The results are in for the highly anticipated 2025 International London Spirits Competition, and this year’s winners reflect an exciting blend of heritage, innovation, and global craftsmanship. Leading the pack is the acclaimed W.L. Weller Antique 107 from Sazerac, which claimed Spirit of the Year, Whiskey of the Year, and Best Spirit by Quality—a standout achievement in one of the world’s most competitive spirits arenas.

Now in its eighth edition, the London Spirits Competition continues to raise the bar, evaluating entries not just on taste but also on their value for money and packaging appeal—an approach designed to highlight the bottles that truly resonate with today’s consumers and trade professionals.

This year’s judging brought together over 70 top industry experts, including Master Distillers, Master Blenders, Mixologists, and elite buyers. The panel featured names like Dr. Emma Walker, Andrew de Lavis-Trafford, Oscar Angeloni, Allan Anderson, Cristiana Pirinu, Claudia Carrozzi, Nick Larsson-Bell, Craig Wallace, Billy Leighton, and Laura Willoughby MBE, lending exceptional credibility and insight to the process. These judges brought a wealth of experience from various sectors, including hospitality, retail, and education, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of each entry.

“One major improvement this year was the calibre of entries and the increased presence of brand owners and professionals from all corners of the industry,” noted judge Nelson Reis, Specialty Drinks Group.

2025 London Spirits Competition Judges

The judging panel included some of the UK’s most respected voices in spirits, hospitality, and the drinks trade. Judges included:​

Andrew de Lavis-Trafford – Head of Buying Spirits, Beers & Softs at Enotria Winecellars Ltd, UK

Andy Loudon – Director of Bars at Scarfes Bar, Rosewood London

Giannis Apostolopoulos – Head of Bars for Amazónico Restaurants, UK

Claudia Carrozzi – Head of Beverage at Cunard and UKBG President

Oscar Angeloni – Bar Manager at The Connaught

Marcello Cauda – Bars Manager at The Berkeley Hotel, Maybourne Group, London

Nick Larsson-Bell – Senior Spirits and Beer Buyer at Harvey Nichols

Michele Lombardi – Head Mixologist at Four Seasons Park Lane

Cristiana Pirinu – Assistant Director of Mixology at The Donovan Bar

Emma Walker – Master Blender at Johnnie Walker

Craig Wallace – Whisky Creation Leader and Master Blender at Diageo

Laura Willoughby MBE – Low and No Alcoholic Drinks Buyer, Founder of Club Soda, The Mindful Drinking Movement​ [...] The full list of judges can be found here.

These judges brought a wealth of experience from various sectors, including hospitality, retail, and education, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of each entry.

The competition once again attracted strong international representation from across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas, including award-winning gins from India, premium whiskies from Ireland and Japan, and vibrant craft spirits from Australia and the UK.​

Spirits from more than 30 countries were entered, with the United Kingdom (13.7%), Australia (12.9%), and Italy/USA (each 7.1%) leading in submissions. Gin topped the charts as the most-entered category (28.2%), followed by Whisky, Liqueurs, and Rum.

Notable 2025 Award Winners Include:

Gin of the Year: Ramsbury Gin – UK

Vodka of the Year: Xaoma Gold – Kazakhstan

Rum of the Year: Havana Club Gran Reserva 15 Años – Cuba

Liqueur of the Year: Kaiho Ruby Organic Blackcurrant Liqueur – Finland

Tequila of the Year: Gran Orendain Reposado – Mexico

Cognac Of The Year 2025: Courvoisier XO Royal

Best Spirit by Package: Chateau Koya Brandy XO 15 Years Old – China

Best Spirit by Value: K-vant – Tanzania

Among producers, Sazerac stood out as a multiple-award winner with accolades spanning several whiskey subcategories, while Douglas Laing & Co. was named Whisky Producer of the Year. De Kuyper, Turku Distillery, and Pernod Ricard also saw major category wins.

Commenting on the results, London Competitions CEO Sid Patel said:

“At the London Spirits Competition, a winning spirit must excel in quality, offer outstanding value for money, and be packaged in a way that truly connects with today’s consumer. What makes this competition unique is that all products are judged by the highest level of trade professionals—bartenders, bar managers, and buyers—who understand what sells and what delights customers. Our winners represent the very best of the global spirits industry.” — Sid Patel, CEO, London Spirits Competition.​

Judging Criteria

At the London Spirits Competition, each spirit is evaluated on three essential criteria: Quality, Value, and Packaging—designed to reflect how real trade buyers and consumers make purchasing decisions. Judging begins with a blind tasting to assess the spirit’s balance, complexity, and overall excellence. Once the quality score is recorded, judges are shown the retail price to determine value for money, followed by the packaging, which is evaluated for its visual appeal and alignment with the target market.

Each spirit is also reviewed by either a Master Distiller, Master Blender, or a senior spirits buyer, ensuring the highest level of industry expertise. This results in an award that not only recognises exceptional craftsmanship but also signals strong commercial potential and shelf impact.

This judging model is what makes the London Spirits Competition truly exceptional. By combining top-tier trade professionals with a real-world evaluation approach, a medal from this competition is a powerful endorsement that resonates with both buyers and consumers alike.

View the full list of winners for 2025:

2025 Winners

About the London Spirits Competition

Organised by the Beverage Trade Network, the London Spirits Competition has become an international benchmark for judging spirits on what really matters—quality, value, and presentation. It offers spirits brands an essential platform to gain recognition in both trade and consumer markets globally

Media contact:

Malvika Patel
Editor, Beverage Trade Network
malvika@beveragetradenetwork.com