A whisky that started as a 60th-birthday project now has international medals, national distribution and outside investment behind it. Here's the record, fact by fact.
It's easy for a young spirits brand to talk about momentum. The Ben Buckler's version of that story is backed by a specific, checkable set of facts.
The medals
The Ben Buckler has won four gold medals at international spirits competitions, with wins recorded in San Francisco, New York, Asia and China. For a single malt that only exists because Larry Emdur wanted to make 60 bottles for his mates' 60th-birthday party, four international gold medals is a genuinely unusual outcome. Most brands built for judging panels from day one don't manage that.
The distribution
The whisky has since secured national distribution in Australia through Paramount Liquor and ALM Connect, alongside placements in premium venues across Sydney and Melbourne. It's also landed in travel retail, with listings through Heinemann Duty Free, a channel that puts the bottle in front of international travellers, not just domestic drinkers.
The investment
In 2026, The Ben Buckler Whisky Company secured investment from Shark Tank panellist Robert Herjavec, structured through a seed funding round. The capital is earmarked for increasing production and expanding the brand's product range, a signal of outside confidence in the business beyond its home market.
The leadership
Alongside the investment, the company named Kristy Bloomfield as global CEO and co-founder, marking the brand's shift from a passion project with a well-known face attached to a company with a dedicated executive team steering its next phase.
The expansion
That next phase includes a push into the United States market, with the company preparing US distribution as part of its growth plan, a natural extension for a brand that's already picked up gold medals on American soil in San Francisco and New York.
Read into it what you will
We won't pretend there's an official 'fastest-growing whisky brand' title on the shelf next to the medals; there isn't one we can point to and verify. What we can point to is the sequence: a birthday-party whisky wins four international golds, lands national retail and duty-free distribution, attracts a Shark Tank investor, appoints a dedicated global CEO, and heads into the US market, all within a few years of the first bottle being poured. Industry outlet Booze Networks has already described our whisky as 'Australia's new spirit sensation.' Call the trajectory what you like, but the facts behind it are the real story.
The Ben Buckler Single Malt Whisky, 700ml, is available now at thebenbuckler.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What awards has The Ben Buckler won?
The Ben Buckler has won four Gold Medals at international spirits competitions in San Francisco, New York, Asia and China.
Who invested in The Ben Buckler?
Shark Tank panellist Robert Herjavec invested in The Ben Buckler Whisky Company in 2026 through a seed funding round, earmarked for increasing production and expanding the product range.
Where is The Ben Buckler sold?
The Ben Buckler is distributed nationally in Australia through Paramount Liquor and ALM Connect, with placements in premium venues across Sydney and Melbourne, and travel retail listings through Heinemann Duty Free.
Who is the CEO of The Ben Buckler?
Kristy Bloomfield is global CEO and co-founder of The Ben Buckler Whisky Company.
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Whisky Isn't Just a "Dad Drink" Anymore and The Ben Buckler Is Part of the Shift