Nominations for the 2018 Scottish Gin Awards

A fantastic showcase of Scottish Gins.

Published: 20th June 2018

The nominations for the 2018 Scottish Gin Awards have just been announced and what a fantastic showcase of Scottish Gins. Following on from the inaugural awards ceremony last year, this years awards have seen a 52% increase in the number of gins entered. KD Media, the company behind the The Scottish Gin Awards, provides gin makers from across Scotland, who distill and make their gin here, an opportunity to enter their gins for consideration. With 22 tasters selected from across the spirits world and gin related businesses, the nominated gins, of which there were 116, were blind tasted under strict technical conditions over the course of two days.

Chair of the judging panel, Alex Bruce, Managing Director of Adelphi Distillery, commented;

“Congratulations to all the finalists announced today in the 2nd annual Scottish Gin Awards. The competition has been very tough but everyone can be assured that the process of judging is independent and free from commercial influence. All the finalists have progressed purely on merit and thanks to the support of a highly experienced judging panel. We look forward to celebrating with the entire Scottish gin industry in Glasgow on the 20th September 2018.”

Kirsten Speirs, Director of KD Media and founder of the Scottish Gin Awards, commented;

“One of the very many positive outcomes of the Scottish Gin Awards is that it provides excellent technical guidance to the new distillers creating and launching products for the first time. A place in the finals is reassuring as it says that these gins have reached a quality standard expected by some of the most knowledgeable gin experts in the UK. Sharing and promoting this ultimate list of high quality Scottish gins helps to grow Scotland’s unique reputation as home to the best distilleries in the world.”

The top prize in the competition is Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year and last year this was presented to Arbikie Distilling. Iain Stirling, co-founder of Arbikie, commented;

“Being awarded the Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year in the first Scottish Gin Awards was a great accolade for Arbikie, particularly when 70% of UK gin is made in Scotland. The winners medal has delivered a significant boost to sales. It is used across our marketing, on our packaging, in presentations and on social media. It really helps to set us apart from our competitors in the very competitive global gin sector.”

Eden Mill lead the race with a total of 10 finalist nominations. The McQueen Gin range follows closely behind with 9 nominations and Crafty Distillery, Crossbill Distillery, Edinburgh Gin, Makar Gin, Firkin Gin and Pickering’s Gin are all in close running to win awards at this year’s event. The Scottish islands also feature highly with Isle of Harris Distillers, Isle of Skye Distillers and Orkney Distilling all in contention.

The categories and nominations are:

Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year

• Eden Mill
• Edinburgh Gin
• Glasgow Distillery Co
• Isle of Harris Distillers
• McQueen Gin

This award was not open for entry and is awarded to the highest performer in the taste categories. The winner is announced at the awards dinner.

London Dry Gin of the Year

• 1670, Edinburgh Gin
• Bardowie Gin, Hazell & Hazell
• Boë Scottish Gin, Boë Gin
• Caorunn Small Batch Scottish Gin, Balmenach Distillery
• Colonsay Gin, Wild Thyme Spirits
• Crossbill 100% Highland, Crossbill Distilling
• Eden Mill Original Gin, Eden Mill
• Edinburgh Gin Original Gin, Ian Macleod Distillers
• Garden Shed Gin, The Garden Shed Drinks Co
• Ginerosity, Spirits for Good
• Granite North Gin, Granite North Spirits
• Isle of Harris Gin, Isle of Harris Distillers
• Leith Gin, Leith Still Room
• LinGin, Linlithgow Distillery
• McQueen Super Premium Dry Gin, Trossachs Distillery
• NB Gin, NB Distillery
• Oro Gin, The Oro Distilling Co
• Pickering’s Gin with Scottish Botanicals, Summerhall Distillery
• Pickering’s Gin, Summerhall Distillery
• Sea Glass Gin, Deerness Distillery
• Stirling Gin, Stirling Spirit Co
• Verdant Dry Gin, Verdant Spirits
• Wild Island Botanic Gin Distillers Cut, Colonsay Beverages

Distilled Gin of the Year

• Badachro Gin, Badachro Distillery
• Arcturus, The Torridon & Dunnet Bay Distillery
• Edinburgh Gin Valentine’s Gin, Ian Macleod Distillers
• eeNoo, The Lost Loch Distillery
• El:gin Scottish Small Batch, El:gin Distillery
• Hills & Harbour Gin, Crafty Distillery
• Misty Isle Gin, Isle of Skye Distillers
• Persie Dog Days Gin, Persie Distillery
• Scottish Rugby Gin, Eden Mill
• Still River Dee Gin, Deeside Distillery
• The Teasmith Original, Teasmith
• Thompson Bros Organic Highland Gin, Dornoch Distillery Co
• Tommy’s Gin, Isle of Skye Distillers

Navy Strength Gin of the Year

• Badachro 57* North Gin, Badachro Distillery
• Arkh-Angell Storm Strength Edition Gin, Orkney Distilling
• Crossbill 200 Single Specimen Juniper Gin, Crossbill Distilling
• Edinburgh Gin Cannonball Gin, Ian Macleod Distillers
• Kinrara Estate Edition Highlander Gin, Kinrara Distillery
• Pickering’s Navy Strength Gin, Summerhall Distillery
• Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa Gin 2018 Edition, Shetland Distillery Co
• Still River Uncut Gin, Deeside Distillery

Cask Gin of the Year

• Crossbill Pineapple PX Cask Aged Gin, Crossbill Distilling
• Firkin Oak Cask Aged Gin, Leith Still Room
• Makar Cask Aged Gin, Matured in Mulberry Wood, The Glasgow Distillery Co
• Makar Cask Aged Gin, Matured in Oak, The Glasgow Distillery Co
• Eden Mill Oak Gin, Eden Mill
• Pickering’s Islay Oak Aged Gin, Summerhall Distillery

Gin Liqueur of the Year

• Boë Scottish Bramble Gin Liqueur, Boë Gin
• Boë Peach & Hibiscus Gin Liqueur, Boë Gin
• El:gin Moray Berry, El:gin Distillery
• Moray Mocha, El:gin Distillery
• Pomegranate & Rose Gin Liqueur, Edinburgh Gin
• Redcastle Raspberry & Pomegranate Scottish Gin Liqueur, Redcastle Spirits
• Strawberry & Black Pepper Gin Liqueur, Eden Mill

Speciality Gin of the Year

• American Red, Crossbill Distilling
• Devil’s Staircase, Pixel Spirits
• Eden Mill Hop Gin, Eden Mill
• El:gin Gin-gle Gin, El:gin Distillery
• Esker Honey Spiced Gin, Esker Spirits
• Firkin Old Tom, Leith Still Room
• Firkin Rosie, Leith Still Room
• Firkin Yuletide Old Tom, Leith Still Room
• Glasgow Distillery Double Cherry Single Batch Series, Glasgow Distillery Co
• Gunshot, Gin Bothy
• Johnsmas, Orkney Gin Co
• Kinrara Estate Edition Hibiscus Gin, Kinrara Distillery
• Mallow and Geranium, The Old Curiosity Distillery
• McQueen Chocolate Mint Gin, Trossachs Distillery
• McQueen Mocha Gin, Trossachs Distillery
• McQueen Raspberry and White Chocolate Gin, Trossachs Distillery
• McQueen Smokey Chilli Gin, Trossachs Distillery
• McQueen Spiced Chocolate Orange Gin, Trossachs Distillery
• Mikkelmas, Orkney Gin Co
• Simmer Gin, Shetland Distillery Co
• Something Blue Limited Edition, McLeans Gin
• Spiced Plum Gin, Deeside Distillery

Growth Business of the Year

• Colonsay Beverages
• Edinburgh Gin
• Huffman’s
• McQueen Gin
• No. 18 (The Gin Fayre)

Best Newcomer

• Badachro Distillery
• Beinn an Tuirc Distillers
• Crafty Scottish Distillers
• Dornoch Distillery Co
• Isle of Skye Distillers
• Kinrara Distillery
• The Old Curiosity Distillery
• The Oro Distilling Co

Innovation of the Year

• Arbikie Highland Estate – for their field to bottle’ approach from one single site
• Crafty Scottish Distillers – for using snow from the ‘Beast from the East’ in their Hills & Harbour Gin
• Eden Mill – for Blendworks
• Edinburgh Gin 1670 – for their limited-edition, exotic gin created in partnership with Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
• Isle of Skye Distillers – for Tommy’s Gin, a remembrance bottle for the distiller’s father with donations made to Military Charities for every bottle sold
• The Gin Spa – for their gin-inspired customer experience incorporating gin to drink and gin-based spa treatments
• The Old Curiosity Distillery – for their unique and natural colour changing gin from their Secret Herb Garden upon adding tonic water
• McQueen Gin – for saying goodbye to their iconic ceramic bottle for an innovative, new glass bottle

Excellence in Marketing

• Craft56°
• Deeside Distillery and Brewery
• Eden Mill
• OriGINs The Scottish Gin Festival
• The Teasmith Spirit Co

Best Marketing Campaign

• Caorunn, Balmenach Distillery
• Crafty Scottish Distillers
• Persie Distillery

Excellence in Branding

• Beinn an Tuirc Distillers
• Crafty Scottish Distillers
• Deerness Distillery
• Eden Mill
• Electric Spirit Co
• Esker Spirits
• Glasgow Distillery Co
• The Garden Shed Drinks Co
• The Lost Loch Distillery
• The Oro Distilling Co
• The Teasmith Spirit Co
• The Torridon
• Wild Thyme Spirits

Scottish Gin Destination of the Year

• Crafty Scottish Distillers, Newton Stewart
• Crossbill Distilling, Glasgow
• Eden Mill, St Andrews
• Isle of Harris Distillers, Isle of Harris
• Summerhall Distillery, Edinburgh
• The Gin Spa, Glasgow

Scottish Gin Bar of the Year

• Cheers Café Bar, Fraserburgh
• Gin71, Glasgow
• One Square, Edinburgh
• The Craftsman Co, Aberdeen
• The Spiritualist (Signature Pubs Ltd), Glasgow

Scottish Gin Event of the Year

• Meet the Maker – Crossbill Gin
• No. 18 (The Gin Fayre)
• OriGINs – The Scottish Gin Festival
• Orkney Gin Festival – Orkney Distilling
• Stirling Gin Festival – Stirling Spirit Co

Congratulations to all Scottish Gin makers and businesses who entered this year’s Scottish Gin Awards. Well done on your nominations and good luck to everyone involved.

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