The national awards programme which celebrates excellence in Scottish gin has revealed the best gins made in Scotland as part of its 7th annual competition.
The Scottish Gin Awards is the one of the largest gin competitions in the UK and revealed its winners last night following a rigorous judging process involving the blind tasting of almost 200 gins, all distilled in Scotland.
The ultimate award, Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year, was presented for a second year in a row to North Uist Distillery from the Outer Hebrides who have created a formidable business with an impressive range of gins. They also collected the award for Best New Product of the Year for their Downpour Coast & Croft Gin.
In the highly sought-after taste competition, 11 Gold Medals were presented with Edinburgh Gin collecting two gold medals. Beinn an Tuirc Distillers, South Loch Gin and Linlithgow Distillery also won multiple taste medals.
21 Scottish Gin brands achieved medal status and 9 Scottish gin brands collected Gold Medals.
Chair of the judging panel, Adam Hardie, Partner and Head of Food and Drink at Johnston Carmichael, commented;
“It continues to be a very tough and challenging year but many are not just surviving but excelling. For success in business we need formidable leadership, strong brands, great tasting products, good distribution and profitable growth. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners and we wish them future success on the back of these well-deserved awards.”
Kirsten Speirs, Director of KDMedia and founder of the Scottish Gin Awards, commented;
“Thanks to the commitment of our sponsors and Scottish gin businesses, the Scottish Gin Awards continues to highlight achievements in gin distilling at a national level. Scotland has a long history of distilling gin of superior quality and we continue to produce some of the best gins in the UK. Wise gin drinkers will see that these gins are the best made in Scotland right now and shop with the knowledge that they come highly recommended by our gin experts from across in the UK.”
The Scottish Gin Awards are sponsored by Vetroelite, Rankin & Sons, Eastern Exhibition, Joseph Flach & Sons and Kimia. They were created in 2016 by KDMedia, a leading events company which presents market leading business to business events. Since the competition started, the awards team have run 18 events for 1100 guests and judges have tasted 1127 products – all Scottish gins, distilled in Scotland. 189 medals have been awarded.
The Winners:
Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year
WINNER: North Uist Distillery
FINALISTS:
Great Glen Distillery
Isle Of Barra Distillers
Excellence in Branding, sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons
WINNER: Persie Distillery
FINALISTS
Angels Dare Cocktails
Great Glen Distillery
Isle Of Barra Distillers
Lanark Distillery
Excellence in Sustainability, sponsored by Eastern Exhibition & Display
WINNER: North Coast Distillers
FINALISTS
Electric Spirit Co.
Little Brown Dog Spirits
Excellence in Packaging
WINNER: Isle of Barra Distillers
FINALISTS
Isle of Skye Distillers
Kinrara Distillery
Linlithgow Distillery
Smugglers Spirits
Gin Tourist Destination of the Year
WINNER: Beinn an Tuirc Distillers
FINALISTS
Angus Alchemy, Carnoustie
Arbikie Highland Estate, Montrose
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 In Drinks
WINNER: Angels Dare Cocktails, Cheeky Wee Kiss
FINALISTS:
Billingtons of Lenzie – Lenzie Gin & Tonic
Edinburgh Gin – Edinburgh Gin Strawberry & Pink Peppercorn
Best New Product of the Year sponsored by Vetroelite.
WINNER: North Uist Distillery, Downpour Coast & Croft
FINALISTS:
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'
TASTE MEDALS
London Dry Gin of the Year, sponsored by Kimia
GOLD: North Coast Distillers - Crosskirk Bay Gin
SILVER: Orkney Gin Company - Aatta Gin
BRONZE: Beinn an Tuirc Distillers - Isle of Gigha Coastal Gin
FINALISTS:
Angus Alchemy - Prickly 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 Uist Distillery - Downpour Coast & Croft Gin
North Uist Distillery - Downpour Scottish Dry 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
Distilled Gin of the Year, sponsored by Joseph Flach & Sons
GOLD: Edinburgh Gin - Seaside
SILVER: Dornoch Distillery - Thompson Brothers Organic Mediterranean Gin
BRONZE: Little Brown Dog Spirits - Aberdeenshire Foraged Gin - Unlimited Edition
FINALISTS:
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
Citrus Flavoured Gin of the Year
GOLD: Edinburgh Gin - Orange & Basil
SILVER: Shetland Distillery - Shetland Reel ZEsty Gin
BRONZE: Beinn an Tuirc Distillers - Ceann Loch Citrus Gin
FINALISTS:
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Colours Lime
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Colours Yuzu
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
Herb & Spice Flavoured Gin of the Year
GOLD: Linlithgow Distillery - Four Marys Subtly Spiced
SILVER: Pràban na Linne - Gaelic Gin - Sgealp / Spiced
BRONZE: Edinburgh Gin - Experimental Series - Scandi Gin
FINALISTS:
Electric Spirit Co. - Achroous Gin
Fassfern Distillery - Fassfern Highland Gin
Ice and Fire Distillery - Crofters Tears
Persie Distillery - Pinewood Gin
High Strength Gin of the Year
GOLD: The Biggar Gin Company – Biggar Strength Gin
SILVER: Edinburgh Gin - Cannonball
BRONZE: Beinn an Tuirc Distillers – Tarbert Legbiter
FINALISTS:
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Navy Strength
Peeble Hydro - 1881 Honours Navy Strength
Summerhall Distillery – Pickering's Navy Strength Gin
Pink Gin of the Year
GOLD: Great Glen Distillery – Premium Pink Gin
SILVER: Linlithgow Distillery – LinGin Berry
BRONZE: South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North – Distillers Edition – Scottish Summer Gin
FINALISTS:
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers – Kintyre Pink
Ice and Fire Distillery – Pinkys Promise
Peebles Hydro – 1881 Pavilion Pink
Striling Distillery – Stirling Pink
The Perth Distillery Co – Perth Pink
Festive Gin of the Year
GOLD: Fassfern Distillery – Christmas Gin
SILVER: South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North – Spiced Cranberry & Clementine
BRONZE: Kinrara Distillery – Distiller's Edition Oaked Spice
FINALISTS:
Great Glen Christmas Edition – Gold Frankincense and Myrrh
Orkney Distilling – Yuletide
The Perth Distillery Co – Perth Gin Winter Spiced
Old Tom of the Year
GOLD: North Uist Distillery – Downpour Pink
SILVER: South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North – Rhubard New Tom
BRONZE: The Biggar Gin Company – Biggar Old Tom Recipe
FINALISTS:
Isle of Skye Distillers – Misty Isle Fruity & Floral Pink Gin
Orkney Gin Company – Rhubarb Old Tom
South Loch Gin Distillery at 56 North – South Loch Black Raspberry Old Tom
The Start up Drinks Lab – Old Thom
Gin Liqueur of the Year
GOLD: Summerhall Distillery – Pickering's Sloe Gin
SILVER: Stirling Distillery – Tropical Triumph
BRONZE: Lunun Gin - Brambley
FINALISTS:
Edinburgh Gin – Rhubarb & Ginger Gin Liqueur
Lunun Gin – Jamberry
North Uist Distillery – Downpour Sloe & Bramble Gin
Persie Distillery – Persie Sloe & Plum Gin
Stirling Distillery – Green Lady
The Perth Distillery Co = Perth Gin Blood Orange Liqueur
Turadh Distillery – Honey Berry
Cask Gin of the Year
GOLD: Linlithgow Distillery – LinGin Cask Aged #3 – Oloroso Cask
SILVER: Glenwyvis Distillery – Cask Matured Goodwill Quercus Robur Gin
BRONZE: Caorunn – Cask Aged Gin
FINALISTS:
Isle Of Barra Distillers - Gold Cave Vol.2 - Barra Atlantic Gin
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
Flavoured Gin of the Year
GOLD: Lanark Distillery - Corra Linn Handcrafted Scottish Raspberry Gin
SILVER: Smugglers Spirits - Raspberry Gin
BRONZE: Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Colours Coconut
FINALISTS:
Caorunn - Raspberry Gin
Edinburgh Gin - Experimental Series - Marmalade Sandwich
Linlithgow Distillery - LinGin Colours Raspberry
Peebles Hydro - 1881 Rafters Subtly Smoked
Smugglers Spirits - Smugglers Strawberry Gin
The Wee Farm Distillery - Coorie Gin