10/08/26
Master is the highest honour awarded by the World Whisky Masters, with only the best-performing whiskies receiving the accolade.
Scapegrace Distilling Co. is celebrating another round of international recognition, with Anthem Single Malt Whisky awarded a Master medal at the 2026 World Whisky Masters.
Scapegrace’s Vanguard Single Malt also claimed gold at the awards, with the results extending an impressive run of international recognition for the brand’s single malt whisky portfolio which has now earned ten major global awards since 2024.
“This is Anthem’s first Master medal and we couldn’t be happier,” said Scapegrace Co-Founder Daniel McLaughlin.
“Anthem showcases the best of New Zealand distilling. It’s a beautiful single malt whisky cut with glacial waters from the Southern Alps and aged in virgin French oak. It’s been really well received by both consumers and international judges which is fantastic.
“The Master award is as good as it gets, so it means a huge amount to the whole team.”
Anthem has previously won Gold at the World Whisky Masters (2024) and the International Wine & Spirit Competition (2025), and was named a Category Winner at the World Whiskies Awards (2026).
Vanguard was named Best New Zealand Single Malt, NZ Single Malt Category Winner and Gold Category Winner at the World Whiskies Awards (2025). It also picked up silver medals at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (2025) and World Whisky Masters (2024).
“Every one of these medals comes from a blind tasting against some of the best whisky producers in the world, so this shows we’ve created something really special,” said McLaughlin.
“Central Otago gives us an amazing climate and ingredients for distilling, and it’s exciting to see that show up in the glass in a way international judges keep recognising.”
Anthem is distilled using locally grown barley, including Scapegrace’s distinctive Manuka-smoked malt, cut with pristine Central Otago glacial water and delivers tasting notes of spiced walnuts, cider apple and sweet hay. Vanguard is crafted from New Zealand Laureate malt and matured in virgin French oak, delivering notes of poached pear, vanilla custard and Anzac biscuit.
Master Distiller Anthony Lawry at Scapegrace Distillery
