Tamborine Mountain Distillery Wins Brandy of the Year 2023
Our Apricot Brandy Takes Gold & 96 Points at the London Spirits Competition
From a small distillery on Tamborine Mountain to the judging tables of London.
Our Apricot Brandy was named Brandy of the Year at the 2023 London Spirits Competition, receiving a Gold Medal and an outstanding score of 96 points.
For our team, it was an extraordinary result — and international recognition for a bottle we've been making here in the Gold Coast Hinterland for many years.
Brandy of the Year at the 2023 London Spirits Competition
The London Spirits Competition evaluates spirits with the consumer in mind, considering quality, value and packaging.
In 2023, our Apricot Brandy achieved:
96 points
Gold Medal
Brandy of the Year
The competition's judges described the brandy as showing pronounced stone-fruit aromas alongside caramel and raisin, with apricot, vanilla and a long finish.
For a fruit brandy made on Tamborine Mountain, seeing those three words — Brandy of the Year — was a pretty special moment.
What Makes Our Apricot Brandy Special?
Apricot has a wonderful character for brandy.
There's the immediately recognisable stone fruit, but also an aromatic depth that becomes particularly interesting once that fruit character meets a distilled spirit.
Our Apricot Brandy balances ripe apricot character with subtle almond notes, natural tartness and a lightly dry finish.
It's a bottle that can be approached in several ways.
Enjoy it neat to experience the fruit character without distraction.
Pour it over ice.
Use it in a Brandy Sour or other classic brandy cocktail.
Or pair it with sparkling wine for a simple Apricot Spritz.
From Tamborine Mountain to London
International awards are always exciting.
But there's something particularly satisfying about seeing a spirit made here on Tamborine Mountain recognised among bottles from around the world.
The result also attracted international attention, with the 2023 London Spirits Competition winners featured by Forbes, which listed Tamborine Mountain Distillery's Apricot Brandy as the competition's Brandy of the Year with 96 points.
For Head Distiller Gordon Chalmers and owner Dr Shumei Hou, the award represented another international chapter in a distillery story that began on Tamborine Mountain in 1993.
Australian Spirits on the International Stage
We weren't the only Australian producer celebrating in London.
Australian spirits featured among several of the competition's major 2023 winners, demonstrating just how much attention Australian distilling was attracting internationally.
For us, being part of that story — from our home here in the Queensland hinterland — made the result even more meaningful.
Another Award for the Trophy Cabinet — But This One Is Special
Tamborine Mountain Distillery has collected hundreds of awards over its history.
Some recognise individual spirits.
Others recognise tourism, innovation or the experience visitors have when they come through our doors.
But having our Apricot Brandy named Brandy of the Year is one we'll always be particularly proud of.
Not simply because of the medal.
Because somewhere in London, a bottle made here on Tamborine Mountain was poured, tasted and judged on its quality, value and presentation.
And it came home with 96 points, Gold and Brandy of the Year.
That's worth raising a glass to.
► TASTE OUR AWARD-WINNING APRICOT BRANDY
As Featured In
Our 2023 Brandy of the Year recognition was covered by drinks and international media, including:
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