The winners of the biggest competition of Scottish gin held anywhere in the world have been revealed at a drinks industry celebration held in Glasgow last night.
21 winners have been announced at the 5th annual Scottish Gin Awards, the awards programme which identifies the best gin businesses and gin products created in Scotland.
The ultimate award of the night, Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year 2021 sponsored by Contract Bottlers Glasgow, was presented to Isle of Harris Distillery. Harris clinched the prize in an all-island final with 3 other Hebridean distilleries. All four distilleries made the journey to Glasgow last night to celebrate with 300 colleagues from across the gin industry.
45 expert judges participated in the event which assessed written entries from 67 Scottish gin businesses and involves a rigorous taste competition which evaluated 320 gins.
The Scottish Gin Awards are highly valued by the industry due to its strict judging protocol. Only 60 % of entered product makes it through to the finals and only the top three products in each category are presented with medals.
Adam Hardie, Chair of the 2021 Scottish Gin Awards, commented.
“Scotland has a world class record in gin distilling and production and these awards recognise those businesses which, despite the odds, are really at the top of their game. This year, the Scottish gin industry has shown resilience, innovation, and creativity. Congratulations to all the finalists and we look forward to seeing medals on all winning products as we approach the all-important Christmas season.”
The popular London Dry Gin of the Year award, sponsored by Vetroelite, welcomed 47 gins in the finals. The top award, the gold medal, was presented to Kinrara Distillery of Aviemore, for their Artist Edition Gin of Ginny the Coo. Silver was presented to Ben Lomond London Dry and Bronze medal was presented to Pixel Spirits Devil’s Staircase Gin.
It was a good night for Eden Mill who collected 4 medals, the most of any distillery in the competition. Edinburgh-based boutique distillery South Loch Gin, which distils on site at the bar 56 North also did well. They collected two gold medals in the Flavoured Gin category for Citrus and Lime Flower Gin and Spiced Cranberry and Clementine.
4 new awards for 2021 were presented for Best Pink Gin, Best Festive Gin and the Flavoured Gin category has been split with new categories for Citrus and Berry Flavoured.
Gin continues to experience record high sales according to the WSTA with total sales to the year ending March 2021 worth over £2 billion pounds. £1.2 billion of these sales were made in shops, supermarkets and online. Most distilleries have weathered the storm of the pandemic experiencing increases in online sales while sales in the off trade have declined with lockdown.
Research from the WSTA also reports that 40% of the gin market is now populated by flavoured gins as sales of these products were up 37% in a year and worth around 40% of the total gin market by volume and value.
#scottishginawards
The Winners:
Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year sponsored by Contract Bottlers Glasgow
WINNER: Isle of Harris Distillers
FINALISTS:
Isle of Barra Distillers
Isle of Skye Distillers
North Uist Distillery Co.
Best Newcomer
WINNER: Dark Art Distillery
FINALISTS:
Isle of Cumbrae Distillery
Perth Gin Distillery
Purist Gin
Raer Jackton Distillery
Rhidorroch Distillery
Excellence in Sustainability sponsored by Summerhall Drinks Lab
WINNER: Muckle Brig Beverages
FINALISTS:
Arbikie Distilling
Electric Spirit Co.
Excellence in Branding sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons
WINNER: Isle of Harris Distillers
FINALISTS:
Biggar Gin
Boe Gin
Dark Art Distillery
Eden Mill
El:Gin
Fidra Gin
Linlithgow Distillery
Mackintosh Gin
McQueen Gin
Secret Garden
Best Digital Experience sponsored by Wolffe
WINNER: Isle of Harris
FINALISTS:
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers
Eden Mill
Electric Spirit Co.
Mackintosh Gin
Pixel Spirits
Sales Team of the Year sponsored by Scottish Distillers Alliance
WINNER: Isle of Barra Gin Distillery
FINALISTS:
Lussa Gin
South Loch Gin
Excellence in Social Media
WINNER: Edinburgh Gin
FINALISTS:
Colonsay Beverages
Isle of Harris Distillers
Little Brown Dog
Retailer of the Year
WINNER: Craft 56
FINALISTS:
Aldi
Billingtons of Linzie
Highland Liquor Company
Product Development Team of the Year
WINNER: Eden Mill
FINALISTS:
Badachro Distillery
City of Aberdeen Distillery
Isle of Bute Gin
Linlithgow Distillery
Tayport Distillery
TASTE CATEGORIES
London Dry Gin sponsored by Vetro Elite
GOLD Kinrara Artist Edition 'Ginny'
SILVER Ben Lomond London Dry Gin
BRONZE Pixel Spirits Devil's Staircase
FINALISTS:
Badachro Gin
Balmoral Estates Ballochbuie Gin
Beinn an Tuirc Ceann Loch Citrus Gin
Beinn an Tuirc Kintyre Gin
Black Thistle London Dry Gin
Boe Scottish Gin
Caorunn Small Batch Scottish Gin
City of Aberdeen Distillery Aberdeen Gin
City of Aberdeen Distillery Fresh Gin
City of Aberdeen Distillery Lemon Zingle Gin
City of Aberdeen Distillery the Wandering Gin
Crafty Scottish Distillers Hills & Harbour Gin
Dark Art Distillery, Sky Garden Gin
Edinburgh Gin 1670
Edinburgh Gin Classic
Edinburgh Gin Seaside
Farmhouse Gin
Fassfern Dry Highland Gin
Fidra Gin
Glasgow Distillery Makar Original Dry Gin
Glaswegin Premium Gin
Great Glen
Inspirited Original
Isle of Bute Calums Cabin Gin
Isle of Bute Gin
Isle of Harris Gin
Isle of Skye Misty Isle Cill Targhlain
Lenzie Gin
Lind & Lime Gin
LinGin
Mackintosh London Dry Gin
North Uist Distillery Downpour Gin
Old Poison Selkie
Orkney Distilling Northwest Passage Expedition Gin
Peebles Hydro 1881 London Dry
Persie Labrador Gin
Perth Gin Original
Pixel Spirits Drookit Piper
Purist Art Gin
Redcastle Handcrafted Scottish Gin
Seven Crofts
Solway Spirits Dry Gin
Tear Drop Gin
The Pentland Still King's Hill Gin
Distilled Gin sponsored by Joseph Flach & Son
GOLD: Lunun Gin
SILVER: Pixel Spirits Scottish Chanterelle Gin
BRONZE: Little Brown Dog Spirits LBD GIN Unlimited Edition
FINALISTS:
Bloodline Spirits Rule Gin
Colonsay Beverages Distillers Cut Gorse Gin
Colonsay Beverages Wild Island Botanic Gin- Distillers Cut
Eden Mill Golf Gin
Electric Spirit Co. Achroous Gin
Inverclyde Gin
Isle of Bute Gorse Gin
Isle of Bute Heather Gin
Isle of Bute Oyster Gin
Isle of Cumbrae Nostalgin
Isle of Skye Distillers Misty Isle Gin
Kinrara Artist Edition 'Struan'
Kinrara Highland Dry
Lanark Distillery Corra Linn Handcrafted Scottish Gin
Lussa Gin
McQueen Highland Dry Gin
Purist Gin Purist Marble
RAER Jackton Gin
Rhidorroch Distillery Loch Achall Gin
Roehill Springs Distillery Gin No 5
Tayport Distillery Scots Pine Gin
The Biggar Gin Company Original Recipe Biggar Gin
The Jaunty Camper Gin
The Wee Farm Distillery Drovers Gin
Tobermory Limited Edition Mountain Gin
Toll House Spirits Toll House Gin
High Strength Gin sponsored by The Gin Cooperative
GOLD: Beinn an Tuirc Tarbert Legbiter Navy Strength Gin
SILVER: The Wee Farm Distillery Farmers Strength Drovers Gin
BRONZE: The Biggar Gin Company Biggar Strength
FINALISTS:
Badachro 57 Storm Strength
Caorunn Highland Strength
Edinburgh Gin Cannonball
Inspirited Navy Strength Spiced
Inverclyde Gin Port Strength
Peebles Hydro 1881 Honours Navy Strength
Purist Gin Purist Black 57
Seven Crofts Fisherman's Strength
Stirling Distillery Battle Strength
Berry Flavoured Gin
GOLD: Boe Raspberry & Sweet Basil Gin
SILVER: Eden Mill, Forager Gin
BRONZE: Inspirited, Summer Berries and Hibiscus
FINALISTS:
Ben Lomond Infused Blackberry & Gooseberry Gin
Ben Lomond Infused Raspberry & Elderflower Gin
Boe Bramble Gin
Caorunn Scottish Raspberry Gin
City of Aberdeen Distillery, Scottish Bramble Gin
Edinburgh Gin Gooseberry & Elderflower Gin
Edinburgh Gin Raspberry Gin
Fassfern Distillery Bramble Highland Gin
Glasgow Distillery Makar Cherry Gin
Glaswegin Distilling Co Glaswegin Raspberry & Rhubarb Gin
Lanark Distillery Corra Linn Handcrafted Scottish Raspberry Gin
Toll House Spirits Redcastle Raspberry & Pomegranate Gin
Citrus Flavoured Gin
GOLD: South Loch Citrus & Lime Flower
SILVER: Persie Zesty Citrus Gin
BRONZE: Eden Mill Golden Lore Gin
FINALISTS:
Aldi Eidyn Botancial Gin
Ben Lomond Infused Blood Orange & Pink Grapefruit
El:gin 2020 - a year to remember
Linlithgow Distillery LinGin Colours Yuzu
McQueen Gin Citron Gin
Secret Garden Distillery Lemon Verbena Gin
South Loch Sicilian Lemon & Ginger
Toll House Spirits Redcastle Blood Orange & Rhubarb Gin
Herb & Spice Flavoured Gin
GOLD: South Loch Spiced Cranberry & Clementine
SILVER: Kinrara Distiller's Edition Rose & Cardamom
BRONZE: El:gin Speyside Heather Honey
FINALISTS:
Aldi Toradh Rhubarb & Ginger Gin
City of Aberdeen Distillery Chamomile Gin
Eden Mill Serendipity Gin
Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb & Ginger Gin
McQueen Gin Five Chilli Gin
Secret Garden Distillery Elderflower & Jasmine Gin
Flavoured Gin
GOLD: LinGin Colours Coconut
SILVER: Peebles Hydro 1881 Tiffin Gin
BRONZE: Eden Mill Rosa Rosa Gin
FINALISTS:
City of Aberdeen Distillery Choc Mint Gin
Eden Mill Forbidden Gin
Eden Mill Passion Gin
Secret Garden Distillery Pinot Noir Gin
Secret Garden Distillery Apothecary Rose Gin
Solway Spirits Tropical Gin
The Wee Farm Distillery Clydesdale Gin
Toll House Spirits Redcastle Passion Fruit & Mango Gin
Best Pink Gin
GOLD: Perth Gin Perth Pink
SILVER: McQueen Gin Blackcurrant & Raspberry Gin
BRONZE: Beinn an Tuirc Distillers Kintyre Pink Gin
FINALISTS:
Aldi, Toradh Premium Pink Gin
Eden Mill Love Gin
Isle of Skye Distillers Misty Isle Pink Gin
North Uist Distillery Downpour Pink Grapefruit Gin
Tyree Gin Hebridean Pink Gin
Old Tom Gin
GOLD: Mackintosh Pineapple & Grapefruit Old Tom Gin
SILVER: Old Poison Exotic
BRONZE: South Loch Rhubarb New Tom
FINALISTS:
Eden Mill Distiller's Choice: Oak Old Tom Gin
Edinburgh Gin Old Tom
Glasgow Distillery Makar Old Tom Gin
Orkney Distilling Beyla Honey and Raspberry Old Tom Gin
South Loch Black Raspberry Old Tom
Gin Liqueur
GOLD: El:gin Moray Berry
SILVER: Aldi Toradh Raspberry Gin Liqueur
BRONZE: Stirling Distillery Tropical Triumph
FINALISTS:
Aldi Toradh Rhubarb and Ginger Liqueur
Eden Mill Raspberry, Vanilla and Meringue
Eden Mill Spiced Rhubarb Crumble
Edinburgh Gin Orange Blossom & Mandarin
Edinburgh Gin Strawberry & Pink Pepper
El:gin Moray Mocha
Lenzie Gin Liqueur
Lussa Gin Bramble Liqueur
North Uist Distillery Downpour Sloe & Bramble Cask Aged Gin
Redcastle Raspberry & Pomegranate
Redcastle Strawberry & Elderflower
Solway Spirits Raspberry Ripple Gin Liqueur
Festive Gin sponsored by Cara Technology
GOLD: Edinburgh Gin Mulled Gin Liqueur
SILVER: Isle of Skye Misty Isle Mulled Christmas Gin
BRONZE: El:gin Gin-gle Gin
FINALISTS:
Perth Gin Winter Spiced Liqueur
Pixel Spirits Scottish Christmas Gin
Cask Gin
GOLD: Eden Mill Distiller's Choice: Italian Amarone Red Wine Cask Aged Gin
SILVER: Linlithgow Distillery LinGin Cask Aged
BRONZE: Glasgow Distillery Makar Oak Aged Gin
FINALISTS:
Eden Mill Distiller's Choice: French Burgundy White Wine Cask Aged Gin
Glasgow Distillery Makar Mulberry Aged Gin
Isle of Bute Oaked Gin
Pixel Spirits Scottish Oak Aged Gin