August 11th, 2026Champion win: Daylesford Spirit Distillery

Daylesford Spirit Distillery has come away from the 2026 Melbourne Royal Australia International Spirits Awards with a trophy for the Champion Victorian Gin for its Australian Dry Gin.

And if that’s not enough, the Mt Franklin business took home three gold medals, four silver medals and a bronze medal across its range including Triple Cask Single Malt Whisky, New World/Contemporary Gin, Citrus Gin and Miner’s Gin Navy Strength.
Distillery owner Michael Samootin, who moved to the Daylesford region in 2020, said his products had “struck gold again”.
“We’re definitely the highest awarded and more importantly, awarded the most amount of gold medals and recognition as far as a distiller is concerned.
“We have strived really hard to not only get local and regional recognition, we’ve pushed for state and national recognition. And now with overseas-based recognition, we are the bartender’s choice of gin and tonics voted by Fever-Tree for the whole of Australia.
“We won the Fever-Tree Cup out of hundreds of distillers who went up against us. And now we’ve won Australian Champion Gin as well for our Australian Dry Gin.
“It’s taken us seven years to achieve this recognition from the Melbourne Royal Australia International Spirits Award, which is the most difficult and competitive competition to enter here in Australia. And we beat all the big guys.”
Michael says part of the secret is the Mt Franklin water and never taking shortcuts. “We use traditional distilling methods and don’t use any artificial flavours or colours. All our products are all natural. We use the water from Mount Franklin and that just improves the product out of sight right across the board.
“It’s the true artisan craft of distilling that we’re extremely proud of and we compete head-to-head, not just with the local distillers, but also with the national and international distillers as well. We have put Daylesford on the international map now. We are exporting too – a Daylesford-made product.”
Michael said winning the Champion Gin was the tough one.
“That has taken me seven years to win.”
For people keen to have a look behind the scenes, and make their own gin, masterclasses are on offer. And Michael – never one to rest on his laurels – has chocolate and coffee liqueurs coming up next, and another sure to be award-winning whisky.
Brigette De Poi, who has worked in sales and marketing for the company for the past year, said winning the awards had been amazing.
“We won an award for everything we entered which we were really humbled by. And you realise just how much people enjoy our products. Personally, I think the secret is the balance – that is something Michael is incredibly good at – his recipes are all balanced.
“You don’t get individual flavours overwhelming others on your palate. You get everything beautifully balanced – nothing’s fighting or competing.”
Brigette said the awards were also vindication for Michael’s recipes.
“He’s worked so hard and to get this recognition around the world is incredible. There is such a thriving gin industry in Victoria and with some amazing gins out there to be told that you are a cut above the rest is so incredibly humbling and exciting.”
Brigette, who has worked in the gin industry for 15 years, said it also made her role easy. “Once people try our product I never have a problem selling it. It speaks for itself and how good it is.”

Link: www.daylesfordspirit.com.au

Above, Michael Samootin at the awards

Words: Kyle Barnes | Image: Contributed

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