Islay’s smoky single malt, Ardbeg, is on a quest to find its most devoted fans. To celebrate 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee and the opening of its boutique hotel, Ardbeg House, fans can win the ultimate whisky pilgrimage to Islay.
Two winners will be announced on December 6, 2025, and will travel to Islay in May next year. The prize includes two Premium Economy flights and a three-night stay at Ardbeg House, offering a world-class whisky and hospitality experience.
The competition closes November 30, 2025. To enter, submit a photo or short video with a caption showcasing your Ardbeg devotion. Join others like Tynan Sidhu of Silver’s Motel, who celebrates the bond among Ardbeg lovers, and help crown one winner with the People’s Choice Award. Entry is exclusively through www.ardbegcommitte.com.au — hit the link for more information.
Back in July, I visited Wellington, NZ, for the very first time, to participate in the judging of the NZ Spirits Awards. There’s a lot of good things going on in New Zealand; the drinks and bars — though there are fewer of them — are great, and the quality of spirits right up there with the best in the world.
Many of the problems we face in Australia, they’re also facing New Zealand: the cost of everything is going up, the tax is too high (though cheaper than in Australia), and competition is tougher than ever. These all apply to both bars and to spirits brands.
What I loved about the NZ Spirits Awards is the way they open the competition and judging up to spirits from overseas — and more often than not, the locally made stuff is doing better than the big brands from overseas. (One notable exception I found: the mezcal from Del Maguey was exceedingly better than any local agave entered in the comp — put the Chichicapa next to an agave made from imported agave syrup, and the gap in quality is blindingly obvious.)
Below, I speak to Dave Hawk, who is a board member of Distilled Spirits Aotearoa, NZ Spirits Awards organiser, and one of New Zealand’s OG quality bartenders, about where NZ spirits are at, the challenges they face, and why they’re hugely behind the wine industry.
Following that is the next instalment of The Last Drop, in which we give a quick review of new and interesting booze to come across our desks here at Boothby.
Let’s get into it.
Q&A with... Dave Hawk, New Zealand Spirits Awards
New Zealand spirits are in a good place, if this year’s NZ Spirits Awards are any guide. Judging took place in July, and saw 24 judges assessing the merits of 550-odd spirits from both New Zealand and abroad; of the 13 trophies provided to the best gold medal examples, only three were won by international bottlings.