There’s always a first time for everything, like a first-ever craft spirit awards in Asia, honouring the art and craft of artisanal spirits from around the world. On its debut, SOCraft Awards honoured 43 craft spirits recently, recognising Indian agave spirit makers, Maya Pistola, a Tasmanian whisky brand, Launceston Distillery, and Cambodia’s colour-changing Jason Kong Mekong Butterfly Gin.
Two spirits picked up the highest three-star accolade, followed by 23 spirits with two stars and 18 spirits with one star. These awarded beverages spanned categories from gin, rum, and whisky to arak, liqueur, and brandy.
The SOCraft Awards are designed to honour the artisanal producers whose unwavering passion, exceptional skill, and steadfast dedication propel them to pursue the creation of truly remarkable, handcrafted spirits.
There were entries from 15 countries around the world, and the cohort of judges consisted of the best of the best from the industry, leading bartenders, bar owners, F&B directors, and buyers from the region.
The accolades available ranged from one to three stars, with a green ring accreditation for sustainable practices.
Among the 43 winners, 13 craft spirits received 1 star, while five garnered 1 star and the esteemed green ring for environmental responsibility. Eight craft spirits earned the prestigious 2 stars, and 15 attained 2 stars along with the green ring.
As the first 100% agave spirit, made from the Agave Americana, Maya Pistola had perfect synergy with the SOCraft Awards.
“Many of these craft distillers have such unique stories that are driven by passion, tradition or both. Their tireless dedication to craft alone is extremely commendable, and I appreciate each one of them,” said Ivy Woo, Managing Director of FoodNews Creative Marketing Agency, the organisers of the SoCraft Awards.
The judging was conducted blindly, and each judge meticulously evaluated no more than 10 spirits per session, over a 120-minute seating. Entries were rigorously assessed based on aroma and bouquet (20 points), mouthfeel (20 points), taste (20 points), finish (20 points) and overall impression (20 points), with judges providing independent scores for each criterion.
Judges assessed entries for the green rings across four key areas: choice of production materials, waste management (5 points), emissions management (5 points), and support for local community (5 points), ensuring that environmental responsibility was duly celebrated alongside exceptional craftsmanship.
