Numerous firms from the Highlands, Islands and north-east of Scotland have been named winners in this year’s Scottish Gin Awards.
Seven gin brands from across the area are raising a glass to their success having won accolades at the Scottish Gin Awards 2020.
Taking place virtually, the annual celebration, which has been running for four years, crowned Angus based distiller’s Mackintosh Gin’s pineapple and grapefruit Old Tom Gin as the Gin of the Year.
We are absolutely delighted at Mackintosh HQ to announce that we have won gin of the year at the @ScotGinAwards 2020 for our Old Tom gin! The think that the judges scored this as the best gin in Scotland is an amazing accolade for us! #ginpals #ginawards20 #oldtom #ginoftheyear pic.twitter.com/9vM1Tjg8Jy
— Mackintosh Gin (@mackintoshgin) November 12, 2020
As well as bagging Scotland’s Gin of the Year, the distillers also took home Old Tom Gin of the Year which they were awarded gold for the pineapple and grapefruit gin, and received a silver in the High Strength Gin of the Year (50% ABV and over) category for their Mackintosh Mariner Strength Gin.
Highland spirits business Highland Liquor Company is the parent firm behind Seven Crofts Gin in Ullapool which was awarded Best Newcomer at the digital event, and in the London Dry Gin of the Year taste category, Isle of Harris Gin was awarded a highly commended.
Celebrating the best in the industry, The Scottish Gin Awards is the largest gin competition in the UK and highlights those distilleries leading the way in Scotland.
The judging process involved 38 leading experts assessing 85 written entries who also blind tasted 194 gins, all distilled in Scotland. The gins were analysed on a five point scoring system with judges recording scores for aroma, appearance, taste, and an overall score.
Also being highly recognised in other taste categories was Elgin-based drinks firm El:gin, who collected two gold medals. The first was for its Moray Berry in the Gin Liqueur of the Year section and the second for its El:gin Speyside heather honey gin in the Flavoured Gin of the Year award.
Arbroath’s Redcastle Gin was awarded bronze in the Gin Liqueur of the Year category for its raspberry and pomegranate gin liqueur and Kinrara Distillery in Aviemore also received a bronze for its rose and cardamom gin in the Flavoured Gin of the Year category, too. The Distilled Gin of the Year gold medal went to Isle of Bute for its gorse gin.
Chair of the judging panel, Adam Hardie, head of food and drink for Johnston Carmichael, said: “Congratulations to all our Scottish gin businesses for their achievements in this most challenging of years. Despite the head winds, the Scottish Gin industry has demonstrated its creativity, resilience, and determination to succeed, while maintaining our status as creators of some of the best gin in the world.
“Winning a Scottish Gin Awards medal is a significant achievement and provides a huge opportunity to promote Scottish gin both at home and abroad. I hope this year’s winners will take the opportunity to promote their successes and increase their sales, in what was the largest and toughest competition to date.”
The winners were announced at a live digital event broadcast from Glasgow’s Doubletree by Hilton Hotel by comedian Des Clarke and more than 250 guests from across the country logged on to participate in the digital event.
Gin of the Year
Winner: Mackintosh pineapple and grapefruit Old Tom Gin by Mackintosh Gin
Best Newcomer
Winner: Highland Liquor Company – Seven Crofts Gin
Taste Categories:
London Dry Gin of the Year
Highly commended: Isle of Harris Gin
Distilled Gin of the Year
Gold: Gorse Gin by Isle of Bute Gin
High Strength Gin of the Year (50% ABV and over)
Silver: Mackintosh Mariner Strength Gin by Mackintosh Gin
Gin Liqueur of the Year
Gold: Moray Berry by El:gin and bronze: Redcastle raspberry and pomegranate gin liqueur by Toll House Spirits
Flavoured Gin of the Year
Gold: El:gin Speyside Heather Honey; El:gin and bronze: Rose and cardamom by Kinrara Distillery
Old Tom Gin of the Year
GOLD: Mackintosh pineapple and grapefruit Old Tom Gin by Mackintosh Gin
