After a successful debut honouring 43 winners across four continents, SOCraft Awards returns on 1 February to spotlight craft distillers and give them a direct entry into Asia’s vibrant bar scene

FoodNews Creative Marketing Agency proudly announces the return of the Spirit of Craft Awards (SOCraft Awards), Asia’s first awards program dedicated to celebrating the art and craft of artisanal spirits. Early bird submissions open on 1 February 2025, with winners revealed on 19 May 2025. The award-winning spirits will also be showcased at a craft spirit festival in Singapore in November 2025.

Conceptualised by FoodNews Creative Marketing Agency — Southeast Asia’s leading F&B marketing agency and co-founder of the Singapore Cocktail Festival — SOCraft Awards debuted in 2024. Its inaugural edition honoured 43 outstanding spirits, selected by a panel of 36 judges that included Asia’s top bartenders, spirits experts, and drinks critics, through six rigorous judging rounds in a blind-tasting format.

The mission behind SOCraft is to provide an accessible platform for global craft spirit makers to connect with importers, buyers, and bartenders in Asia — where the cocktail industry is thriving and there is a growing demand for craft liquor. Ivy Woo, Managing Director of FoodNews and Co-Founder of SGCF, says, “SOCraft Awards aims to inspire drink makers by showcasing some of the world’s most incredible small-batch spirits. We’re thrilled with the success of our first edition, where 70% of the entries were new to our market. This year, we’re introducing several innovations, including an expanded panel of sustainability judges and a celebratory festival to showcase the winning spirits. Together, these initiatives aim to unite industry leaders, craft spirit makers, and enthusiasts in honouring artisanal distilling.”

Eligibility for SOCraft Awards

SOCraft Awards defines craft spirits as handcrafted and produced by an independent distillery. All craft spirit makers must adhere to these criteria to be considered for entry:

• SOCraft Awards is open to craft spirit distillers from any part of the world
• Craft spirit distillers must already be marketing themselves as craft
• Craft spirit distillers must be majority independently owned
• Craft spirit distillers must be producing no more than *750,000 gallons annually

*In accordance with the American Craft Spirits Association

How craft spirits are judged and awarded

This year, the SOCraft Awards has a Judging Committee of 10 thought leaders — each representing a key geographical market in Asia’s drinks and spirits industry. Jointly, the committee votes for a panel of 36 judges, consisting of independent and acclaimed bar owners and bartenders, spirits writers, importers, and distributors from Asia.

Entries will be judged in a blind-tasting format from 5-7 May 2025, with each judge tasting no more than 10 spirits per session, over a 120-minute seating. Spirits will be evaluated on a 120-point scale across the following key criteria: Aroma and Bouquet (20 points), Mouthfeel (20 points), Taste (20 points), Finish (20 points), and Overall Impression (20 points).

A dedicated panel will also award up to 20 points for each spirit’s Sustainability Footprint, evaluating factors like production materials, waste and emission management, and community support. The five leading green advocates on the panel are: Demie Kim, bartender-owner of Zest in Seoul; Laura Prabowo, co-founder of Penicillin in Hong Kong; Rohan Matmary, head bartender at Bar Trigona; and Sasha Wijidessa, co-founder of Singapore’s future-forward Fura. Angelo Gerard Dela Cruz, Bartender at Greatroom, Manila Marriott Hotel, and winner of the Marriott International Sustainable Bartender Award in 2024, also joins the panel.

The spirits are scored independently and awarded 1 Star, 2 Stars, or 3 Stars (Platinum), with a ‘Green Ring’ if they score over 15 points for their sustainability footprint.

Awards Timeline

The submissions for the SOCraft Awards 2025 open on 1 February and close on 15 March 2025 at 12 AM (UTC/GMT +8:00). Craft distilleries interested in finding out more about the submission requirements can visit the website here.

About SOCraft Awards

SOCraft Awards (Spirit of Craft Awards) is an independent awards body that spotlights those pushing the frontiers of the global craft spirits industry. It is also the first awards body that includes “sustainability footprint” as a core judging criterion. Through a well-regarded panel of experts and enthusiasts from Asia’s vibrant bar community, the awards serve as an Asian-centric lens, providing craft spirit makers with an immediate gateway to the region’s thriving bar industry. For more information, go to www.spiritofcraftawards.com