A few months ago I attended the wonderful Bombay Sapphire Distillery to judge for the Gin of the Year Award 18.
The results are in! I’ve just received the press release and I’m delighted to share it with your good selves.
“The Craft Distilling Expo are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Gin of the Year Competition. Entries came from around the world and were all launched in the past year or, if older, had never been judged at the competition before.
The judging panel consisted of distillers, professional gin judges, drinks writers, and gin connoisseurs.
The event was kindly hosted at Laverstoke Mill, home of Bombay Sapphire and special thanks go to Sam Carter and Dr Anne Brock, as well as the judges and the custodian of the competition’s score system, Sara Smith.
All gins were tasted blind and scored from 0-100. The Three top-scoring Classic, Contemporary, and Signature Botanical gins were then judged in a second round with tonic water to determine the winner of each category.”
So, let’s see who won!!!
Best Classic Gin 2018
Dartmouth English Gin, Dartmouth Distillery Company
Classic Gin – Highly Commended
Henstone Gin, Henstone Distillery
Domestique Gin, Puddingstone Distillery
Best Contemporary Gin 2018
Gin EVA Mallorca, Winterling Maier CB
Contemporary Gin – Highly Commended
Bathtub Gin Explorer’s Edition, Ableforth’s
Gata Gin, Colonel’s Microbrewery & Distillery
Procera Gin, Procera Distillery
Best Flavoured Gin 2018
Makar Cherry Gin, Glasgow Distillery Co.
Flavoured Gin – Highly Commended
Double-Sloe Gin, Whittaker’s Gin (That Boutique-y Gin Company)
Best Signature Botanical Gin 2018
Finger Lime Gin, That Boutique-y Gin Company
Signature Botanical Gin – Highly Commended
Pink Grapefruit Gin, Haven Gin
Mojito Gin, Conker Spirit (That Boutique-y Gin Company)
Best Aged Gin 2018
Greensand Ridge Rye Cask Gin, Greensand Ridge Distillery
Aged Gin – Highly Commended
Aged Perry’s Tot, New York Distilling (That Boutique-y Gin Company)
“The Craft Distilling Expo brings together the world’s pre-eminent distillers, still makers, packagers, marketers, professionals, and connoisseurs – all participants in this newly expanding industry – in an Expo and Conference offering talks, workshops and displays, and including the annual Gin of the Year competition. This year’s Expo was held on Wednesday 26th – Thursday 27th September at the Boiler House, Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane.”
For more information, please visit www.distillingexpo.com.