The Scottish Gin Awards have revealed gin brands which have successfully achieved medal status in 2023, following the awards dinner in Glasgow this month.
The results are highly regarded as they are independently audited by a panel of experts and judged live in a rigorously assessed blind tasting event.
Almost 200 gins - all distilled in Scotland - were blind tasted this year and medals awarded in 11 categories.
The ultimate award, Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year, was presented for a second year in a row to North Uist Distillery. 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 nine Scottish gin brands collected Gold Medals.
Chair of the judging panel, Adam Hardie, Partner and Head of Food and Drink at Johnston Carmichael, said: “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, added: “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 winners of the 2023 Scottish Gin Awards
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
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
Known for cake making, experimental jam recipes, Champagne, whisky and gin drinking (and the inability to cook Gnocchi), Rosalind is the Food and Drink Editor and whisky writer for The Scotsman, as well as hosting Scran, The Scotsman's food and drink podcast.
