Aussie high school mates build Thirsty Group into a multi-million dollar alcohol empire

Thirsty Group, a local Melbourne alcohol empire, has achieved global recognition as one of the most awarded spirits producers worldwide.

Their flagship product, Baxter Vodka, is recognised as the world’s most awarded Vodka of 2023, having won the prestigious ‘Triple Still’ Award, the highest accolade in the global industry.

Additionally, Aubrey Liqueurs earned the title of World’s Best Liqueur for Mango at the 2023 SIP Awards in Los Angeles.

Baxter Vodka has claimed the title of World’s Best Vodka on multiple occasions, most recently at 2021 Vodka Masters in London, 2022 International Spirits Competition in Berlin and the 2023 Triple Still Prize which is awarded only to brands which win the top prize in San Francisco, Singapore and New York collectively… and at the time of writing this release, we are also thrilled to confirm yet another gold win at the 2024 London Spirits Competition.

Having started the business out of a garage in 2017, high school friends Jake Gautreaux and Dom Evans have persevered through the challenges of COVID, limited funds and rising taxes to now be on the global stage, producing over 1 million bottles annually out of their Melbourne production facility and amassing 8 figures in sales.

Thirsty Group’s portfolio has now grown to also include Tequila, Gin and Spiced Rum with 28 gold medals across international competitions in the past 3 years.

However, building an alcohol business to over 5,000 distributions nationwide has not come without it challenges. Founder Jake Gautreaux said, “While it hasn’t been all smooth sailing, navigating through challenges and uncertainties has been instrumental in refining our products and propelling us to our current position. Receiving the industry’s most prestigious award is a true honour, showcasing the passion and dedication of our team. We are beyond excited to continue producing World Best spirits and propel into 2024 with some exciting new variations.”