Queenstown's Broken Heart Spirits wins World's Best Vodka award

Queenstown's Broken Heart Spirits won one of the World's Best Vodka awards for 2022. Photo / Matthew Pester

If asked to name what countries produce the world's best vodka, you may guess Poland or Russia, perhaps Iceland or at least somewhere in Europe.

Fortunately, fans of the spirit can find top-shelf quality far closer to home after a Queenstown distillery was named the producer of the world's best vodka.

In the recent World Drinks Awards, Broken Hearts Spirits didn't just win the award for
New Zealand's best vodka in the Pure Neutral category, but beat 18 other country winners to claim the World's Best Vodka award.

Broken Heart owner and master distiller Joerg Henkenhaf said the 40% vodka was an "outstanding drop" and said the team celebrated with a well-deserved cocktail or two.

"It's made with the finest spring water from Arrowtown, creating a delectably pure and clean vodka with soft notes of citrus," he says.

Prefer a GnT? Broken Heart Original Gin also won New Zealand's Best London Dry award for the second year in a row.

London Dry gins are made using the traditional technique. This means all flavours are imparted through distillation and only water is added after distillation.

Hosted in London, the awards were judged by a panel of expert distillers, consultants, buyers, mixologists and spirits aficionados.

World's Best Varietal was won by Silvergrain Vodka from the United States while Poland swept up the Best Infused and Botanical (Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka) and Best Flavoured (Vestal Polish Black Cherry Vodka).