OLD Young’s Distillery in Henley Brook has received top honours after being crowned winner of the coveted champion spirit award for their Old Young’s 1829 Gin at the 2024 Royal Perth Distilled Spirits Awards.

They also won the champion distillery award which recognises the exemplary quality of their spirits range.

Owner of Old Young’s James Young said it was the first time the distillery had all of their core range spirits win gold medals.

“Winning the champion trophy for gin and the overall champion spirit is phenomenal,’’ he said.

“We have won champion distillery before, but we’ve never won champion gin.

“We were not expecting this. We were up against insanely good brandy and whiskey, so for our 1829 Signature Gin to be awarded champion gin and champion spirit means its super well made, and for the judges to recognise that is amazing.

“Champion gin and spirit to me is more important than champion distiller because it’s a celebration of our gin product – I got into the industry to make gin.”

The judging panel consisted of 20 independent experts who evaluated 169 entries from 36 exhibitors in the company of 10 stewards.

The products were meticulously assessed for each product based on five criteria – colour/appearance, nose, palate, balance and finish.

Besides being crowned for their champion gin, Old Young’s was awarded gold medals for their Old Young’s 1829 Gin, Old Young’s Common Gin, Old Young’s Six Seasons Gin and Old Young’s Pavlova Vodka.

The Packing Shed Distilling Company in Bickley won a gold medal for their Garden Party Floral Gin, as well as gold medals in the liqueurs category for their Australian Limoncello and Coffee Liqueur.

Other notable winners included Australian Distilling Ltd, from Henley Brook in the Swan Valley, winning a gold medal for their Gingin Gin, Damaged Goods Distilling Co, located in Middle Swan, was awarded a gold medal in the liqueurs category for their Smashed Apple Aperitivo, while Sin Gin Distillery in Herne Hill was awarded a gold medal in the liqueurs category for their Sloe Gin 2023.

Agriculture and Food and Small Business Minister Jackie Jarvis presented the awards alongside John Snowball, Royal Agricultural Society of WA president.