Hunter’s End, a Coles Liquor private-label Australian whisky selling for about $56, has been awarded gold – 95 points – at the 2026 Melbourne International Spirits Competition.
It was the only Australian whisky to reach gold or above in the competition’s whisky results, as reported by The Whiskey Wash.
There are questions attached. The distillery behind Hunter’s End is not named. It’s sold as an Australian grain whisky at 38%, yet its 2025 entry at the International Wine & Spirit Competition listed it as a blended whisky. The name nods to John Hunter, the New South Wales governor who banned distilling in 1796 – a curious hero for a whisky.
The Melbourne competition is a commercial event run by the organisers of the New York International Spirits Competition, and sits a rung below the major international shows in standing.
The $56 price is kind of interesting. At 38%, a 700ml bottle attracts about $29.30 in federal excise, plus around $5 in GST – which is roughly $34 of tax in a $56 bottle.
—
This result was announced in October 2026.
