KWV has received major recognition at the 2025 World Drink Awards, earning three Gold – Country Winner titles across gin and brandy categories. The awards were announced by TheDrinksReport.com.
KWV’s Imagin Classic London Dry Gin and Cruxland Black Winter Truffle Gin were named South Africa’s best in the Classic and Contemporary Style Gin categories. Additionally, the company’s XXO 20-Year-Old Brandy received Gold – Style Winner for aged wine brandy, the highest-scoring entry of its kind globally.
All three products will advance to the final judging round of the competition, where winners of the World’s Best titles in each category will be announced on 4 June 2025.
“KWV has been crafting spirits since the 1920s, with our first commercial brandy released in 1926 – and today, our distillery stands on the brink of a century of excellence,” said Pieter de Bod, KWV’s Master Distiller. “These awards reflect a brand that honours its history while continuously evolving. That we’re being recognised in both classic categories like brandy and in dynamic, fast-moving spaces like gin shows our ability to blend tradition with relevance – and create spirits that speak to both heritage and today’s global palate.”
Recognised Gins
Cruxland Black Winter Truffle Gin is distilled in the classic style and features the rare Périgord truffle, which is now cultivated in select regions of South Africa. According to KWV, this ingredient contributes to the gin’s “buttery complexity and earthy depth.” This marks the gin’s eighth international gold medal in five years.
“Cruxland’s continued international success affirms the appeal of terroir-driven gins in a category where differentiation is key,” said Ilse du Toit, KWV’s Blending Manager.
Imagin Classic London Dry Gin, which has now won six international gold medals over the last three years, was again named South Africa’s Country Winner in the Classic category. “Imagin is underpinned by a commitment to authenticity and quality – qualities that resonate in a global gin market increasingly defined by premium classic styles,” said Du Toit.
Aged Brandy Award
KWV’s XXO 20-Year-Old Brandy is matured for a minimum of 20 years in French oak barrels, with some components aged up to 32 years. The brandy is described by the producer as having a profile of fruitcake, sweet spice, oak, and honey, with a satin finish.
This award adds to the brandy’s history of accolades, including Double Gold at the International Spirits Challenge and Gold at both the World Spirits Awards and World Brandy Awards. In 2024, KWV was named Brandy Producer of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge, outperforming producers from both the Cognac and Brandy categories – a title KWV has claimed six times.
The awards come at a time when the global spirits market is seeing shifts in consumer preferences. Industry trends show growing demand in both the gin and brandy sectors for premium, small-batch, and high-quality products. According to market analysts, the premium and super-premium segments are expected to see the fastest growth within the global brandy category over the next five years, particularly driven by emerging markets. Meanwhile, the global gin market continues to grow, supported by cocktail culture and consumer interest in craft and flavour innovation.
“These shifts in global taste are exactly why we do what we do,” said John Loomes, CEO of KWV. “We’ve built our portfolio with an eye on quality, identity and individuality – and it’s rewarding to see that resonate both with consumers and the world’s most respected judges.”
