Honoured and Humbled: our Spirits Recognized at the People’s Choice Spirits Awards 2025

Drinks should be judged by the people who drink them. Simple as that. That’s exactly why the People’s Choice Drinks Awards have become one of the most exciting competitions in the industry, because the final verdict comes not just from professionals, but from the drinkers themselves. This year, spirits from our WhiskyHeroes series were awarded with three medals, including our first-ever rum award for our RumRogue bottling.

A Different Kind of Drinks Competition

Run by Judy Kendrick and Janet Harrison, the People’s Choice Drinks Awards were created to give consumers a bigger voice in the world of spirits and wine. Unlike traditional competitions where decisions are made exclusively by trade insiders, these awards bring together both experts and everyday drinkers, ensuring that the winners are bottles people actually want to drink—not just discuss.  

The 2025 edition saw a record number of entries, making this year's competition fiercer than ever. For Brave New Spirits, earning a spot among the winners is a real honour, especially knowing that our bottlings resonated with real whisky and rum (!) lovers.  

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Our Award-Winning Bottlings

Gold Medal Winner  (“Treat Yourself” category)

Swashbucklers at the Gold Coast, 16 year old Australian rum, American Virgin Oak & 1st fill Bourbon  

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Silver Medal Winner ("Treat Yourself" category)

The Relic of the Shore, 12 year old Inchgower whisky, 1st fill PX Sherry Barrique  

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Bronze Medal Winner ("Treat Yourself" category)

Agent Ivy – Chronicles in Cadiz, 12 year old Blair Athol whisky, 1st fill Palo Cortado Sherry  

A Big Win for RumRogues

We’ve always been drawn to rum—an endlessly exciting and diverse spirit with a rich history and incredible variety. While whisky has been at the heart of our journey, we’ve recently been dedicating more time and effort to sourcing some outstanding single cask rums that bring something truly special to the table. Swashbucklers at the Gold Coast, part of our RumRogues series, is a perfect example of this commitment. This 16-year-old Australian single barrel bottling captivated the judges with its bold character and depth of flavour. Taking home Gold at the People’s Choice Drinks Awards is a huge milestone for our rum journey, and we’re just getting started!

What’s Next?

Being recognized at the People’s Choice Drinks Awards isn’t just about medals. It’s proof that what we’re doing—seeking out bold, unique spirits that tell a story—resonates with the people who actually drink them. This is what matters most to us.  

So, what’s next? More adventures in whisky. More rogue barrels of rum. More bottles that challenge expectations. And maybe, just maybe, a few more trophies along the way.  

A huge thanks to Judy and Janet for creating a competition that prioritizes the voices of real drinkers, and to everyone who tasted, judged, and supported our bottles this year. We’ll see you in 2026.  

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