Acclaimed Central Otago spirits label, Scapegrace Distilling Co., has struck gold at the 2026 World Drinks Awards in London.
Scapegrace Distilling Co. has claimed three major titles at the 2026 World Drinks Awards, with ThunderDonk Salted Caramel winning Gold and Country Winner honours and Scapegrace ANTHEM picking up Gold in its category.
The result caps a landmark few months for ThunderDonk, which has become a hit with critics and consumers since launching last year. The flavoured whisky has received international recognition and has picked up a major international listing to be stocked through Dan Murphy's in Australia.
ThunderDonk Spiced Maple also earned Silver at the awards, rounding out a standout result for Scapegrace at one of the world's most respected drinks competitions.
The World Drinks Awards celebrate excellence across the global drinks industry, with entries tasted and assessed by an expert panel of international judges.
"To see ThunderDonk and ANTHEM both claim Gold at the World Drinks Awards in the same year is an incredible result for the whole team," said Daniel McLaughlin, Co-Founder of Scapegrace Distilling Co.
"Salted Caramel taking out the Category Winner title shows the real strength across the ThunderDonk range. We’re seeing fantastic momentum and the international recognition is a real reflection of how well the product has landed with consumers."
ThunderDonk is a bold flavoured whisky crafted using real single malt whisky from Scapegrace's distillery on the banks of Lake Dunstan in Central Otago. The range blends aged whisky with flavour-forward innovation to deliver a balance of sweet, savoury and spice.
McLaughlin said the ANTHEM result is equally special for the team.
"ANTHEM is a whisky we're incredibly proud of. It's distilled from locally grown barley, including our distinctive Manuka-smoked malt, cut with pristine glacial water and matured in the extreme Central Otago climate. It tells a genuinely New Zealand story, and it’s great to see it recognised internationally," said McLaughlin.
Scapegrace ANTHEM is available nationwide at an RRP of NZD 89.99. ThunderDonk is available nationally across all major retail banners for an RRP of NZD 59.99.
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