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The Gin Masters 2018 results

You might think that with the explosion in the number of gin brands on the market, quality may have dropped as producers fight for attention. Our competition showed the opposite is true, with great tipples across the board.

The gin category’s spectacular rate of growth is difficult to fathom. How many brands are now on the market globally? How many new distilleries are being planned? What’s been the uptick in consumer recruitment? It’s almost impossible to know. But one thing is sure – gin remains hot property in spirits and everyone from Scottish farmers to Hollywood heartthrobs are getting in on the action.

The sector’s evolution is also evident in the growth of The Gin Masters itself, with medal count quadrupling in 2018 compared to five years ago. Indeed, the competition has become even more pertinent amid questions over product quality within this increasingly saturated arena.

The pressure for both fledgling and established brands to retain mindshare has never been greater. Innovation has become the lifeblood of the category, but producers must ensure the quality of their liquid is high to retain consumer trust. This is precisely what a panel of experienced judges set out to assess in our latest blind tasting, which took place at Ukai restaurant in London.

To begin with, judges examined gins segmented according to price, awarding a Silver medal to Greenall’s London Dry Gin in the Standard flight. The gin was deemed to be “well made and a good example of its category” by a panel consisting of Bryan Rodriguez, spirits buyer at Harvey Nichols; Maurizio Schiavone, assistant bar manager at Dukes Bar; and me, Amy Hopkins, editor of The Spirits Business.

A pair of Golds followed in the Premium round, assessed by Hannah Lanfear, director at The Mixing Class; and Gaspare di Carlo, bar manager at Sky Garden, who were chaired by Melita Kiely, deputy editor of The Spirits Business. Boyle’s Gin and Portage Dry Gin were praised for their respective “herbaceous tones” and “fresh citrus aroma”.

One of the day’s largest flights – Super Premium – was shared between a number of panels. In total, four Masters, eight Golds and 13 Silvers were named. My panel awarded the top accolade to Herbie Gin Export, which reminded Rodriguez of “eucalyptus and pine”. He added: “In a Martini, this would be delicious”. Makar Original Dry Gin joined the Master brigade after impressing with its “elegant and complex” flavours and “silky” texture. The gin was judged by a panel chaired by Antony Moss, director of strategic planning at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), and including Alessandro Geraci, bar supervisor at Aqua Shard; and sommelier Domenico Doronzo.

‘DEFINITELY A STAND-OUT’

The quirky Moonshot Gin by That Boutique­-y Gin Company also took the top accolade after impressing the team led by Nik Koster, founder of A World of Gin, and including Andre Carozzo, drinks consultant; and Pierre-Marie Bisson, general manager at Milk & Honey. “This was my favourite of the flight,” Bisson said of the Moonshot expression. “It had a lovely nose, beautiful palate and oily mouthfeel. Definitely a stand­out.”

Koster’s panel also named the final Master in the round, another expression from That Boutique­-y Gin Company: Chocolate Orange Gin. “This was perfectly balanced, and very gentle and smooth considering its 46% abv,” observed Carozzo. “This would be a very enjoyable gin to sip neat.”

Rodriguez noted the diversity of profiles on display throughout the round: “With the sheer number of gins coming out every day, it’s good to see there are so many different flavours. Gin is increasingly moving away from juniper, paying more attention to other botanicals, but many of these gins were very balanced.”

The final price division of the day was also very well populated – demonstrating that growth in gin is being led from the top end. Both The Kyoto Distillery’s Ki No Bi and The Melbourne Gin Company’s Single Shot bagged Master medals.

Described as having an “unexpected yet gorgeous saltiness”, Ki No Bi was tasted by judges including Ben Lindsay, director at Garnish Communications, and MD Imran, bartender at Ukai. Elise Craft, co-­ordinator at the Whisky Squad, chaired proceedings. “The notes of salted lemon and juniper are beautifully balanced,” enthused Lindsay. “All brands put citrus in their gin, but they’ve done a bloody good job with these flavours.”

Kiely’s panel gave the flight’s second Master to Single Shot, praised for its “excellent botanical recipe” and “good length”. Kiely called the gin “big and flavoursome”, and loved the bold nose of lemon and orange peel. Ultra Premium proved to be one of the strongest rounds of the day, resulting in a further 12 Golds and 10 Silvers. Koster believed that Gold medal winner Scapegrace Classic deserved an honourable mention for its “lively and zingy profile”, and also praised the “lovely fennel, celery, coriander and spice” flavours of Melbourne Dry Gin.

Heading into the part of the competition where entries were divided by style, and the most famous sub­-category of gin – London Dry – produced four Masters. It was by far the largest round of the day, with an additional eight Golds and 23 Silvers awarded. “Classic and well balanced” Gibson’s Exception by French drinks group La Martiniquaise took the top title for its “delicate citrus palate” and “elegant juniper notes”. It was followed by “easy sipping” Thomas Dakin Gin, which Bisson called “the perfect gin” for his palate. “This had an impeccable flavour – lots of spices and so fragrant,” he said.

Then Swedish Rose Gin – Hernö by That Boutique­-y Gin Company bagged the Master accolade for its “big personality” and “intense aroma”. Kiely said: “This took the London Dry recipe, gave it a twist and made it shine.” The core Hernö Gin expression, described as “easy to drink with a pleasant finish”, rounded off the Master standard. Rodriguez observed: “This gin screamed lychee and rose water. The palate was really smooth and it had a nice earthiness.”

Looking back over the round, Koster said: “London Dry is a category that’s getting harder to judge every year because of the high quality – so the stand­-out gins that gained good medals are producing something really special. These are the gins I would want to use when hosting a tasting.”

Other judges believed that while they sampled an array of delicious products, some veered too far away from the archetypal London Dry style. “I was looking for good structure and a balance of pine, floral, citrus and earthy flavours,” said Lanfear. “Most of them met the expectations for a classic London Dry style, but a couple seemed to bend the rules.”

Judges then turned their attention to a reawakened historical style of gin that is rapidly gaining in popularity: Old Tom. Here, Koster’s panel dished out four Golds and three Silvers. Langley’s Old Tom impressed with its “lovely grassy flavour” and secured Gold, as did Hernö Old Tom Gin, Boatyard Old Tom and Citadelle Old Tom No Mistake. Overall, the panel applauded the round’s showing of typically sweeter expressions that managed to display depth and balance.

“There were some outstanding examples in this flight that will really stay with me,” said Carozzo. “Some of the aged ones were particularly great; they were soft and complex. None were unbalanced.”

UNIQUE TWISTS

Jumping from the past to the present, a Contemporary round was next. Here, judges were looking for unique twists on the classic styles of gin that offered a distinctive flavour, while also maintaining the key characteristics of the spirit. Once again, a number of panels tackled the sizeable offering, awarding two Masters, 11 Golds and 20 Silvers.

Craft’s panel gave Four Pillars Spiced Negroni Gin a Master medal for its “burst of flavour”. Lindsay said: “If you closed your eyes and tasted this, you’d expect it to be cloudy because it has so much oiliness. This is a very special gin.” Craft also enthused: “This is exactly the type of product I expect to get when the best distillers challenge what gin can be.”

On my panel, judges enjoyed the “delicious nose” and “oaky, vanilla” profile of fellow Master winner Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Navy­-Strength. “This category really shows how gin can be opened up to interpretation,” said Rodriguez. “Despite this, the juniper was really present in most contemporary gins we tasted.”

Koster, whose panel also judged the Contemporary entrants, said: “Compared with London Dry, the gins in this round were really unique, and most of them had distinctive flavours. I think this is a category that will grow and improve in years to come.”

DIVERSITY AND QUALITY

Moss’s team assessed a pool of entries from smaller gin producers in the Microdistillery round, which yielded four Golds and four Silvers. The category is one of the most topical in gin because of the rapid influx of independent brands, and judges were largely impressed by its diversity and quality.

Triple Juniper Gin won praise for its “juicy, well­-integrated palate”, while Cascara Gin displayed a “wonderful aroma of fennel and blossom”. Judges equally enjoyed Beg Gin’s “powerful citrus nose” and New World Navy Beg Gin’s “brilliant complexity”.

My panel then took a detour away from gin to sample a selection of genever – the parent to gin as we know it today. Made in Holland and Belgium, genever uses malted grain spirit – ‘malt wine’ – as its base, meaning it typically has a more malty flavour than gin. However, the taste of juniper must still be “discernable”, according to EU law.

Judges enjoyed the “whisky-­like tannins and oakiness” across the board, awarding a Master, two Golds and a Silver. Filliers Barrel Aged Genever 21 Years Old, which scooped the top accolade, was deemed to have a “wonderful dry texture”, with a “slight pine freshness” and rich notes of “Demerara sugar”. “It’s got a really long-­lasting flavour,” observed Schiavone. The genever’s 17­-year-old and 12­-year-­old stablemates also impressed with their respective “vanilla maltiness” and “rye spiciness”.

“Genever is like a bartender’s secret,” said Rodriguez. “And the more gin and whisky drinkers explore cask­-aged genever, the more they would enjoy it as a sipping spirit.”

Speaking of cask-­aged spirits, this is what judges turned their attention to next. In the round, tasters explored the impact of oak on delicate botanical flavours and named three Master medallists. “I just want to drink it forever,” Lindsay said of Martin Miller’s 9 Moons Barrel Aged Gin. “It’s just the right amount of everything – the balance is pretty near perfect.”

Kyrö Koskue Rye Gin also walked away with the top title after impressing with its “beautiful mouthfeel”. Craft enthused: “It had the most incredible finish, like you’ve had the most delicious lemon and juniper sponge cake – I wanted more immediately.” She called the two Master medallists tasted by her panel “two of the most exceptional gins I’ve tasted in a long time”.

The third Cask Aged Master winner was discovered by Koster’s team, who described No. 209 Barrel Reserve Chardonnay as having “a lot going on – white flowers, marzipan, nuts and juniper”. Carozzo believed the expression to be “perfectly aged”. Two further Golds and seven Silvers were named.

The Gold standard continued in the Organic section, with Fatty’s Organic Gin taking home the accolade thanks to its “pleasing vegetal savouriness”. Four Silver medals were also awarded, including two for expressions from Hernö gin. “When you have high quality raw ingredients, you expect to have a balanced and elegant product, which most of these were,” said di Carlo on Kiely’s team.

L­-R: Amy Hopkins; Melita Kiely, Maurizio Schiavone, Ben Lindsay, Nik Koster, Pierre­-Marie Bisson, Gaspare di Carlo, Alessandro Geraci, Bryan Rodriguez, Elise Craft, MD Imran, Domenico Doronzo, Hannah Lanfear, Andre Carozzo and Antony Moss

A MASTERCLASS IN DISTILLING

Judges prepared their chests for hairs as they dived into the Navy Strength contingent, where Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Navy-Strength and Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin reigned supreme. My panel enjoy the former’s “clove, liquorice and aniseed” character, and the latter’s “dry flavour”, which was balanced by additional notes of “candied lemon peel”. Three Golds and three Silvers followed.

“If I wasn’t aware of the abv of the two Masters, I would never have said they were navy strength, because they hold the alcohol so well,” said Rodriguez. “These are two really nice products and are a masterclass is distilling.”

The penultimate round of the day was Sloe Gin, which resulted in one Master, two Golds and a Silver. The flight was assessed by Moss’s panel, who were looking for “a succulent sloe flavour, but that doesn’t mask the gin character, and isn’t confected or over­-sweet”.

Master winner Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Sloe Gin was said to have a “tannin and fruit balance, which added another layer to the drink”.

Finally, the judges rounded off the day’s proceedings with a Flavoured Gin flight – an area of the category that has become increasingly popular as consumers become more experimental. Three Golds – for Harrington Elderflower Gin, and Spit­Roasted Pineapple Gin and Strawberry & Balsamico Gin from That Boutique-­y Gin Company – and seven Silvers were awarded.

“Where gins did well in this category, it was largely down to fact they had managed to capture fruit flavour with authenticity,” observed Lanfear, “without cloying sweetness and without unnatural acidity.”

In total, The Gin Masters 2018 yielded 19 Masters, 62 Golds and 90 Silvers. While there is much talk of gin’s bubble being set to burst, the competition at least showed that quality is not in short supply.

“Today, we saw how diverse gin really is,” said Rodriguez. “If you like whisky, try an aged gin or a genever; if you like vodka, there will be something in gin for you. There’s an impressive selection out there.”

Click through the following pages for the Gin Masters 2018 results in full.

Standard

Company Product Medal
Quintessential Brands Greenall’s London Dry Gin Silver

Premium

Company Product Medal
Blackwater Distillery Boyle’s Gin Gold
Spiritual Spirits Portage Dry Gin Gold

Super Premium

Company Product Medal
Herbie Gin Herbie Gin Export Master
Glasgow Distillery Company Makar Original Dry Gin Master
Atom Brands Moonshot Gin (That Boutique­-y Gin Company) Master
Atom Brands Chocolate Orange Gin (That Boutique-­y Gin Company) Master
Atlantic Galician Spirits Nordés Gin Gold
Dublin City Gin Company Dublin City Gin – Dublin Cut Gold
Amsterdam Craft Gin Company Gin 1689 Gold
Quintessential Brands Thomas Dakin Gin Gold
The Welsh Whisky Company Brecon Botanical Gin Gold
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin Gold
Mercury Spirits VII Hills Italian Dry Gin Gold
Erste Maennerhobby Foerster’s Heide Gin Gold
The Reformed Spirits Company Martin Miller’s Gin Silver
Spirit of the Lakes Bedrock Gin Silver
Four Pillars Distillery Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin Silver
The York Gin Company York Gin Silver
Bramley & Gage 6 O’Clock Gin Silver
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Cask­Aged Silver
Nyborg Destilleri Dew 87° Gin Silver
Tigre Blanc Paris Bartolomeo Silver
Beg Boutique Distillery Beg Gin Silver
Famille Naud Master Distillers Naud Distilled Gin Silver
Kalevala Distillery Kalevala Distilled Gin Silver
Kyrö Distillery Company Kyrö Napue Rye Gin Silver
Atom Brands Yuzu Gin (That Boutique­-y Gin Company) Silver

Ultra Premium

Company Product Medal
The Kyoto Distillery Ki No Bi Master
The Melbourne Gin Company The Melbourne Gin Company Single Shot Master
The Melbourne Gin Company The Melbourne Gin Company Melbourne Dry Gin Gold
Rogue Society Distilling Company Scapegrace Classic Gold
The James Joyce Spirits Co James Joyce Gin Gold
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Old Tom Gin Gold
Ian Macleod Distillers Edinburgh Gin 1670 Gold
Oslo Håndverksdestilleri Vidda Tørr Gin Gold
Brindle Distillery Cuckoo Gin Gold
Rademon Estate Distillery Shortcross Gin Bartenders Series Edition 1 Gold
Dancing Sands Distillery Dancing Sands Dry Gin Gold
Pure Distilled Spirit Company Smeaton’s Bristol Method Dry Gin Gold
The Boatyard Distillery Boatyard Double Gin Gold
Rademon Estate Distillery Shortcross Gin Gold
The Shropshire Gin Company Tiger Gin Silver
Wenneker Distilleries Denim Gin Silver
Salcombe Distilling Co Salcombe Gin ‘Start Point’ Silver
Atom Brands 1897 Quinine Gin Silver
Gebr J & M Ziegler GinT Infused with Morgentau Silver
Spirit of the Lakes Bedrock Gin Export Strength Silver
Atom Brands Swedish Rose Gin – Hernö (That Boutique­y-Gin Company) Silver
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Gin Silver
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Navy Strength Gin Silver
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Cask­-Aged, Navy-­Strength Silver

Old Tom

Company Product Medal
Charter Brands Langley’s Old Tom Gold
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Old Tom Gin Gold
The Boatyard Distillery Boatyard Old Tom Gold
Maison Ferrand Citadelle Old Tom No Mistake Gold
Ladoga Barrister Old Tom Gin Silver
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Old Tom Silver
Glasgow Distillery Company Makar Old Tom Gin Silver

Contemporary

Company Product Medal
Four Pillars Distillery Four Pillars Spiced Negroni Gin Master
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Navy­-Strength Master
Ladoga Group Barrister Old Tom Gin Gold
Manchester Gin Manchester Gin – Wild Spirit Gold
Quintessential Brands Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin Gold
Pearse Lyons Distillery Ha’Penny Dublin Dry Gin Gold
Pearse Lyons Distillery Míl Gin Gold
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Old Tom Gin Gold
Berliner Brandstifter Berlin Dry Gin Gold
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin Gold
Beara Distillery Beara Ocean Gin Gold
Mercury Spirits VII Hills Italian Dry Gin Gold
The Dingle Distillery Dingle Gin Gold
Kangaroo Island Distillery KIS Wild Gin Silver
Ladoga Barrister Dry Gin Silver
Foxhole Spirits Foxhole Gin Silver
The Muff Liquor Company Muff Gin Silver
Orkney Gin Company Orkney Gin Company Johnsmas Silver
Archie Rose Distilling Co Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin Silver
Ägräs Distillery Ägräs Abloom Gin Silver
Del Professore Gin Del Professore Monsieur Silver
Sliabh Liag Distillery An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin Silver
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Cask-­Aged Silver
The Wrecking Coast Distillery Cornish Clotted Cream Gin Silver
The Reformed Spirits Company Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin Silver
Del Professore Gin Del Professore Crocodile Silver
District Distilling Co Wild June Gin Silver
Nyborg Destilleri Frost 92° Gin Silver
Atom Brands Neroli Gin (That Boutique­-y Gin Company) Silver
Cape Byron Distillery Brookie’s Byron Dry Gin Silver
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Juniper Cask Gin Silver
Archie Rose Distilling Co Archie Rose Distiller’s Strength Gin Silver
Brindle Distillery Cuckoo Spiced Gin Silver

Microdistillery

Company Product Medal
Never Never Distilling Triple Juniper Gin Gold
Distillery 031 Cascara Gin Gold
Beg Boutique Distillery Beg Gin Gold
Beg Boutique Distillery New World Navy Beg Gin Gold
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Gin Silver
Brighton Spirits Company Brighton Gin Silver
Whitby Distillery Whitby Gin Silver
Never Never Distilling Southern Strength Gin Silver

Genever

Company Product Medal
Filliers Distillery Filliers Barrel Aged Genever 21 Years Old Master
Filliers Distillery Filliers Barrel Aged Genever 17 Years Old Gold
Filliers Distillery Filliers Barrel Aged Genever 12 Years Old Gold
Zonneveld Beverage Company ‘By the Dutch’ Old Genever Silver

Cask Aged

Company Product Medal
The Reformed Spirits Company Martin Miller’s 9 Moons Barrel Aged Gin Master
Kyrö Distillery Company Kyrö Koskue Rye Gin Master
Distillery No. 209 No. 209 Barrel Reserve Chardonnay Master
Four Pillars Distillery Four Pillars Sherry Cask Gin Gold
Salcombe Distilling Co Salcombe Gin ‘Finisterre’ Gold
Chivas Brothers Beefeater Burrough’s Reserve Silver
Four Pillars Distillery Four Pillars Chardonnay Barrel Gin Silver
Glasgow Distillery Company Makar Oak Aged Gin Silver
Maison Ferrand Citadelle Reserve Silver
Dyfi Distillery Hibernation Gin Silver
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Juniper Cask Gin Silver
Dancing Sands Distillery Dancing Sands Barrel Aged Gin Silver

Organic

Company Product Medal
The Dulwich Spirits Company Fatty’s Organic Gin Gold
Organic Spirits Co Organic Spirits Gin Silver
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Old Tom Gin Silver
Copenhagen Distillery Bayleaf Organic London Dry Gin Silver
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Navy Strength Gin Silver

Navy Strength

Company Product Medal
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Navy-­Strength Master
Four Pillars Distillery Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin Master
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Navy Strength Gin Gold
Nyborg Destilleri Mist 114° Gin Gold
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Cask-Aged,
Navy-Strength
Gold
Chivas Brothers Plymouth Navy Strength Silver
Manchester Gin Manchester Gin – Overboard Silver
Rogue Society Distilling Company Scapegrace Gold Silver

Sloe Gin

Company Product Medal
Atom Brands Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin – Sloe Gin Master
Quintessential Brands Greenall’s Sloe Gin Gold
Hayman’s Gin Hayman’s Sloe Gin Gold
Warner Edwards Distillery Harrington Sloe Gin Silver

Flavoured Gin

Company Product Medal
Warner Edwards Distillery Harrington Elderflower Gin Gold
Atom Brands Spit­-Roasted Pineapple Gin (That Boutique­-y Gin Company) Gold
Atom Brands Strawberry & Balsamico Gin (That Boutique­-y Gin Company) Gold
Cape Byron Distillery Brookie’s Byron Slow Gin Silver
Herbie Gin Herbie Gin Pink Silver
Quintessential Brands Greenall’s Wild Berry London Dry Gin Silver
Warner Edwards Distillery Victoria’s Rhubarb Gin Silver
Bramley & Gage 6 O’Clock Damson Gin Silver
Pearse Lyons Distillery Ha’Penny Rhubarb Gin Silver
Atom Brands Rhubarb Triangle Gin (That Boutique­-y Gin Company) Silver

London Dry

Company Product Medal
La Martiniquaise Gibson’s Exception Master
Quintessential Brands Thomas Dakin Gin Master
Atom Brands Swedish Rose Gin – Hernö (That Boutique-­y Gin Company) Master
Hernö Gin Distillery Hernö Gin Master
Diageo Gordon’s Traveller’s Edition Gold
Aldi Stores Topaz Blue Premium Gin Gold
Verdant Spirits Verdant Dry Gin Gold
Adnams First Rate Triple Malt Dry Gin Gold
Raven Spirits Raven Gin ‘Thought & Memory’ Gold
Hayman’s Gin Distillery Hayman’s London Dry Gin Gold
Atom Brands Yuzu Gin (That Boutique-y Gin Company) Gold
Eaglesburn Distillery Eaglesburn Distillery Dry Gin Gold
Kangaroo Island Distillery KIS Old Tom Gin Silver
Aldi Stores Darley’s Traditional Dry Gin Silver
La Martiniquaise Gibson’s Standard Silver
Aldi Stores Oliver Cromwell London Dry Gin Silver
Diageo Gordon’s London Dry Gin Silver
Adnams Copper House Dry Gin Silver
Chivas Brothers Beefeater London Dry – 40% Silver
Chivas Brothers Beefeater London Garden Silver
Pocketful of Stones Caspyn Cornish Dry Gin Silver
Ramsbury Brewing & Distilling Co Ramsbury Gin Silver
Berry Bros & Rudd Berry Bros & Rudd London Dry Gin Silver
Adnams Rising Sun Gin Silver
Esker Spirits Esker Gin Silver
Warner Edwards Distillery Melissa Lemon Balm Gin Silver
Warner Edwards Distillery Harrington Dry Gin Silver
Salcombe Distilling Co Salcombe Gin ‘Start Point’ Silver
Commercial Spirits Jack Vettriano Gin Silver
Chivas Brothers Beefeater 24 Silver
Atom Brands 1897 Quinine Gin Silver
Atom Brands Moonshot Gin (That Boutique-y Gin Company) Silver
Eaglesburn Distillery Eaglesburn Distillery Earl Darjeelgin Silver
Atom Brands Cucamelon Gin (That Boutique-y Gin Company) Silver
Chivas Brothers Beefeater London Dry Gin – 47% Silver

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