The Award winners from the The Gin Guide 2018 have been announced!
Head Judge and Editor of The in Guide, Paul Jackson, kindly got in contact with the news, so naturally I want to share it with your good selves as soon as possible.
“Gins from 19 different countries completed for the coveted titles in The Gin Guide’s annual gin awards, with a leading panel of distillers and industry experts, Four Scottish Gins won awards, including the newly launched Biggar Gin, and Greek Gin has made it’s mark in the industry with Grace Gin winning an award too.”
Excitingly, there were a record number of gins and the quality has been described as ‘unprecedented’.
So, let’s have a drum roll please:
Production Categories
- London Dry Gin: Winner – Biggar Gin (Scotland)
- Distilled Gin (Non-London Dry): Winner – Grace Gin (Greece)
- Compound Gin: Winner – Orkney Gin Company Johnsmas Gin (Scotland)
Style Categories
- Traditional Gin: Winner – Makar Gin (Scotland)
- Contemporary Gin: Winner – Caspyn Cornish Dry Gin (England)
- Flavoured Gin: Winner – Cuckoo Sunshine Gin (England)
- Old Tom Gin: Winner – The Ginsmiths of Liverpool Marshmallow Gin (England)
- Navy Strength Gin: Kirkjuvagr Arkh-Angell Storm Strength Gin (Scotland)
Regional Categories
- UK Gin: Winner – Makar Gin (Scotland)
- European Gin: Winner – Listoke 1777 Gin (Republic of Ireland)
- Rest of the World (Non-European) Gin: Winner – Underground Spirits Gin (Australia)
Industry Categories
- Gin Innovation: Winner – Underground Spirits Gin (Austrailia)
“Scottish Gins stole the show with four different Scottish winners, including two gins from Orkney, the recently launched Biggar Gin and Glasgow favourite Makar Gin. Grace Gin has made a statement in putting Greece on the gin map, while Listoke 1777 Gin and Underground Spirits Gin has showcased the exciting and innovative gin industries in Ireland and Australia respectively. English gins continued to show their pedigree with wins in Contemporary Gin, Flavoured Gin and Old Tom Gin categories.”
“Entries were judged in blind tasting sessions across the hotly competed categories. Each gin is assessed using a detailed scorecard developed by The Gin Guide, featuring key characteristics including appearance, aroma, flavour, mouthfeel, finish and overall balance and appeal.”
Full details can be found on The Gin Guide Website and you can register you interest in The Gin Guide Awards 2019 by visiting here. Please do count me as interested, Paul! I’ll be signing up shortly and would love to come and give a hand next year.
On a personal note it’s fantastic to see Underground Spirits doing well for themselves. They’re a great bunch and have a great gin. I’ve been working on a write up for them and it will be posted very soon.
As a judge at The Word Gin Awards 2018. I’m always keen to see other awards, and how they’re judged. I think it’s really important that we keep this variety of competitions. It’s just another wonderful and varied facet of the colourful world of gin.
Well done everyone! Sterling work. Cheers!