The finalists in the 7th annual Scottish Gin Awards have been announced with 45 producers and 107 Scottish gins progressing to the final stage in the national competition.
The Scottish Gin Awards is widely regarded as the most comprehensive and respected of all gin competitions as it assesses both taste and business performance. The taste competition consists of a live blind tasting event with expert judges assessing liquids on a range of measures including appearance, aroma and taste under strict competition conditions.
A panel of 20 judges, many of them distillers and qualified sensory experts, participated in the blind tasting event when over 1200 samples of gin were poured. The results have now been independently audited and verified with finalists revealed in 11 taste categories and 7 business categories.
Adam Hardie, Chair of the Scottish Gin Awards and Head of Food and Drink at Johnston Carmichael, commented;
“It is a significant accomplishment to progress to the final stages of the Scottish Gin Awards. A group of 27 spirits industry experts gathered and participated in either the taste or business elements of competition judging this year. In the rigorous tasting session, many Scottish gins achieved outstanding marks, highlighting the excellence and variety of the category.
Given the challenging market conditions, contenders for the business awards showed their continued resilience, depth and innovation in both their businesses and written submissions. It has been a very difficult 12 months trading; however, I congratulate all of the finalists revealed today and look forward to welcoming everyone to our awards dinner in Glasgow on 8th November.”
In the ultimate award of the night, Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year, three businesses will compete and these are Great Glen Distillery of Inverness; Isle Of Barra Distillers and 2022 winners North Uist Distillers, producers of the Downpour Gin range.
All the winners will be announced at the Scottish Gin Awards annual celebration and dinner will be held after the Scottish Distillers Conference on Wednesday 8th November 2023 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Glasgow Central.
You can buy your tickets HERE.
The Scottish Gin Awards support The BEN, the Benevolent Society of the Licensed Trade of Scotland via fundraising on the night.
Don’t forget to tag us across all your digital channels using #scottishginawards.
Full List of Finalists:
Business Competition
Best New Product of The Year sponsored by Vetroelite
Edinburgh Gin - Edinburgh Gin Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn
Great Glen Distillery - Inverness Gin
Isle of Barra Distillers - Barra Atlantic Gin
Kinrara Distillery - Artists Edition Gin 'Caper'
North Uist Distillery - Downpour Coast & Croft
Excellence in Branding sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons
Angels Dare Cocktails
Great Glen Distillery
Isle Of Barra Distillers
Lanark Distillery
Persie Distillery
Excellence in Packaging
Isle Of Barra Distillers
Isle of Skye Distillers
Kinrara Distillery
Linlithgow Distillery
Smugglers Spirits
Excellence in Sustainability sponsored by Eastern Exhibition & Display
Electric Spirit Co.
Little Brown Dog Spirits
North Coast Distillers
Gin Tourist Destination of the Year
Angus Alchemy, Carnoustie
Arbikie Highland Estate, Montrose
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers, Campbelltown
Kinrara Distillery, Aviemore
Lind & Lime, Leith
Peebles Hydro (1881 Gin), Peebles
Shetland Distillery, Shetland
Stirling Distillery, Stirling
The Wee Farm Distillery, Forth
Tiree Distillery, Isle of Tiree
Ready to Drink Product of the Year sponsored by InDrinks
Angels Dare Cocktails - Cheeky Wee Kiss
Billingtons of Lenzie - Lenzie Gin & Tonic
Edinburgh Gin - Edinburgh Gin Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn
Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year
Great Glen Distillery
Isle Of Barra Distillers
North Uist Distillery
Taste Competition
London Dry Gin of the Year sponsored by Kimia
Angus Alchemy - Prickly Gin
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers - Isle of Gigha Coastal Gin
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers - Kintyre Gin
Billingtons of Lenzie - Lenzie Gin
Caorunn - Caorunn Scottish Gin
Crafty Distillery - Hills & Harbour Gin
CVH Spirits - Tobermory Hebridean Mountain Gin
Edinburgh Gin - Classic
Fidra Gin - Fidra Gin
Gorgeous Gin - Miss G Gorgeous Scottish Gin
Great Glen Distillery - Great Glen Premium Scottish Gin
Great Glen Distillery - Inverness Gin
Isle Of Barra Distillers - Barra Atlantic Gin
Kilmartin Glen Spirits - Kilmartin Gin
Kinrara Distillery - Kinrara Highland Dry
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Dry
Little Brown Dog Spirits - Aberdeenshire Coastal Gin - Local Hero Edition
North Coast Distillers - Crosskirk Bay Gin
North Uist Distillery - Downpour Coast & Croft Gin
North Uist Distillery - Downpour Scottish Dry Gin
Orkney Gin Company - Aatta Gin
Peebles Hydro - 1881 Hydro Gin London Dry
Persie Distillery - Mount Strange Gin
Persie Distillery - Persie Labrador Gin
Pràban na Linne - Gaelic Gin - Sùg/ Dry
Shetland Distillery Company - Shetland Reel Ocean Sent
Spirit O'Clyde - Ar Baile Dry Gin
Stirling Distillery - Stirling Gin
Summerhall Distillery - Pickering's Gin with Scottish Botanicals
The Perth Distillery Co - Perth Gin Original
Cask Gin of the Year
Caorunn - Cask Aged Gin
Glenwyvis Distillery - Cask Matured GoodWill Quercus Robur Gin
Isle Of Barra Distillers - Gold Cave Vol.2 - Barra Atlantic Gin
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Cask Aged #3 - Oloroso Cask
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Cask Aged #5 – Benrinnes Cask
Little Brown Dog Spirits - #projectNEGRONIDEFINITIVO
South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North - South Loch Distillers Edition - Juniper & Citrus Cask Gin
Citrus Gin of the Year
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers - Ceann Loch Citrus Gin
Edinburgh Gin - Orange & Basil
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Colours Lime
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Colours Yuzu
Shetland Distillery Company - Shetland Reel ZEsty Gin
Smugglers Spirits - Smugglers Orange Gin
South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North - South Loch - Exotic Citrus
South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North - South Loch Citrus & Lime Flower
Distilled Gin of the Year sponsored by Joseph Flach & Sons
Edinburgh Gin - Seaside
Dornoch Distillery Company - Thompson Bros Organic Mediterranean Gin
Little Brown Dog Spirits - Aberdeenshire Foraged Gin - Unlimited Edition
Lunun Gin - Lunun Gin
Isle of Skye Distillers - Misty Isle Salty & Sweet Gin
Edinburgh Gin - 1670
Lanark Distillery - Corra Linn Handcrafted Scottish Gin
Isle of Skye Distillers - Misty Isle Classically Aromatic Gin
Tiree Whisky Company (Tyree Gin) - Tyree Gin
Festive Gin of the Year
Fassfern Distillery - Fassfern Christmas Gin
Great Glen Distillery - Great Glen Christmas Edition - Gold Frankincense and Myrrh
Kinrara Distillery - Distiller's Edition Oaked Spice
Orkney Distilling - Yuletide
South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North - South Loch Spiced Cranberry & Clementine
The Perth Distillery Co - Perth Gin Winter Spiced
Flavoured Gin of the Year
Caorunn - Raspberry Gin
Edinburgh Gin - Experimental Series - Marmalade Sandwich
Lanark Distillery - Corra Linn Handcrafted Scottish Raspberry Gin
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Colours Coconut
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Colours Raspberry
Peebles Hydro - 1881 Rafters Subtly Smoked
Smugglers Spirits - Smugglers Raspberry Gin
Smugglers Spirits - Smugglers Strawberry Gin
The Wee Farm Distillery - Coorie Gin
Herb & Spice Gin of the Year
Edinburgh Gin - Experimental Series - Scandi Gin
Electric Spirit Co. - Achroous Gin
Fassfern Distillery - Fassfern Highland Gin
Ice and Fire Distillery - Crofters Tears
Linlithgow Distillery - Four Marys Subtly Spiced
Persie Distillery - Pinewood Gin
Pràban na Linne - Gaelic Gin - Sgealp / Spiced
High Strength Gin of the Year
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers - Tarbert Legbiter
Edinburgh Gin - Cannonball
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Navy Strength
Peebles Hydro - 1881 Honours Navy Strength
Summerhall Distillery - Pickering's Navy Strength Gin
The Biggar Gin Company - Biggar Strength Gin
Gin Liqueur of the Year
Edinburgh Gin - Rhubarb & Ginger Gin Liqueur
Lunun Gin - Brambley
Lunun Gin - Jamberry
North Uist Distillery - Downpour Sloe & Bramble Gin
Persie Distillery - Persie Sloe & Plum Gin
Stirling Distillery - Green lady
Stirling Distillery - Tropical Triumph
Summerhall Distillery - Pickering's Sloe Gin
The Perth Distillery Co - Perth Gin Blood Orange Liqueur
Turadh Distillery - Honey Berry
Old Tom Gin of the Year
Isle of Skye Distillers - Misty Isle Fruity & Floral Pink Gin
North Uist Distillery - Downpour Pink Grapefruit Gin
Orkney Gin Company - Rhubarb Old Tom
South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North - South Loch Black Raspberry Old Tom
South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North - South Loch Rhubarb New Tom
The Biggar Gin Company - Biggar Old Tom Recipe
The Start up Drinks Lab - Old Thom
Pink Gin of the Year
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers - Kintyre Pink
Great Glen Distillery - Great Glen Premium Pink Gin
Ice and Fire Distillery - Pinkys Promise
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Berry
Peebles Hydro - 1881 Pavilion Pink
South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North - South Loch Distillers Edition - Scottish Summer Gin
Stirling Distillery - Stirling pink
The Perth Distillery Co - Perth Pink