Thursday the 10th of October 2019 saw Scotland’s gin makers and brand owners gather at the Doubletree by Hilton in Glasgow for the 3rd annual Scottish Gin Awards. Year on year the awards ceremony continues to grow in both size and award categories.
Established by the team at KD Media, an Edinburgh based PR firm who specialise in marketing, PR and events, the evening saw over 600 guests from across the world of Scottish Gin, food, drink and hospitality gather to celebrate Scotland’s thriving gin industry.
Last year we attended as guests and were sat with the team from Pickering’s Gin, who were great fun. This year we returned as a category sponsor, with our co-founder Natalie Reid presenting the award for High Strength Gin of the Year. We’re really proud and humbled to have been officially involved with the Scottish Gin Awards 2019. We’ve never made The Gin Cooperative about us as people, it’s about supporting the industry and showcasing Scottish Gin to the consumer and trade, that is and always will be our focus. We will only ever seek to partner with, collaborate with or associate The Gin Cooperative with other businesses and individuals we feel share similar goals and ambitions for the Scottish Gin category.
We were delighted to have a number of the gin community’s most respected and prominent communicators, reviewers and bloggers join us as our guests at this year’s awards and we felt privileged our guests travelled, some from other countries including Italy, to join us in celebration.
A big thanks to our guests Katie Hughes (What’s Katie Doing), Inka Kukkamaki (On The Sauce Again), Euan & Jen Harris (From The Gin Shelf), Matt & Emily Burton (The Gin Shelf), Nicola Glassford & Louise McCombes (Gin & Beer). Also a big thanks to all the gin makers, business owners, brand owners and people who took the time to say hello and take part in some high-jinx into the wee hours.
We were thrilled to see so many of our members recognised for their contribution to the Scottish Gin sector across 19 of the 20 categories. It’s one of the many things we love about being in the industry, is the sheer scale and diversity of businesses, brands and products being made right here in Scotland and it’s something we should all celebrate.
The KD Media team have once again delivered a fantastic event and evening for Scotland’s gin makers and brands. With a clear focus on supporting gin makers and brands who make genuine Scottish Gin, we very much look forward to seeing the Scottish Gin Awards continue to grow and showcase Scotland’s amazingly talented distillers and businesses.
Congratulations to all nominees and winners on the night.
Scottish Gin Awards 2019 Taste Categories
Gin of the Year (Sponsored by Vetro Elite)
Lenzie Gin (Contract Distilled: Distilutions)
London Dry Gin of the Year (Sponsored by Franklin & Sons)
Gold Award – Lenzie Gin (Contract Distilled: Distillutions)
Silver – Mackintosh Gin (Contract Distilled: Distillutions)
Bronze – Glaswegin (Contract Distilled: Illicit Spirits)
Distilled Gin of the Year (Sponsored by Contract Bottlers Glasgow)
Gold – Rock Rose Winter Edition (Distilled: Dunnet Bay Distillers)
Silver – Kinrara Highland Dry Gin (Distilled: Kinrara Distillery)
Bronze – Isle of Bute Gorse Gin (Distilled: Merchant City Brewing)
High Strength Gin of the Year (Sponsored by The Gin Cooperative)
Gold – Pickering’s Gin Navy Strength (Distilled: Summerhall Distillery)
Silver – Kirkjuvagr Arkh-Angell (Distilled: The Orkney Distillery)
Bronze – McLean’s Gin Something Clear (Contract Distilled: Strathleven Distillery)
Old Tom Gin of the Year (Sponsored by Scottish Distillers Association)
Gold: Holyrood Auld Tam (Distilled: Holyrood Distillery)
Silver: Rock Rose Old Tom Pink Grapefruit (Distilled: Dunnet Bay Distillers)
Bronze: Firkin Old Tom (Distilled: The Leith Still Room)
Cask Gin of the Year (Sponsored by Wolffe)
Gold – Makar Mulberry Aged Gin (Distilled: The Glasgow Distillery Company)
Silver – Avva Cask Finish Scottish Gin (Distilled: Moray Distillery)
Bronze – Firkin Cask Aged Cote Du Roussillon Red (Distilled: The Leith Still Room)
Flavoured Gin of the Year
Gold: Persie Herby & Aromatic Gin (Distilled: Persie Distillery)
Silver: Persie Spaniel Gin (Distilled: Persie Distillery)
Bronze: Misty Isle Mulled Christmas Gin (Distilled: Isle of Skye Distillers)
Fruit Flavoured Gin of the Year
Gold: Caorunn Scottish Raspberry (Distilled: Balmenach Distillery)
Silver: Eden Mill Passion Fruit & Coconut Gin (Distilled: Eden Mill Distillery & Brewery)
Bronze: Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb & Ginger Gin (Distilled: Edinburgh Gin Distillery)
Gin Liqueur of the Year
Gold: El:Gin Moray Mocha Liqueur (Distilled: El:gin Distillery)
Silver: Redcastle Passionfruit & Mango Liqueur (Contract Distilled: Distillutions)
Bronze: Eden Mill Blackcurrant, Rhubarb & Ginger Gin Liqueur (Distilled: Eden Mill Distillery & Brewery)
Scottish Gin Awards 2019 Business Categories
Distillery of the Year (Sponsored by Aldi)
Winner: Dunnet Bay Distillery
Best Newcomer (Sponsored by Kimia UK)
Winner: GlenWyvis Distillery
Growth Business of the Year (Sponsored by Halewood Wines & Spirits)
Winner: McQueen Gin
Highly Commended: The Shetland Distillery Company
Innovation of the Year (Sponsored by MacRoberts LLP)
Winner: Lussa Drinks Company
Exporter of the Year (Sponsored by Forth Ports Grangemouth)
Winner: Isle of Harris Distillers
Scottish Gin Destination of the Year
Winner: The Orkney Distillery
Best Marketing Campaign (Sponsored by Orb Group)
Winner: Botanical Bouquets Edinburgh Gin
Highly Commended: Beinn An Tuirc Distillers
Excellence in Branding (Sponsored by McLaren Packaging)
Winner: Lind & Lime, The Port of Leith Distillery
Best Brand Experience (Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons)
Winner: The A Club, Arbikie Distillery
Scottish Gin Event of the Year (Sponsored by Schweppes)
Winner: The Big Big Gin Festival, Edinburgh Corn Exchange
Highly Commended: Gintyre, Beinn an Tuirc Distillers, Explore Campbeltown and South Kintyre Development Trust
We appreciate everyone who took the time to say hello, chat and even steal our ice (we mention no names, James Porteous)! There’s a lot that everyone right across the industry should be proud of, both nominees, winners and those who didn’t enter or attend this year. We all have an amazing opportunity to shout about just how good Scottish Gin is. How brilliant the brands are. How astute and talented Scottish Gin business owners are. For us, the Scottish Gin Awards plays a vital role in helping highlight all that’s great about Scottish Gin.
Congratulations once again to all the nominees and winners. We very much look forward to seeing what the Scottish Gin Awards 2020 has in store for the industry. Last but not least congratulations and well done once again to the team at KD Media for another fantastic celebration of Scottish Gin. The Scottish Gin Awards 2020 will be held on Thursday 1st of October, Double Tree by Hilton, Glasgow.
Photo Credit: Header Image by Gerardo Jaconelli for the Scottish Gin Awards | Pickering’s Presentation Image by Gerardo Jaconelli for the Scottish Gin Awards
You can learn more about the Scottish Gin Awards by clicking the links below.
