Award winners: The Asian Spirits Masters 2026
Spirits produced in Asia offer Westerners the chance to explore flavours that to many will be new and exciting.
Yuzu, ube, miso, lemongrass – there are ingredients that are distinctly Asian. And for years, spirits brands across the continent have been bringing these much-loved flavours into spirits, spanning vodka, gin, and more.
This is what makes The Asian Spirits Masters such an exciting edition of The Global Spirits Masters Competitions (GSMC). To assess the quality of this year’s entrants, an experienced group of judges headed to The Singer Tavern in London. This year’s experts were: Matt Chambers, co-founder of Whisky For Everyone; Marie Cheong-Thong, food and beverage educator and founder of The Larder at 36; Bryan Rodriguez-Curtis, wine and spirits expert, and experienced spirits buyer; and Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business and chair of The GSMC.
The flights started with a “lovely clean and fresh” vodka, which delivered “fruity, sweet, vanilla” notes when sipped. As a result, the expression – Cashmir Vodka – secured a Silver medal.
The next products presented to the judges came under the Gin Made in Asia category, and resulted in a Gold medal for Stranger & Sons Gin, which was praised for being “well-balanced, bold and bursting with juniper. Lots of warming spice notes too, some clove and coriander. Citrus oils linger.”
A Silver medal was also awarded to Rojak Gin. “Loads of blood orange on the nose, some warming spices underneath,” the judges noted, also finding hints of “citrus, lemongrass and kaffir lime”.
Agave Spirits Made in Asia were then poured – one of several highlights of the day. Alternative agave spirits have been growing in popularity in recent years, with producers outside of Mexico turning to their own native agave supplies and adding to the category’s diversity.
This flight proved to be very popular with the judges, with a trio of Gold medals awarded to Maya Pistola for the brand’s Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo expressions. Maya Pistola Reposado was enjoyed for its “sweet nose with hints of vanilla essence and some toffee”.
Chambers commented about Maya Pistola Añejo: “Elegant and sweet nose, with sweet golden syrup and a hint of marzipan on the palate; creamy to begin with and later leading to peppery spice.”
Commenting on the flight overall, Rodriguez-Curtis said: “I reckon whoever made these has an affinity to Scotch whisky. I was really enjoying the aged woodiness on [Maya Pistola Reposado].”
‘Phenomenal’ spirits
The subsequent flight, Rum Made in Asia, delivered the first Master medal of the competition: Camikara Cask Aged Rum 8 Years Old. The judges celebrated the rum’s “rich aroma, with treacle and vanilla and some candied orange”, and enjoyed notes of “Christmas cake, and lots of tropical flavours” on the palate. Cheong-Thong noted: “This has a rich mouthfeel and serious complexity. The balance is just phenomenal.”
A Gold medal went to the rum’s stablemate, Camikara Cask Aged Rum 3 Years Old, which had flavours of “sweet sultanas and chamomile tea”, which made it stand out.
A respectable Silver medal was bestowed upon Lost and Found Tropical Spiced Rum.
The following flight generated excitement among the judges, and with good reason – the second Master medallist of the day was unearthed here: Ceylon Arrack. Rodrgiuez-Curtis said about the spirit: “The body and mouthfeel are creamy, rich, and quite decadent. Coconut and white chocolate pudding on the palate, citrus peel and vanilla paste, dried florals, and a touch of something starchy. I really like this, and can see it as a sipping spirit, or one to intensify a good hot chocolate or coffee, or even a Martini with a hint of dry vermouth.”
The Master standard continued into the Indian Whisky round, where a pair of medals were awarded to Indri Dru Single Malt Indian Whisky and Indri Trini Single Malt Indian Whisky. Indri Dru was described as “big and bold in the best way”, and the judges praised how its higher ABV at 57.2% was managed very well. Tasting notes included “apples, pears, pastries, some dryness and oak spice”.
Master-winning Indri Trini was found to have “caramelised pineapple and ripe peach”, and was described as “luscious and decadent with loads of ripe mango, some milk chocolate and brown sugar. Very juicy and fresh, and well-integrated for 46% ABV”, Chambers noted.
A Gold medal was also awarded to Otherside Subcontinental Whiskey for its “malty, lightly spicy, with hints of elderflower and chamomile”. A Silver medal for Indri Agneya Single Malt Indian Whisky completed the flight.
Whiskies from Japan were assessed next, with a Silver medal awarded to Enso Japanese Blended Whisky.
Moving on to the Speciality Spirits Made in Asia heat and two Gold medals were enjoyed. The first was awarded to Lanna, which had a “light and fruity aroma, with a fruity, clean palate and good texture”. Gold-winning Choya Extra Years Umeshu was “sweet, with apricots, cherries and raisins”. Kiely noted: “I’d like this with soda water and lots of ice, it would be a refreshing Spritz option.”
The closing round was Baijiu, and ended with a Gold medal for Dragon & Jade Chinese Baijiu. The judges liked the mix of “fruitiness on the palate with a little earthiness”, and described the product as a “gentle” example of what baijiu can offer.
With several Master medals to retaste to select the 2026 Asian Spirits Taste Master, the judges reset their palates. Ultimately, it was Ceylon Arrack that won the judges’ hearts that day, who continued to be blown away by the spirit’s fruitiness and elegance.
If this year’s medal haul shows us anything, it’s that lovers of those aforementioned distinctly Asian flavours have plenty of quality options to seek out. And with such high-quality products on the market, the current appetite among both trade and consumers will surely increase in the near future.
| Vodka Made in Asia | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| Piccadily Agro Industries | Cashmir Vodka | Silver |
| Gin Made in Asia | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| Third Eye Distillery | Stranger & Sons Gin | Gold |
| Rachelle The Rabbit Distillery | Rojak Gin | Silver |
| Agave Spirits Made in Asia | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| Maya Pistola | Pistola Reposado | Gold |
| Maya Pistola | Pistola Añejo | Gold |
| Maya Pistola | Pistola Extra Añejo | Gold |
| Rum Made in Asia | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| Piccadily Agro Industries | Camikara Cask Aged Rum 8 Year Old | Master |
| Piccadily Agro Industries | Camikara Cask Aged Rum 3 Year Old | Gold |
| Third Eye Distillery | Lost and Found Tropical Spiced Rum | Silver |
| Arrack | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| Rockland Distilleries | Ceylon Arrack | Taste Master and Master |
| Indian Whisky | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| Piccadily Agro Industries | Indri Dru Single Malt Indian Whisky | Master |
| Piccadily Agro Industries | Indri Trini Single Malt Indian Whisky | Master |
| Third Eye Distillery | Otherside Subcontinental Whiskey | Gold |
| Piccadily Agro Industries | Indri Agneya Single Malt Indian Whisky | Silver |
| Japanese Whisky | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| Sierra Madre | Enso Japanese Blended Whisky | Silver |
| Speciality Spirits Made in Asia | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| Premium Thai Brands Co | Lanna | Gold |
| Choya Umeshu | Choya Extra Years Umeshu | Gold |
| Baijiu | ||
| Company | Product | Medal |
| BBC Spirits | Dragon & Jade Chinese Baijiu | Gold |
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