NEWS: Scottish Gin Awards 2017

The finalists for the first ever Scottish Gin Awards have been announced

The event is being held in conjunction with the Scottish Gin Society

The categories and nominees as follows:

London Dry Gin of the Year

Caorunn Small Batch Scottish Gin

Eden Mill – Original Gin

Edinburgh Gin – Christmas Gin

Edinburgh Gin – Original Gin

Edinburgh Gin – Seaside Gin

Ginerosity

Isle of Harris Gin

LoneWolf Gin

Makar Glasgow Gin

McQueen Super Premium Dry Gin

NB Gin

Pickering’s Gin

Rock Rose Gin

Shetland Reel Ocean Sent Gin

Stirling Gin

Wild Island Botanic Gin

Verdant Dry Gin

My vote would go to: Makar Glasgow Gin

Distilled Gin of the Year

Arbikie Kirsty’s Gin

Eden Mill – Love Gin

Edinburgh Gin – Valentine’s Gin

El-Gin

Gin Bothy Original

Heather Rose Gin

Hills & Harbour Gin

Kirkjuvagr Gin

Persie Zesty Citrus Gin

The Teasmith Gin

My vote would go to: Arbikie Kirsty’s Gin

Navy Strength Gin of the Year

Avva Navy Strength Gin

Edinburgh Gin – Cannonball Gin

Navy Strength Rock Rose Gin

NB Gin Navy Strength

Oaked Highland Distillery Strength

Pickering’s Navy Strength Gin

Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa Gin: 2017 Edition

My vote would go to: Pickering’s Navy Strength Gin

Cask Gin of the Year

Arbikie Cask Aged Kirsty’s Gin

Eden Mill – Oak Gin

Firkin Gin

Makar Cask Aged Gin – Matured In Mulberry Wood

Makar Cask Aged Gin – Matured In Oak

Pickering’s Islay Cask Gin

My vote would go to: Makar Cask Aged – Mulberry

Speciality Gin of the Year

Eden Mill – Hop Gin

Gin Bothy – Gunshot Infused Gin

Johnsmas

Makar Old Tom

McQueen Spiced Chocolate Orange Gin

Persie Sweet & Nutty Old Tom Gin

Rock Rose Spring Edition

My vote would go to: Makar Old Tom

Gin Liqueur of the Year

Eden Mill – Strawberry & Black Pepper Liqueur

Edinburgh Gin – Elderflower Liqueur

Edinburgh Gin – Raspberry Liqueur

Edinburgh Gin – Plum & Vanilla Liqueur

Edinburgh Gin – Rhubarb & Ginger Liqueur

Gin Bothy – Raspberry Liqueur

Gin Bothy – Chilli Liqueur

Gin Bothy – Amaretto

Gordon Castle – Raspberry Gin

My vote would go to: Edinburgh Gin – Raspberry Liqueur

Scottish Distillery of the Year

Arbikie

Caorunn Balmenach Distillery, Grantown on Spey

Dunnet Bay Distillers

Eden Mill

Edinburgh Gin

Glasgow Distillery

Isle of Harris Distillery

Summerhall Distillery

My vote would go to: Glasgow Distillery

Growth Business of the Year

Dunnet Bay Distillers

Eden Mill

Shetland Distillery Company

Stirling Gin

My vote would go to: Dunnet Bay Distillers

Excellence In Marketing

Eden Mill

Isle of Skye Distillers

Orkney Distilling Ltd.

Summerhall Distillery

The Teasmith Spirit Company

My vote would go to: Summerhall Distillery

Excellence in Branding

Eden Mill

House of Elrick

Isle of Harris Distillery

LoneWolf

Lussa Drinks Company

Spirits for Good, Ginerosity

The Teasmith Spirit Company

Colonsay Beverages, Wild Island Gin

My vote would go to: Isle of Harris Distillery

Innovation of the Year

Crafty Distillery

Esker Spirits

Gin Bothy

Spirits for Good

Summerhall Distillery

My vote would go to: Crafty Distillery

Scottish Gin Bar of the Year

56 North

Gin 71

Heads & Tales

One Square

My vote would go to: Gin 71

Note – it’s the only one I have been to, but I would like to try the others for sure!

Scottish Gin Event of the Year

Juniper Gin Festivals

Stirling Gin Festival

My vote would go to: Juniper Gin Festivals

Scottish Gin Destination of the Year

Dunnet Bay Distillers, John O Groats (Rock Rose)

Eden Mill, Guardbridge, Fife

Edinburgh Gin, Edinburgh

Caorunn Balmenach Distillery, Grantown on Spey

Shetland Distillery Company, Unst, Shetland (Shetland Reel)

I’ve not been to any of these, so unable to cast a vote!

My votes as listed above are just based on my personal preferences/thoughts, and are not necessarily reflective of what I think will actually win each category!

The top category of the Awards is the Gin Distillery of the Year, where the nominees have all been selected by assessing performance in both the business categories as well as the taste categories. My vote went to Glasgow Distillery on the basis that they have been able to diversify their range from a single ‘opening’ gin into a couple of different categories, managing to produce different taste sensations which are still identifiable as Makar.

There is however one category which I think is missing from the Awards …

Bottle Design of the Year

Daffy’s Gin

Eden Mill Botano

Isle of Harris Gin

Makar Glasgow Gin

Wild Island Gin

And the winner is … Isle of Harris Gin

Who knows, maybe this will be a real category next year? :-)

The Awards are being held in Glasgow on Thursday 14 September - as it is primarily a trade event, tickets are priced accordingly at £120+VAT (out of my reach unfortunately!) so I will bring you the results here on Ginstagram – best of luck to all nominees!

 Why not leave me a comment & let me know your winners ...