Mahogany Inn and Distillery Wins Silver and Bronze at the 2026 London Spirits Competition
London, United Kingdom, April 2026
Spirits of Mahogany ‘Joe’s Jump’ Premium Vodka, a smooth, pure vodka, distilled in a boutique distillery in Perth Hills claimed a silver medal at the 2026 London Spirits Competition. Accompanying the silver medal was a bronze, awarded to Spirits of Mahogany ‘New World Gin’, a botanical gin. Winning these medals marks a strong endorsement from one of the industry’s most commercially-minded judging panels, which evaluates spirits not just on taste, but on value for money and shelf appeal, factors that actually drive purchase decisions.
Now in its ninth year, the London Spirits Competition judges each entry across three weighted criteria — Quality, Value, and Packaging — producing a score that reflects how a spirit performs in the real world, not just in a tasting room. Entries are first blind-tasted by a panel of active trade professionals, including spirits buyers, bar managers, and mixologists, before price and packaging are factored in.
The competition drew entries from more than 30 countries, with particularly strong representation from the UK, Australia, India, Italy, USA, Mexico and Netherlands among others— reflecting the increasingly global character of the spirits industry. The LSC saw gins, whiskies, liqueurs, rum and vodka as the most entered categories, followed by tequilas, RTDs and other no and low beverages.
This year’s judging brought together over 70 top industry experts and buyers, including Master Distillers, Master Blenders, Mixologists, and elite buyers. The panel featured names like Stephanie Macleod (Master Blender and Director of Blending, Scotch Whisky for Bacardi), Andrew de Lavis-Trafford (Director of Buying Spirits, Beers, Softs & Champagne at Enotria Winecellars Ltd, UK), Nick Larsson-Bell (Retail Buyer of the Year 2022 Senior Spirits and Beer Buyer at Harvey Nichols), Enrico Chiappini (Senior Bartender at Dukes Hotel), Georgios Chaziris (Head Bartender at Soho House & Co), Billy Leighton (Master Blender Emeritus at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard), Christian Maspes (Food and Beverage specialist, Sake sommelier & Educator, Bar project developer), Laura Willoughby MBE (Low and No Alcoholic Drinks Buyer, Founder of Club Soda, The Mindful Drinking Movement) and Craig Wallace (Whisky Creation Leader and Master Blender at Diageo), lending exceptional credibility and insight to the process.
These judges brought a wealth of experience from various sectors, including hospitality, retail, and education, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of each entry.
At the International London Spirits Competition, medals are awarded based on a weighted composite score derived from the competition’s three core judging criteria—Quality, Value, and Packaging.
To reflect the importance of how the spirits tastes and performs in the glass, Quality is given double weight in the final score calculation.
The scoring formula is as follows: Final Score = (2 × Quality + Value + Packaging) ÷ 4
This approach ensures that while all three criteria are important, the drinking experience remains the most critical factor, while still accounting for price positioning and shelf appeal.
The London Spirits Competition is judged by a panel of leading spirits buyers with current commercial buying experience, or spirits consultants and experts directly involved in developing new spirit brands or purchasing spirits for resale. Judges represent a diverse range of channels and disciplines, including multiple retailers, convenience stores, distributors, on-trade groups, casual and fine dining establishments, hospitality, and the travel industry.
In Our Words
“The authority of a London Spirits Competition award comes from the quality of the judges, the rigour of the process, and the fact that it reflects what consumers and buyers actually want. We’re thrilled that Joe’s Jump Premium Vodka performed so well,” said Jim Middleton, The Mahogany Inn and Distillery.
About The Mahogany Inn and Distillery
Today The Mahogany Inn and Distillery has a restaurant, bars and accommodation as well as being home to an international award-winning distillery. It is one of the oldest inns in Western Australia, dating back to the early 1840s. The venue started out as a military barracks, before becoming a wayside house, licensed inn, convict depot, private residence, tearooms and guest house, licensed inn (again) and in recent years, distillery as well. The distillery itself was conceived in 2023 and started producing gin and vodka in 2024. It is the birthplace of the Spirits of Mahogany – a destination where premium Gin and Vodka is distilled and celebrated through tastings, events, and unique experiences. Inspired by the rich history and legendary characters of the venue’s past, Spirits of Mahogany invite you to take a sip back in time with each taste.
About the London Spirits Competition
The London Spirits Competition evaluates spirits on quality, value, and packaging — reflecting the criteria that matter most to today’s trade buyers and consumers. Organised by Beverage Trade Network, the competition brings together leading industry professionals to identify spirits with genuine commercial potential. For more information, visit www.londonspiritscompetition.com
