADSA, the Blind Tiger Organic Navy Strength Gin was awarded a silver prize. Although distilled in the same small batch manner as all the other Blind Tiger gins, it is of much higher strength, at 59.9% ABV, making it the highest of any Navy Strength Gin in Australia. Amongst all the awards, their Camborne Single Malt Bourbon Cask was also awarded a silver medal.
These accolades add to an impressive list for the Renmark distillery, including multiple gold and silver medals at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and World Brandy Awards.
“I would also like to thank our dedicated consumers who have helped to make us Australia’s most popular brandy, without their unwavering loyalty we would not be on the cusp of achieving 100 years of patiently distilling Australia’s most highly awarded brandy.”
Keen to explore the historic distillery? Tours are available upon enquiry, [email protected]
St Agnes Distillery
Where: Bookmark Avenue, Renmark, South Australia 5341
When: Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm, Weekends and Public Holidays 11am to 4pm.
For more information, click here.
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