Melita Kiely - winner of IWSC 2025 Spirits Communicator Trophy

Following the shortlist announcement, the IWSC is excited to reveal the winner of its 2025 Spirits Communicator Trophy, sponsored by Chivas Brothers. Congratulations to Melita Kiely!

With 10 brilliant entries from across the globe, this award was judged by our previous Sprits Communicator winners and IWSC judges Ian Burrell, Mark Gillespie and Olivier Ward, as well as the the Editorial Director of Club Oenologique Laura Richards, and Kate Power from Chivas Brothers, the sponsor of the award.

With a decade-long commitment to the spirits industry, Melita has carved a niche for herself as a prominent journalist and editor. She began her journey at The Spirits Business, transitioned to online reporting at scotchwhisky.com, and eventually returned as editor in January 2020. Under her leadership, the magazine has thrived, focusing on trade writing while also chairing spirits competitions and launching the engaging Spirits Business podcast.

Melita’s mission has always been to elevate and inform audiences about the vast landscape of spirits, blending her editorial prowess with a passion for storytelling. Her unique approach to covering the spirits sector encompasses both high-level insights from CEOs and the inspiring tales of emerging brand founders. Notable achievements in her career include overseeing the expansion of the annual Brand Champions supplement, which has become an essential resource for industry data and analysis. Additionally, Melita's editorial team recently propelled The Spirits Business into the top four finalists for ‘Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication’ at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards 2024, a testament to her impactful work.

Melita was selected for this esteemed award due to her exceptional communication skills and her significant contributions to the promotion of spirits over the past year. Her dynamic presentations at major trade shows, including ProWein and Vinexpo Paris, highlighted critical industry trends and provided valuable insights to attendees. Furthermore, her dedication to fostering inclusivity, demonstrated through women-focused panel discussions, has resonated deeply within the industry, inspiring many to pursue their ambitions.

“Melita’s more then done her job from a communication platform perspective, but she’s also stood out as an individual, managing to find ways to implement her own voice through content and conversations around areas that have quite frankly been ignored for too long. We were particularly impressed with how Melita has used her role as editor of The Spirits Business to push the more uncomfortable topics from the spirits industry perspective, covering topics like racism and sexism in the trade,” said the IWSC judges. 

As the 2025 IWSC Spirits Communicator Award winner, Melita Kiely embodies excellence and innovation in spirits communication.

Congratulations Melita Kiely!