The Gin Cooperative Awards 2023 Finalists

Now in its second year, The Gin Cooperative Awards 2023 saw entries from a range of Scotland’s gin brands and producers across an assortment of established and recognised gin styles: London Dry, Distilled, Old Tom, Flavoured and Navy Strength were all well represented across the Scottish Gins entered, showcasing the diversity of styles and flavours.

New for 2023 was a larger judging panel, comprising 72 judges with 24 industry judges, 24 consumer judges and 24 community judges and a number of new award categories, including the Outstanding Contribution to Scottish Gin Award and Bathtub Scottish Gin Award. The Outstanding Contribution to Scottish Gin Award recognises a brand, organisation or individual who has contributed positively and notably to the Scottish Gin category. The Gin Cooperative selects the winner of this award based on our insight into the Scottish Gin industry. The Bathtub Scottish Gin Award recognises Scottish Gin producers who use the Bathtub process for creating their Scottish Gins. Both new awards are the first of their kind for Scottish Gin competitions.

Our judging process involved carefully reviewing and scoring each entry by nine judges – three industry, three consumer and three community. Our judges assessed several key elements, including appearance, nose, palate and finish, both neat and served as a gin and tonic. Judges were provided with Walter Gregor’s Tonic Water to ensure all gin and tonic samples were judged using the same tonic. Along with the liquids, our judging panel also reviewed and judged packaging for each entry. As tasting is strictly blind, a different set of judges reviewed packaging related to the respective tasting samples.

Once again, every judge was provided a detailed and in-depth judges guide with advice and tips for judging each element of the entries and general advice, ensuring each judge scored the entries based on the same guidance. We want to thank all our judges for their time, commitment and fantastic judging notes, which will be provided to the entrants once the final winners are announced in September. Judging any spirit has its challenges, regardless of experience or background. It is a genuine challenge knowing that the contents of the glass is someone’s handwork. It is their proverbial baby, so we appreciate our judges hard work in assessing all the entries this year; thank you.

The Gin Cooperative Awards 2023 Sponsors

Thank you to our 2023 award sponsors for their time and support this year. It’s a testament to our awards programme that we have a range of key supply chain sponsors involved with our awards; great businesses that play a crucial role in supporting and championing the Scottish Gin category and the broader Scottish drinks and spirits industry.

• Vetroelite; global glass packaging provider – learn more here.
• Walter Gregor’s; premium Scottish tonic – learn more here.
• Rankin Brothers & Sons; corks, capsules and closures – learn more here.
• Shine PR; the communications agency for food and drink, travel, tourism and hospitality – learn more here.
• JFS (Joseph Flach & Sons); global botanical merchants since 1882 – learn more here.
• ScottishGin.com; Scottish Gin Merchants – learn more here.

Last but not least, we want to thank every Scottish Gin business and brand who took the time to enter The Gin Cooperative Awards 2023. Judges feedback will be provided to all entrants once the winners are announced. We greatly appreciate your time and investment in The Gin Cooperative Awards 2023.

Congratulations to all finalists, and good luck. We look forward to sharing the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners via The Gin Cooperative website and social media channels in September.

Scottish Gin and Tonic Award 2023 Finalists

Scottish Gin and Tonic Award 2023 – sponsored by Walter Gregor’s; premium Scottish tonic.

Scottish Gin and Tonic Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Crosskirk Bay Gin (North Point Distillery)
• Achroous (Electric Spirit Company)
• Mikkelmas (Orkney Gin Company)
• Inverness Gin (Great Glen Distillery)
• Downpour Scottish Dry Gin (North Uist Distillery)
• Rhubarb Old Tom (Orkney Gin Company)

Scottish Gin Packaging Award 2023

Scottish Gin Packaging Award 2023 – sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons; corks, capsules and closures.

Scottish Gin Packaging Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Arkh-Angell Storm Strength Orkney Gin (Orkney Distilling/Kirkjuvagr)
• Downpour Coast & Croft Gin (North Uist Distillery)
• Hills & Harbour Gin (Crafty Distillery)
• Aatta Gin (Orkney Gin Company)
• LoneWolf Original (Brewdog Distilling)
• Downpour Scottish Dry Gin (North Uist Distillery)

New Scottish Gin Award 2023

New Scottish Gin Award 2023 – sponsored by Vetroelite; the global glass packaging provider.

New Scottish Gin Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Inverness Gin (Great Glen Distillery)
• Kings Hill Rhubarb and Raspberry (The Pentland Still)
• Spey Fly (The Craigellachie Hotel)
• Coorie Gin (The Wee Farm Distillery)
• Downpour Coast & Croft Gin (North Uist Distillery)
• Crossbill Green Dry Gin (Crossbill Distillery)

London Dry Scottish Gin Award 2023

London Dry Scottish Gin Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Achroous (Electric Spirit Company)
• Inverness Gin (Great Glen Distillery)
• Downpour Scottish Dry Gin (North Uist Distillery)
• Edinburgh Gin Classic (Edinburgh Gin)
• Crosskirk Bay Gin (North Point Distillery)
• LoneWolf Original (Brewdog Distilling)

Distilled Scottish Gin Award 2023

Distilled Scottish Gin Award 2023 – sponsored by JFS (Joseph Flach & Sons); global botanical merchants since 1882.

Distilled Scottish Gin Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Arbikie Kirsty’s Gin (Arbikie Distillery)
• Foghouse (Foghouse Spirits)
• Persie Zesty Citrus Gin (Persie Distillery)
• Misty Isle ‘Salty & Sweet’ Gin (Isle of Skye Distillers)
• LBD Aberdeenshire Foraged Gin Unlimited Edition (Little Brown Dog Distillery)
• Misty Isle ‘Classically Aromatic’ Gin (Isle of Skye Distillers)

Bathtub Scottish Gin Award 2023

Bathtub Scottish Gin Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Mikkelmas (Orkney Gin Company)
• McLean’s Something Blue (McLean’s Gin Lab)
• McLean’s Summer Citrus (McLean’s Gin Lab)
• McLean’s Winter Spiced (McLean’s Gin Lab)
• Johnsmas (Orkney Gin Company)
• McLean’s Floral (McLean’s Gin Lab)

Old Tom Scottish Gin Award 2023

Old Tom Scottish Gin Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Rhubarb Old Tom (Orkney Gin Company)
• Downpour Pink Grapefruit Gin (North Point Distillery)
• Rock Rose Pink Grapefruit Old Tom (Dunnet Bay Distillers)
• Misty Isle ‘Fruity & Floral’ Old Tom Gin (Isle of Skye Distillers)
• Beyla – Honey & Raspberry Old Tom Gin (Orkney Distilling/Kirkjuvagr)
• House of Elrick Old Tom Gin (House of Elrick)

Navy Strength Scottish Gin Award 2023

Navy Strength Scottish Gin Award 2023 Finalists are:

• House of Elrick Navy Strength Gin (House of Elrick)
• Inshriach 57 (Inshriach Distillery)
• LBD Latitude (Little Brown Dog Distillery)
• Arkh-Angell Storm Strength Orkney Gin (Orkney Distilling/Kirkjuvagr)
• Edinburgh Gin Cannonball (Edinburgh Gin)
• Crossbill 200 2022 Edition (Crossbill Distillery)

Flavoured Scottish Gin Award 2023

Flavoured Scottish Gin Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Caorunn Blood Orange (Balmenach Distillery, home of Caorunn Gin)
• Kings Hill Rhubarb and Raspberry (The Pentland Still)
• Rock Rose Smoked Orange (Dunnet Bay Distillers)
• Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb & Ginger (Edinburgh Gin)
• Coorie Gin (The Wee Farm Distillery)
• Great Glen Pink Gin (Great Glen Distillery)

Industry Judges Award 2023

Industry Judges Award 2023 – sponsored by Shine PR; the communications agency for food & drink, travel, tourism and hospitality.

Industry Judges Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Misty Isle ‘Classically Aromatic’ Gin (Isle of Skye Distillers)
• Downpour Pink Grapefruit Gin (North Uist Distillery)
• Downpour Coast & Croft Gin (North Uist Distillery)
• Arkh-Angell Storm Strength Orkney Gin (Orkney Distilling/Kirkjuvagr)
• Kings Hill Rhubarb and Raspberry (The Pentland Still)
• Edinburgh Gin Classic (Edinburgh Gin)

Community Judges Award 2023

Community Judges Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Misty Isle ‘Salty & Sweet’ Gin (Isle of Skye Distillers)
• Downpour Scottish Dry Gin (North Uist Distillery)
• LBD Aberdeenshire Foraged Gin Unlimited Edition (Little Brown Dog Distillery)
• LoneWolf Original (Brewdog Distilling)
• Crosskirk Bay Gin (North Point Distillery)
• Caorunn Classic (Balmenach Distillery, home of Caorunn Gin)

Consumer Judges Award 2023

Consumer Judges Award 2023 – sponsored by ScottishGin.com; the Scottish Gin merchants.

Consumer Judges Award 2023 Finalists are:

• Rhubarb Old Tom (Orkney Gin Company)
• Persie Zesty Citrus Gin (Persie Distillery)
• Inverness Gin (Great Glen Distillery)
• Achroous (Electric Spirit Company)
• Mikkelmas (Orkney Gin Company)
• Crosskirk Bay Gin (North Point Distillery)

Scottish Gin of the Year Award 2023

The Scottish Gin of the Year Award 2023 is awarded to the top 3 highest scoring entries across all award categories. It will be announced in September via The Gin Cooperative website and social media channels.

Outstanding Contribution to Scottish Gin Award 2023

Outstanding Contribution to Scottish Gin Award 2023 will be announced in September via The Gin Cooperative website and social media channels.

Congratulations to all the finalists who made it to this stage in The Gin Cooperative Awards 2023. We’re incredibly grateful to all the brands who took the time to enter the awards this year and support our ongoing work to showcase and highlight the amazing Scottish Gin category. Once again, it’s been enlightening to see what our judges made of this year’s entries, and genuine thanks to our fantastic judging panel. Keep an eye on The Gin Cooperative website and social media channels as we look to announce our winners over the next few weeks.