DISTILLERS from across the country were in high spirits at the second annual Scottish Gin Awards.
The ceremony, which took place last night (September 20) in Glasgow, saw more than 40 companies and 80 gins shortlisted across 18 categories, which were split into awards for business and taste.
Isle of Harris Distillers took home the top prize – Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year; the Hebridean distillery was applauded for its mission to create a “social distillery”, bringing jobs and increasing tourism to the island.
St Andrews-based Eden Mill, meanwhile, stormed the “ultimate taste award” in the competition, with its Eden Mill Original Gin named Gin of the Year; it also came out on top in the London Dry category and took home a bronze medal for its Oak Gin in the Cask/Aged Gin of the Year category.
The distiller also scooped two business awards for Excellence in Marketing and Export.
And it was a good night for Edinburgh Gin, which picked up the award for Growth Business and Innovation of the Year for Edinburgh Gin 1670, a collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. The gin brand, which has been owned by Ian Macleod Distillers since 2016, was also awarded silver and bronze taste medals for its Cannonball Navy Strength gin and its Pomegranate and Rose liqueur.
Alloa-based Boe Gin bagged a gold, silver and bronze award for its Boe Scottish Bramble Liqueur, Boe Scottish Gin and Peach & Hibiscus liqueur respectively.
McQueen Gin, from Callander, also enjoyed success for its unique flavoured gins, winning gold for its Mocha Gin in the speciality category and bronze for its Spiced Chocolate Orange gin.
Orkney Distilling’s Arkh-Angell ‘Storm Strength’ gin won the distiller a silver medal in the Navy Strength category.
Other top winners included: Isle of Skye Distillers’ Misty Isle Gin (Distilled Gin of the Year); Still River Uncut, Deeside Distillery (Navy Strength Gin of the Year); Glasgow Distillery Company’s Makar Cask Aged Gin Matured in Mulberry Wood (Cask Gin of the Year); Beinn an Tuirc Distillers (Best Newcomer); Persie Distillery (Best Marketing Campaign); and Electric Spirit Co. (Excellence in Branding).
Alex Bruce, managing director of Adelphi Distillery and chair of the judging panel, congratulated the winners, adding that the Scottish gin sector “can be very proud”.
“These medals will help retain our precious reputation as a global centre in the production of high-quality spirits,” he said.
