78 Degrees Whiskey Scores Major International Awards
South Australian craft distillery 78 Degrees has cleaned up at the 2021 American Distilling Institute (ADI) Craft Spirits Awards last night, receiving top accolades for both whiskey and gin, solidifying its position as one of the most highly regarded distilleries in Australia.
Held in Louisville, the ADI Craft Spirits Awards is the world’s longest running and largest drinks competition dedicated to craft spirits.
78º Australian Whiskey, launched earlier this year and utilizing a base of local barley, along with one of Australia’s most sustainable production processes, took home the major “Best of Category – International Whiskey” trophy, beating out all other international whiskies for the top spot.
In awarding the major trophy, the judges commended the 78º Australian Whiskey as a “very graceful whiskey with a grassy, rich palate, decent structure and finish.”
Their flagship 78º Classic Gin was awarded a prestigious gold medal, while the 78º Native Grain Whiskey and 78º Bitter Orange Aperitif both won silver medals. Bronze medals were received for 78 Degrees’ Sunset Gin, Apple Brandy, and the just-released Muscat Finish Whiskey.
Distillery Founder and Head Distiller Sacha La Forgia couldn’t be prouder about the news. “This award is a testament to the focus we’ve been putting into our whiskey production in recent years,” he says.
“When we set out to create the Australian Whiskey, our drive was not to replicate but to innovate. I think we’ve achieved that and I hope this award puts Australian whiskey on a global stage, and gives it the recognition that it deserves.”
78 Degrees Launches New Muscat Cask Finish Australian Whiskey
78 Degrees has this week launched the first extension of their Australian Whiskey line with Muscat Finish Whiskey, the first in a series of releases that aims to showcase the country’s finest fortified wines.
Handcrafted from a base of local, single paddock, unmalted barley, along with 11 speciality malts, 78º Australian Whiskey is fermented and distilled on grain using 78 Degrees’ unique single-shot distillation method. The whiskey is then aged exclusively in barrels that once held some of South Australia’s best reds, before being allowed time to mature further in high quality, South Australian Muscat casks.
The result is a rich, decadent spirit that showcases the incredible quality of Australian fortified wine 78º Muscat Finish Whiskey.
When searching for a fortified wine that truly represented 78 Degrees’ ‘Crafted Better With Nature’ ethos, La Forgia didn’t have to look far, with Australian Muscat as local as it comes. Originating from the Rutherglen area of northern Victoria, this uniquely Australian fortified wine is produced from late harvest Muscat à Petits Grains Rouge grapes.
It is partially fermented before being fortified with grape spirit, resulting in high residual sugar and a much sweeter style of wine, with rich characters of raisins, dates and prunes, perfect for sipping after dinner with a bit of Aussie cheese.
“We have chosen this uniquely Australian fortified wine as the perfect partner for our 78º Australian Whiskey,” says La Forgia. “With both power and finesse, the stewed fruit character from the muscat wine casks intermingles beautifully with the rich, robust biscuit and chocolate notes of our 78º Australian Whiskey, creating a character that is truly unique and unmistakably Australian.”
La Forgia sourced the highest quality muscat casks from local South Australian wineries and chose barrels that had been maturing the sweet wine for at least 20 years, the oak soaking in the rich flavours over many years in the warm Australian climate.
Using these casks to age whiskey is an experiment La Forgia has wanted to explore for years, and he’s thrilled with the result. “This is a great addition to our whiskey line-up and we look forward to putting out more whiskies aged in brilliant Australian fortified casks in the future,” he says.
Only 2,000 bottles of the 78º Muscat Finish Whiskey have been produced, and it is available for purchase from the 78 Degrees website with free shipping Australia-wide.
Bottle Size: 700ml
ABV: 44%
RRP: $140.
