Finalists Revealed in 3rd Annual Scottish Gin Awards

The finalists in the third annual Scottish Gin Awards have been announced with 65 companies and 117 gins progressing to the final stage of the annual competition which celebrates Scotland’s continuously thriving gin industry.

In the national competition which covers a range of business and taste categories, the awards were judged in May by a highly experienced and respected panel of experts from across the gin industry in the UK.

In the competition’s strongest year since its launch in 2017, a judging panel of 20 tasters blind tasted and graded every sample under strict technical conditions.  Led by the competition’s technical consultants, sensory management experts Cara Technology, the panel assessed 173 gins entered in the competition, all distilled in Scotland.

Four distilleries will compete for the ultimate award, the Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year, sponsored by ALDI and these are Crafty Scottish Distillers, Dunnet Bay Distillers (Rock Rose), Edinburgh Gin and McQueen Gin.

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

“To make it to the final stage of the Scottish Gin Awards is a huge achievement.  The gins which have progressed to the final had to achieve a high standard of marks in a rigorous tasting session, whilst the finalists we have selected in the business awards clearly demonstrate the strength and depth which is so evident in Scottish gin distilling today.

“I congratulate all the finalists announced today in what has been a very tough competition and I look forward celebrating with the industry in October.”

Founder of the Scottish Gin Awards, Kirsten Speirs, Director of KDMedia, commented;

“This competition gives us a totally unique and detailed insight into the good health of the thriving Scottish gin market.  The combination of the business information received and the blind tasting is able to produce highly regarded recommendations on the best quality products and best performing businesses.  Congratulations to all our finalists and we look forward to celebrating tonight with a Scottish gin or two.”

The Scottish Gin Awards annual celebration and dinner, the annual industry gathering for over 700 guests, will be held on Thursday 10 October 2019 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Glasgow Central, Cambridge Street, Glasgow.

The awards created and designed by KDMedia in 2016 have nominated two new charities this year which will be supported by the event.  The BEN, the Benevolent Society of the Licensed Trade of Scotland and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, set up by rugby legend Doddie Weir to help improve the lives of those affected by Motor Neuron Disease.

View the Finalists in Full