The Trophy Spirits Show

Judges 2025

Michael Fridjhon is the convenor of the Trophy Spirits Show and is responsible for selecting the judges and managing the judging process. All judges are suitable experienced spirits judges, with at least one member of every panel a recognised international authority.

As with The Trophy Wine Show, associate judges are drawn from the local spirits industry, some of whom are graduates of the Spirits Judging Academy launched in 2021. Associate judges participate in the tasting and post-judging discussion, though their scores are not included in the final tally.

Click on image for biography.

Show Chairman

Michael Fridjhon

International Judges

David T. Smith

Claire Blackler MW

Louise Martin (UK)

Judges

Sean Gunns

Mare-Loe Prinsloo

Dave Gunns

Jason McEvoy

Andy Watts

Carla Weightman

Kresan Naidu

Kurt Schlechter

Dr Winnie Bowman CWM

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Michael Fridjhon

Show Chairman

Author, co-author and contributor to a number of wine books including The Oxford Companion to Wine, The Global Wine Encyclopaedia, and Platter’s South African Wine Guide. Recipient of the Chevalier de l’Ordre du Merite Agricole (France). First international co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge (2007). Visiting Professor of Wine Business at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business and head of the Wine Judging Academy run in association with the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. Winner of the Louis Roederer International Wine Columnist of the Year award (2012).

David T Smith (UK)

International Judge

An independent spirits writer and consultant who specialises in gin. The author of a variety of books on gin and gin drinks, including Gin Tonica, The Craft of Gin and, most recently, The Gin Dictionary, having reviewed over 400 gins on his website SummerFruitCup.com. Chair judge for a number of international spirits competitions and a consultant for distilleries across six continents. The inaugural winner of the Think Gin Communicator of the Year. Judged at The Trophy Spirits Show in 2019.

Claire Blackler MW (UK)

International Judge

Head of ‘Claire Drinks’ in the UK, a wine and spirits education and consultancy business, having transitioned from a decade in pharmaceutical research. She provides WSET courses and tailored training globally, drawing from her extensive knowledge gained initially through a simple love of wine and further developed through the Master of Wine program, completing the qualification in 2021. Beyond education, a wine competition judge, providing sensory evaluation and copy writing services, collaborating on events and marketing projects, compiling wine lists and offering private cellar guidance.

Dr Winnie Bowman CWM

Industry consultant and lecturer at Stellenbosch University, a wine tasting judge for more than 20 years serving on panels including those for Platter’s South African Wine Guide, the International Wine and Spirit Competition, the International Wine Challenge and the Decanter World Wine Awards. A member of the South African Brandy Guild, past chairperson of the Institute of Cape Wine Masters (ICWM), chairperson of the Circle of Wine Writers and a member of the Association of Wine Educators.

Sean Gunns

South African Judge

Co-owner of The Whisky Rebellion and a member of the Wild About Whisky team. In the spirits industry for the past 10 years – at events and tastings, in the trade and marketing as well as in a training role. He has conducted hundreds of private and corporate tasting experiences, endeavouring to raise the status of spirits in South Africa. Sean began his working life in music and sound engineering, but his love for the family business took hold and he gained his knowledge of and expertise in spirits through global travel and many hours behind the bar at Wild About Whisky in Dullstroom, Mpumalanga. Associate judge at The Trophy Spirits Show in 2023 and judge in 2024.

Dr Mare-Loe Prinsloo

South African Judge

Head of research at Heineken Beverages, she leads a team of scientists driving the development of new products as well as processes/technologies for the company across numerous categories including liqueur, cream liqueur, brandy, whisky, cider and gin. Holds a Doctorate in Organic Chemistry from the University of Stellenbosch and an LLB degree from UNISA. Switched from the pharmaceutical industry to the wine and spirit industry in 2006, becoming the technical manager for distilleries at Distell, responsible for the sensory approval and quality of raw materials, matured goods and final products, problem solving, and production optimisation. In 2016 she was appointed head of brandy and other spirits at Distell’s Centre of Excellence. Judge at the South African Women’s Wine and Spirits Awards, LUMO awards, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (South African selection), Intercontinental Spirits Challenge and the International Spirits Challenge (2016 to 2019). Guest lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch and the Elsenburg Agricultural College (2006 to 2020). Judge at The Trophy Spirits Show since 2019.

Dave Gunns

South African Judge

A trip to Scotland provided the epiphany that set him on course to opening Wild About Whisky in 2006. Located in Dullstroom, Mpumalanga, the bar has become one of the most famous whisky destinations in South Africa with over 1600 different malts as well as innumerable other spirits. An educator as well as a specialist retailer, he is widely regarded as one of the country’s foremost authorities on spirits. A judge at The Trophy Spirits Show from 2019 to 2023.

Jason McEvoy

Local Judge

Started his career in the liquor industry over 17 years ago (2008) at Norman Goodfellows Fine Wine & Spirit Merchants in Johannesburg and currently the CEO of Norman Goodfellows, leading a team of over 500 employees in Johannesburg, Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal and on the Garden Route. An avid whisky lover and one of the co-founders of The Whisky Vault, an experiential tasting venue in Johannesburg that offers unmatched whisky experiences for its members. A Chevalier de Ordre Des Coteaux de Champagne. His passion for lifelong learning, especially in the liquor industry, has given him a wealth of experience which he uses whenever possible to take others along the journey. Associate judge at The Trophy Spirits Show from 2022 to 2024.

Andy Watts

Local Judge

The proud owner of The Watts Whisky Company (Pty) Ltd and serves as the first ambassador for the Whisky Vault in Johannesburg. Honoured with the title of Global Icon ‘Master Distiller / Master Blender of the Year’ at the Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky Awards in 2018. In 2020, he earned the prestigious Global Icon ‘World Whisky Brand Ambassador of the Year’ award and was inducted as the 70th member of the Whisky Hall of Fame in 2021 – recognising his lifelong contributions to the whisky industry and his significant role in establishing South Africa as an integral part of the global whisky community. In 2024, he was appointed as an advisory board member for the Council of Whiskey Masters, an American-based organization dedicated to defining and upholding new educational standards for sommeliers and spirits professionals – the council offers credentials in the field of whisk(e)y that are equivalent to the well-established designations in the world of wine. His many achievements include creating South Africa’s first single malt whisky and the first 100% locally blended whisky as part of the Three Ships portfolio. He also introduced the country’s first single grain whisky, Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, and has received numerous accolades at the World Whiskies Awards over the years. In 2024, he launched his first exclusive cask series, allowing discerning buyers to purchase a private and exclusive cask of malt whisky – only five of these casks were made available, with plans to release the same in 2025. He served as a judge at the inaugural Trophy Spirits Show in 2019 and has continued to be a judge at the show since 2022.

Carla Weightman

Local Judge

Currently a sensory specialist at Heineken Beverages’ (previously Distell’s) Intrinsic Centre of Excellence, she has been running the sensory laboratory and leading the tasting panels since 2018. Responsible for conducting sensory research across the company’s diverse product portfolio (RTDs, wines and spirits) on new as well as existing products. Holds a BSc in Food Science as well as an MSc and PhD in wine sensory science from the Institute for Wine Biotechnology at Stellenbosch University. Judged at the South African Women’s Wine and Spirits Awards (LUMO) and the Vitis Vinifera awards since 2020. Assisted with training at Michael Fridjhon’s Spirit Judging Academy in 2021. Associate judge at The Trophy Spirits Show in 2023 and judge in 2024.

Kresan Naidu

South African Judge

With a reputation as an authority in his field and a regular judge at spirit awards and cocktail competitions globally, he is a specialist in white spirits, with a focus on vodka, gin and tequila, his expertise continuing into the realms of rum, whiskey and other dark spirits. Represented Pernod Ricard on the Absolut Vodka team in Sweden and as the global brand manager in Education and Advocacy, where he focused on projects to support global advocacy in the on-consumption trade. Over the years, he has hosted numerous masterclasses across Europe and Africa, sharing his insights on spirts, and South Africa’s dynamic cocktail culture. His current projects focus on the growth and expansion of the local spirits market to a global platform. Has judged four times at the Trophy Spirits Show since inception.

Kurt Schlechter

Local Judge

Voted among the world’s Top 100 most influential people by Drinks International magazine for five

consecutive years, he has 26 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. Award-winning bartender and drinks consultant, co-owner and director of the Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen and the Cape Brandy Bar in South Africa – the former recently ranked among The World’s 50 Best Bars. Completed his Whisky Masters in Scotland, and after winning the first Olmeca Tahona Margarita Championship in Mexico, travelled back to the country several times to study agave spirits. His passion for spirits led him full circle back to Cape Town to promote local brandies and gins, completing the Van Ryn Advanced Brandy Course. A passionate educator, specialising in developing bartender training programmes for some of the world’s leading liquor brands, training bartenders in the BAR STARS in Africa upliftment programme. Judged three times at The Trophy Spirits Show.