Award shows team still on top of craft

After accumulating a swag of medals and awards to start the year, Great Southern Distilling Company may have claimed its biggest scalp to date over the weekend after being announced as the 2017 Telstra WA business of the year.

The coveted award recognises excellence and entrepreneurial spirit in WA businesses, with the local whisky producer beating out some of the State’s top-performing companies and is now in the running for the national award.

The Albany-based distillery also took out the small business award and director Cameron Syme attributed the business’ continued success to its localised product.

“Customers want top quality, Australian-made products with real country provenance,” he said.

“We solve that problem, distilling internationally award-winning whiskies, gins and liqueurs using the best homegrown Western Australian products.”

Earlier this year, GSDC won 20 medals across a two-month period for its Limeburners whisky, including wins at the World Spirits Competition, Australian Distilled Spirits Awards and the American Distilling Institute’s Awards.

The distillery swept away the competition to win the Telstra WA regional business award in 2015.

Telstra small business executive director Brendan Donohoe praised GSDC’s innovative approach.

“For the Great Southern Distilling Company, their team spirit and ambition to excel has undoubtedly enabled the business to emerge as a powerful force to be reckoned with in this highly competitive industry,” he said

“Representing both WA and Australia on the global stage, this small business has proven they are a cut above the rest and are more than capable of taking on major spirit houses from established regions like Scotland and the USA.”

The Telstra Australian Business Awards will be held in Sydney on August 25.