The Global Drinks Awards (GDA), organised by Global Drinks Intel, has appointed The Whisky Shop Auctions as its exclusive ‘official auction partner’ and whisky category sponsor for the inaugural 2027 awards.
Following the completion of judging, The Whisky Shop Auctions will offer hundreds of suitable surplus bottles through its online auction platform. The collection is expected to span a broad range of spirits, including whiskies, rums, tequilas and gins.
Net proceeds will be divided equally between Equal Measures UK and The Distillers’ Charity. The Whisky Shop Auctions will waive all listing fees and donate all buyer’s commission, ensuring that only card-processing fees are deducted and maximising the amount reaching the two charities.
The partnership reflects the founding principles of the Global Drinks Awards, which have been created to provide a more transparent, credible and purpose-led alternative to conventional drinks competitions.
GDA does not accept sponsorship from drinks brands or producers, preventing entrants from buying influence over results. Products are assessed blind by representative panels of trade experts using structured, category-specific criteria. Medals and editorial coverage are awarded strictly on merit, while every entrant receives its collated scores and anonymised judges’ feedback, whether or not it wins an award.
By turning hundreds of surplus bottles into charitable funds from its inaugural year, GDA is putting those principles into practice and establishing a model designed to deliver increasing value to the drinks community as the awards grow.
“We created the Global Drinks Awards to offer something different: credible recognition built on transparency, independent trade expertise and genuine value for every entrant—not a competition shaped by commercial influence,” said Global Drinks Intel‘s chief commercial officer, James Houlder.
“Our charitable commitment is part of those founding principles. Through this partnership, hundreds of bottles from our inaugural judging can create value beyond the awards themselves. The Whisky Shop Auctions brings specialist expertise, an international audience and a shared commitment to supporting the industry, while its decision to waive all listing fees and donate all buyer’s commission will help maximise the amount raised for two extremely worthwhile organisations.”
The auction manager at The Whisky Shop Auctions, Christoffer Hallstrom, added: “The Global Drinks Awards’ commitment to independence, transparency and supporting the wider industry was central to our decision to become its Official Auction Partner and Whisky Category Sponsor
“We are proud to help transform bottles from the inaugural judging into practical support for the drinks community. Collectors and enthusiasts will have the opportunity to discover something special while helping Equal Measures UK and The Distillers’ Charity continue their important work across representation, education, training and career development.”
The Whisky Shop has been a specialist whisky retailer for more than 30 years, with 22 stores in the UK and two in France. The Whisky Shop Auctions operates online auctions daily, connecting sellers with collectors and enthusiasts around the world.
