When Arktika Classic Vodka was named Spirit of the Year – Australia at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards, the recognition felt less like a surprise and more like confirmation. With a decade of refinement behind it and a brand narrative rooted in bold exploration, Arktika has become a standout in Australia’s spirits landscape, clean, crisp, versatile, and accessible by design.

But this award is more than a trophy. It marks a turning point for Edgemill Group, the independent Australian company behind Arktika, as it sharpens its focus on international markets, particularly the US. With a sleek brand refresh, new packaging, and a stronger marketing strategy in place, Arktika is setting its sights on meaningful global visibility while holding fast to values that include sustainability, affordability, and smart, design-led storytelling.

We spoke with the team at Edgemill to learn how they’re using this win to drive expansion, support their importer network, and keep the brand rooted in authenticity, even as its footprint grows.

Image: Arktika Classic Vodka named Spirit of the Year – Australia at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards.

Arktika is described as accessible elegance inspired by Antarctic exploration and over a decade of refinement. How does this story come to life in your branding and consumer messaging, particularly in new markets?

Arktika leans into the idea of exploration not through geography, but through connection. Like the explorers who first sledged across Antarctica, we’re breaking into new markets with that same boldness. Our branding and messaging invite a new kind of adventurer, not with sleds and maps, but through friendships, new cocktails, and shared experiences. 

The refreshed packaging and website both speak to this. They’re designed to create moments that feel like discovery, where the product invites you in and the experience keeps you there. We’re offering a premium, Australian-made vodka that holds its own anywhere, and we’re doing it at a price that makes sense. Arktika is crafted with purpose, backed by passion, and ready to Break The Ice wherever it goes.

Image: Arktika classic vodka cocktail - Moscow Mule.

With this award win, how are you leveraging the global spotlight to grow Arktika’s presence internationally, particularly in the US and other export markets? Are you currently available through any major retail chains, distributors, or on-premise groups?

We’ve just completed a major brand refresh, a more premium look and feel that reflects where Arktika is heading. With that now live, we’re shifting focus to global growth. The momentum from this award win supports our push into export markets, especially the US. 

We’re actively seeking new distribution partnerships. Arktika Classic Vodka has proven its quality over the years with consistent recognition from major international competitions. Now, with the brand elevated, we’re ready to take it further and are currently seeking expressions of interest globally.

For potential importers and distributors, what strategies or tools do you provide to help move stock and build brand presence locally?

We don’t just hand over product. We work alongside our partners with tools designed to build visibility and drive sales. We offer high-impact POS assets like posters, floor decals, shelf wobblers, and display units. We also run regular sampling campaigns, supported by 50ml mini bottles that are great for gifting and on-premise activation. 

On top of that, we’re open to building custom marketing programs together, whether it be through digital or social channels, or event-based. We support with banner group activations, bar mats, coasters, and venue kits to create full experiences. Arktika is built to stand out on the shelf and in glass, and our programs are built to help it do just that.

What are your key marketing and PR priorities for the next 12 months? How do you plan to make the most of the Bartender Spirits Awards accolade?

Over the next year, we’re focused on three things: consumer trust, trade visibility, and expanding international reach. The Bartender Spirits Awards accolade is a key part of that strategy. 

We’re rolling out neck tags across our 700ml and 1L bottles to highlight our wins right at the point of purchase. Paid campaigns on Meta, TikTok, and LinkedIn are being deployed to build reach. We’re also activating within banner groups to boost visibility in-store and in promotions nationally. 

This isn’t just a trophy for the shelf,  it’s fuel for the next phase of our growth.

What do you believe truly sets Arktika Vodka apart in the ultra-competitive premium vodka category, whether in taste, texture, or craftsmanship?

Arktika hits the mark between quality and price in a way few others do. It’s smooth, clean, and versatile — made to stand up in a martini or disappear into a Blue Lagoon. 

Our five-times distilled, charcoal-filtered vodka has a crisp profile with a soft finish that consistently surprises first-time drinkers. It’s that quality — delivered in packaging that feels as good as it looks—that keeps Arktika winning awards and converting new fans. 

In the words of Alex Stavrakoulis, Managing Director of Edgemill Beverages: “We’ve worked hard to make a vodka that tastes like a top-shelf pick but doesn’t require a top-shelf spend. That’s the benchmark we’ve set and we’re sticking to it.”

Image: Andy, Quality Assurance Supervisor, the man in charge of Arktika's excellence.

Could you share the most impactful sustainability practices in place at Edgemill Group, and how they align with your global vision?

Sustainability isn’t a marketing line for us — it’s built into how we operate. At Edgemill, we’ve installed solar panels on-site to reduce our footprint, we donate our spent grain to local farms, and we use recycled and recyclable glass across our Arktika packaging. Even the caps are recyclable through CapR. 

We’ve also partnered with Rainforest Rescue, extending our focus beyond the bottle and into environmental impact. These efforts aren’t just about ticking boxes; they reflect a long-term commitment to doing better, wherever Edgemill Beverages are sold.

Image: Arktika Vodka represents a commitment to quality & sustainability and uses 100% Australian wheat to make award-winning Vodka.

Looking ahead, what expansion plans are in the pipeline for Arktika and the broader Edgemill portfolio? Are there any upcoming innovations or SKUs we should watch for?

Big things are coming. We’re expanding the Arktika range with new flavoured SKUs in both our 700ml glass bottles and a new line of 375ml premix cans. These formats are designed to match how people are drinking today — whether it’s a cocktail at home or a casual catch-up in the park.  More details will be released as we finalise timing, but the focus is flavour-forward, sessionable, and unmistakably Arktika.

As Australia’s most awarded vodka, Arktika is clearly no stranger to accolades. But how meaningful is this 2025 recognition from Bartender Spirits Awards to your team and your long-term brand ambitions?

Winning “Spirit of the Year Australia” at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards is a major moment for us. It’s one thing to be awarded by competitions — it’s another to be named best-in-category by industry professionals who know what matters in glass and in venue. 

Arktika is our flagship. It’s the #1 brand at Edgemill, and this recognition reinforces everything we’ve built and where we’re heading. The win is already opening doors, supporting conversations with trade, and validating what we’ve known internally for years: Arktika belongs on the global stage. 

We’ve already started experiencing the effect. There’s a real uptick in brand awareness and importer interest following the announcement. This win isn’t just a headline; it’s a springboard.

Image: Edgemill Distillery.

Finally, what’s your favourite way to enjoy Arktika Classic Vodka? Could you share a signature cocktail recipe that captures its smooth, clean finish and subtle herbaceous twist?

We’re big fans of the new RTD flavours we’re about to launch — but if we’re mixing at home, it’s got to be the Blue Lagoon.  BLUE LAGOON  45ml Arktika Vodka 15ml blue curacao 20ml lemon juice Top with lemonade in a tall highball glass. 

Clean, refreshing, and easy to make, it shows off Arktika’s smooth profile with a splash of colour.

Conclusion

Arktika’s rise isn’t built on overnight success; it’s the result of a measured, thoughtful approach to craft, branding, and market fit. The 2025 Spirit of the Year – Australia award may mark a high point, but for Edgemill Group, it’s also a practical tool: a catalyst for new partnerships, a message to international buyers, and a symbol of what’s next. With new SKUs on the way, a flexible approach to market collaboration, and a sustainability strategy that goes beyond optics, Arktika is not just scaling, it’s evolving with purpose.

Header Image: Team Arktika.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network

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