The Gin Masters 2022 – First Tasting results

The huge number of gins entered in our annual blind-tasting competition showed just how popular this category is, so much show that for the second year we have split the judging into two sessions.

‘Have we reached peak gin?’ This recurring question has been circulating the industry for several years now. While gin exports from the UK took a tumble during the past two years, this seemed to be more about pandemic pressures – such as the shuttering of the on-trade for extended periods – rather than consumer fatigue.

HMRC (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) data cited by trade body The Gin Guild showed UK exports of gin have fallen consecutively year on year since 2019, down by £100 million (US$139m) in 2020 and by another £30m in 2021. However, The Gin Guild did note some growth in markets such as Latin American and other non-EU countries in Europe.

From a media perspective, the gin craze continues, and news of product launches still come thick and fast on a weekly basis. The number of gins on the market today has seen The Gin Masters grow to dizzying heights, and this year’s blind-tasting competition surpassed last year’s entries, with close to 500 submissions.

An army of judges were called upon to tackle this year’s entries, with nine panels of experts in total. The group assembled at Lola’s at the Hippodrome Casino in London in June, and the bottles’ identities were kept hidden from the judges thanks to Sensible Wine Services. The first panel comprised Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business, and chair of The Global Spirits Masters Competitions, and Andrea Paleari, head bartender at The Aubrey.

A second panel was chaired by Dimple Athavia, founder of All Things Drinks, who was joined by Marie Cheong Thong, wine and spirits judge, and Wine and Spirit Education Trust educator.

Derek Millar, retired whisky sales advisor, joined Nicola Thomson, director of Practical Matters, who chaired the team.

David T Smith, spirits consultant, writer and co-founder of the Craft Distilling Expo, chaired another group. He was joined by: Peter Downes, senior spirits partnership executive, Craft Gin Club, and Vanessa Piromallo, gin expert, judge, and founder of That’s The Spirit.

Tobias Gorn, co-founder and senior partner of International Drinks Specialists, chaired a panel comprising Dr Winifred Bowman, wine and spirits judge, and drinks writer; and Masha Twemlow, associate specialist at International Drinks Specialists.

Joining Nicola Carruthers, deputy editor of The Spirits Business, and chair of her panel, were: Christine Perrett, drinks photographer at A Twist of Citrus and co-founder of The Spirits Hub; and drinks consultant Stephen Kennard. Bernadette Pamplin, freelance drinks writer and founder of the Under the Ginfluence blog, chaired a panel consisting of: Sara Jane Eichler, founder of the Negroni Club UK; and Millie Milliken, freelance journalist.

Evan Prousaefs, bar manager and assistant general manager of Los Mochis, Notting Hill, was also called upon to chair a team of judges. He was accompanied by: Marko Stanar, bartender at Annabel’s; and Nick Larsson-Bell, senior buyer – spirits and beer, Harvey Nichols.

Finally, Matt Chambers, co-founder of the Whisky for Everyone blog and the North London Whisky Club, chaired the final team, which included Anne Jones, drinks experience and events at Waitrose, and Angelo Sparvoli, head bartender at St James Bar in London.

The Gin Masters 2022 began by looking at gins in relation to their respective price brackets. A number of Standard gins, priced under £15, delivered a trio of Gold medals plus three Silver awards.

Taking home Gold medals were: Wembley London Dry Gin, with its “nice lemon aroma”; “pleasant, contemporary in style” Yvy Terra; and Yvy Mar with its “lab back botanical style”. Smith said of the flight: “I was surprised at the range of flavours. The standard gins are far from boring; consumers can try a range at an affordable price.”

From there, the tasting moved to a flight of Premium gins (those priced between £16 and £20) where two Gold medallists were enjoyed. Gold-worthy Sears Gin impressed the judges with its “fresh, vibrant and zesty” profile, while fellow Gold winner Farnham 365 was liked for its “zesty, sweet and balanced” palate. Four Silver awards completed the flight.

Prousaefs noted: “This was an incredibly consistent flight, with all products following a good structure, and great mixability. The category shows a lot of diversity, escaping the traditional gin flavour notes.”

In the Super Premium contingent, which looked at gins priced from £21 to £35, the first Master medals rolled in. Filey Gin secured the top award for its “very tasty, herbal” qualities. Swedish producer Hernö Gin Distillery bagged two Master medals in this flight. The first was bestowed upon Hernö Pink Btl Gin, celebrated for its “light fruity notes and warming spices”. The second went to Hernö Old Tom Gin, enjoyed for its “bright citrus aroma, balanced sweetness” and being “overall, simply delicious”.

The Gold medals came thick and fast in this heat, with no fewer than 29 expressions awarded the coveted award. Award-winners spanned London Dry styles to flavoured bottlings. Gold winner Stranger & Sons Gin from Third Eye Distillery caught the judges’ attention with a “wonderful biscuity aroma and dry palate”, as did fellow Gold medallist Chapel Down Bacchus Gin also impressed with its “juniper and spice nose” and a “long spicy aftertaste.

A 27-strong set of Silver medals concluded the flight, including: Chapel Down Pinot Noir Gin, Distilled Gin Naud, Sir Edmond Gin, and Junimperium Sloe Gin.

Generally, the judges were impressed with the standard presented in the super-premium round. Kennard said: “These were solid examples of gin, with some interesting experimentation going on. You want some experimentation in the category, holding true to its definition; you still get juniper in them.

In the Ultra Premium price point – gins costing £36 or more – nine Master medals were welcomed. One went to Wabi Sabi Gin, celebrated for its “fantastic complexity” that “takes the drinker on a journey”.

Hernö Gin Distillery increased its medal haul in this flight with two more Masters, one for Hernö Navy Strength Gin, with notes of “spice, minerality and lovely spice”, and another for “resinous, lemon and pine” Hernö Juniper Cask Gin.

Palmer Group also collected a Master medal for Onyx Crystal Gin, which was described a “really good classic gin”. Downpour – Scottish Dry Gin took a Master medal after impressing the panellists with its potential to “make some great thirst-quenching drinks”. The Melbourne Gin Company took home a Master medal for MGC Single Shot Gin, liked for “bags of juniper on the nose”. The judges also raved about the “big floral and Kola Kube nose” of Master medallist Lindwurm Gin – Sommer Edition. Master-winning Shortcross Gin was also highly praised for having “bold, punchy flavours on the palate”, while Aczu Gin was found to be “very herbaceous with a higher ABV that holds well”, and therefore also deserving of a spot in the Master ranks.

A strong set of Gold medals were also enjoyed in this round, with 20 medals given to deserving bottlings. Among the Gold award-winners were: Bathtub Gin, complemented for its “great mouthfeel with some spiciness”; “prominently juniper” Glaswegin London Dry; “green and leafy” Sea Glass Gin; “earthy and complex” Ki No Tea Kyoto Dry Gin; and “oily, slightly saline” Barra Atlantic Gin.

Six Silver medals closed the flight.

Perrett said: “They were really good, delivering more intense flavours, better integration, although some needed work on the integration of the alcohol. They brought more heightened complexity. Something that punches doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good – for the price you’re paying you have to show a level of refinement.”

With the price-point categories done and dusted, the biggest flight of the competition was presented next: London Dry. The judges were thrilled to see so many terrific gins in this segment, awarding Master medals 14.

58 and Co London Dry Gin was awarded a Master medal after the judges enjoyed its “lovely balance, sweet, citrus and juniper notes”, while Hernö Swedish Capital Gin took home a Master award for being “really good with liquorice, angelica and spice” flavours.

Henley Gin – Oriental Spiced was hailed for its notes of “sweet cinnamon and lovely leafy green herbs”, and subsequently given a Master medal, while fellow Master winner Porky46 received the top award for being “refreshing, with good mixing potential, and plump, juicy fruits”.

King Hill’s Gin secured a Master medal after the judges discovered flavours of “sweet cinnamon, juniper and lovely green herbs”, while Lord Misrule received the Master title for being “interesting and complex, with a lovely sweet mouthfeel”.

The judges agreed to give a Master medal to Hrafn Gin Thought & Memory for its “strong lime zest aroma”, and another Master to Plymouth Gin Navy Strength for its “lime and citrus palate”, which they thought would “make a cracking G&T”.

Master winner Seventh Heaven London Dry Gin was praised for its “gorse flower nose and very creamy mouthfeel”, and Gordon’s Traveller’s Edition was enjoyed for its “slight citrus nose and herbal finish”. Also awarded a Master medal was AmberChes Botanical Gin, which impressed the tasters with its “thyme and rosemary palate with citrus at the end”. Local’s Edition also won a Master medal for its “lovely bright citrus nose” and “juniper-led palate”.

After tasting Bareksten Double Gin, the judges agreed it too deserved the Master title for being “well rounded, with black pepper and cinnamon”, while Crafter’s London Dry Gin received the same award for being “creamy and smooth with plenty of juniper”.

“It looks like it’s getting hard to find a classic London Dry gin, but the experimentation is so exciting and you travel from extra bold juniper notes to a variety of peculiar flavours,” said Piromallo.

Athavia’s team agreed. She said: “There were some good London Dry examples, a couple that were not very London Dry style but unique and individual in their own right. There was some very good distillation here with clarity of flavours. All of them were very well made.”

London Dry delivered the biggest number of Gold winners in any flight of the competition, with 54 given out. The volume is testament to the great quality of products available on the market.

To name just a few Gold winners from this heat, Gold medallists included: “solid London Dry-style” Forty Spotted Classic; “well balanced and tasty” Elephant London Dry Gin; “excellently textured, juniper-forward” Never Never Triple Juniper Export Strength Gin; “classic with a fruity nose” Isle of Raasay Gin; and Jukebox Gin with “great levels of spice and juniper”.

There was also no shortage of Silver medallists in the London Dry category, with 29 Silver awards given, including to Brighton Pavilion Strength, Boomsma Dry Gin, Gibson’s London Dry Gin, and Malfy Originale.

Praise for the standard of London Dry gins continued. Athavia also constructively noted about this heat: “A few were a little on the sweet side, and when considering tonic or mixers, these may become a bit too sweet for consumers.”

As the judges have already noted, there is a great deal of experimentation going on in the gin category – and the Contemporary flight displayed a shining example of successful spirits. Australian producer Four Pillars Distillery was a case in point, picking up two Master medals in the Contemporary flight. Four Pillars Spiced Negroni won a Master medal for its “hints of cinnamon, orange and touch of liquorice on the finish”, while stablemate Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin also received a Master medal for being “flavoursome and balanced, with lovely citrus, sight herbal notes and bags of juniper”.

Etsu Pacific Ocean Water also collected a Master medal in this heat for being “salty, interesting, and playful for bartenders”, while Dark Series Oyster Shell Gin gained a Master medal for its notes of “lemon verbena, fresh green meadow herbs, dill, and Szechuan peppercorn”. Native Ground, from Seppeltsfield Road Distillers, took a Master award for notes of “warm baking spices, good balanced and complexity”. Shortcross Citrus Drizzle Gin was praised for being “bright, sweet, with some zesty fresh lemon peel”.

A wave of Gold-standard gins followed. Of the 39 Gold medals awarded, two were given to Archie Rose Distilling Co for its Signature Dry Gin and Distiller’s Strength Gin.

BBC Spirits also scooped two Gold medals for its Etsu Double Yuzu gin, found to be “fresh, citrusy and balanced”, and Etsu Double Orange, with notes of “sweet mandarin and herbal notes on the finish”. Eccentric Spirit Co collected two Gold medals for Dewi Sant and Cardiff Dry Gin. Dewi Sant was described as having “confectionary liquorice on the nose”, while Cardiff Dry Gin had “fresh pine in the back notes”.

A total of 24 Silver medals completed the Contemporary flight, with awards going to Copeland Irish Gin, Sky Wave Gin Signature London Dry Gin, Palmers Gin and Greenpoint Gin, to name just a few.

Pleasantly surprised

Perrett was “pleasantly surprised” by the flight. “Experimentation was slightly restrained in a way,” she noted, “taking you beyond classic, but in a good way.”

Kennard was taken by the “breadth of different experimentation” – “in a good way,” he said. “Producers are experimenting but in a controlled way, integrating the alcohol to make it exciting.”

Ten gins proved they have what it takes to win a Gold medal in the following flight: Organic. Swedish producer Hernö continued to grow its medal tally in this heat, adding four Gold medals to its name. Awards were given to Hernö Dry Gin and Hernö Pink Btl Gin, among others.

Anora Group also won Gold for its Explorer Gin Organic, found to be “unmistakably gin and inviting on the nose – nice texture and a citrusy palate”. Five Silvers were also awarded in the Organic round.

Paleari noted: “There were some well made gins in this round. I’m not sure you can taste the difference between  organic or regular gin, but if it’s important to your buying decision, then there are some great gins to be found in this category.”

A flight of gins made at microdistilleries were put to the taste test next, and greatly impressed the panels. Four Master awards were delivered – with two going to Four Pillars Distillery. The producer’s Four Pillars x Yarra Yering Single Vineyard Underhill Bloody Shiraz secured a Master award for its “rich, wine character” with “slight dryness, vermouth-like qualities and overall delicious profile”. The second Master went to Four Pillars Rarest Dry Gin, which was found to have “heady aromatic notes. Clever blend of herbs and spices. Mouth-wateringly dry.”

Copperpenny 005 was also found to meet the Master criteria, delivering a “good hit of juniper” on the nose, with “pink peppercorns and sansho on the finish”. And Wabi Sabi Gin also won the top accolade for its “bomb of a palate, with horseradish, some woody notes and a lovely sweetness”.

Deserving entries

Gold awards were bestowed upon 12 deserving entries, including Irish Distillers’ Method & Madness Irish Micro Distilled Gin. The judges enjoyed notes of “resinous pine and aniseed” on the nose, leading to “fresh pine and peppery spice” on the palate.

Elsa Sousa Unipessoal’s Exceptional Gin was also given a Gold medal, praised for being “subtly zesty on the finish”. Three Golds were delivered to Norrbottens Destilleri for: Forest Dry Gin with “fresh pine”; “soft floral nose” Mountain Dry Gin; and “pine and black pepper” Sicilian Dreams.

Three Silvers were also awarded to Juniperus Distillatus, Horseshoe Gin, and The Molen Gin.

In the Old Tom category, a pair of Master-worthy gins were sipped and savoured. Eccentric Spirit Co demonstrated its Master qualities with Young Tom, which had notes of “lemon sherbet, anise and caraway finish”.

Hernö Old Tom Gin also delivered, delighting panellists with its “sweet citrus, juniper and fantastic balance – a great entry point for non-drinkers too”, the judges noted.

Eight Gold medals gave the flight a boost, with awards going to Inverclyde Old Thom Gin with “lots of raspberry”, and “well balanced with a good aftertaste” OP Anderson Distillery Old Tom Gin.

Larsson-Bell said: “There was excellent quality, with a huge array of flavours and botanicals to express. Sweetness was to a minimal level, and these gins offered more mouthfeel than sweeter elements. A vastly diverse category with a great future ahead.”

The following flight – Cask-Aged – presented a selection of gins that had been rested in barrels after distillation. Two Master-worthy gins were noted in this round, the first of which was Hernö Juniper Cask Gin. The gin was celebrated for its “aquavit-like nose” and “well-integrated, long finish”. Grand Crew Cask-Aged Irish Gin also won a Master award for being “still recognisable as gin”, with “slight hints of oak and vanilla to add complexity”.

Four gins also lived up to the Gold standard, including Martin Miller’s 9 Moons Gin, which was described as having flavours of “flat leaf parsley”, and a “delicate, well-balanced palate”. Gold-winning Tom Cat Gin was also enjoyed for flavours of “caramel and toffee” on the nose, and Sorgin Yellow was enjoyed for its profile of “strong botanicals, with some apple cider vinegar notes”.

The fourth Gold award in this heat went to Nouaison Gin Reserve, which impressed with “some sweetness, pine juniper and a little mint humbug”.

Six Silver awards rounded off the flight.

Downes noted: “There was a lovely array of styles and flavours put forward into this category; lots of room to experiment, and it feels as though distillers are making the most of it.”

Four Master medallists got the Navy Strength segment off to a very strong start. Another Master joined the growing collection earned by Hernö Gin Distillery, as a Master award was given to the brand’s high-proof expression. Hernö Navy Strength Gin won a Master award for being “well-balanced, with plenty of juniper and a long finish”.

The Copeland Distillery also received a Master award for its Jones 1778 Navy Strength Gin, enjoyed for aromas of “bright juniper” leading to “a well-balanced, juniper-forward and complex” palate.

The Craft & Co’s Navy Strength Gin also won a Master medal for being “very warm on the palate, with heavy, fresh curry-type spices”. The final Master in this heat went to Sky Wave Gin Navy Strength Gin, in which the judges thought the “high alcohol strength was exceptionally well made”.

Seventeen gins were deemed deserving of a Gold medal. Among these were Scapegrace Gold, enjoyed for its “pine and zesty” profile, and Never Never Juniper Freak Gin, found to be “oily – a lemon tree in a bottle”. Elephant Strength Gin was also among the Gold medallists, thanks to its notes of “classic bold juniper”, while Black Powder Gin also secured Gold for its “lovely nose of lemon peel, spices and fresh botanicals”.

The round ended with six Silver medals.

Milliken was very impressed by the standard of entries in the Navy Strength flight. “There were a couple of standouts there, especially the aged ones. Despite the navy strength, I found these very easy to drink. I did add water to them, not because I needed to, but to see how they worked – and they worked either way.”

Cheong Thong also liked what she sampled. “These were big and bold, but also quite classic. A couple of these were very typical of what a navy gin should be, very good.”

Pink Gin has been an increasingly popular category over recent years, and there was one gin in particular that stood out from the rest in this year’s tasting: Filey Pink Gin. The judges enjoyed the Master medallist for its “coriander leaf, mint” aromas, leading to an “open, flavourful palate, well-balanced herbs and red fruits – refreshing”.

The gin was joined by five Gold winners, including 58 and Co Apple and Hibiscus Pink Gin, with “crisp apple notes complemented by gentle hibiscus; fruity, balanced and delicious”. Collesi Pink Gin also won a Gold medal with its notes of “sweet blackberries”.

Ten Silver medals were also celebrated in this round.

Flavoured gin

Flavoured gin has been another subcategory that has been growing quickly in recent years, and finding huge favour among consumers. Piromallo was direct in what she was looking for in this flight: “Balance and juniper is what I want, then it’s just a lot of fun, if you like those kind of gins.”

This was one of the largest sections in the blind tasting, and delivered a high number of top medals. Nine Master medals were awarded in the Flavoured Gin flight.

Four Pillars Distillery collected two more Master awards, one for “full-bodied” Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin, and a second for “unique, creative and balanced” Four Pillars x Yarra Yering Single Vineyard Underhill Bloody Shiraz. Settlers Spirits Yuzu Gin also received a Master award, enjoyed for its “bright, citrus notes, fresh yuzu” profile.

Two Master medals were picked up by Twenty Third Street Distillery. One went to “fruity” 23rd St Red Citrus Gin with its “nice acidity and good balance”, and a second was handed to 23rd St Yuzu Gin, described as “delightful and not too sweet at all”.

Forty Spotted Gin also won two Master medals. Forty Spotted Wild Rose received a Master for its “excellent rose aromas” and “very juniper- and rose-forward palate”, and Forty Spotted Citrus & Raspberry won a Master for being full of “delicate fresh fruit, citrus, and long-lasting finish”.

Another double-Master win was collected by Atom Brands, which won the awards for Jaffa Cake Gin, found to be “fun, chocolatey, and moreish”, and Bathtub Gin Grapefruit & Rosemary, described as “being obviously grapefruit and rosemary, with a very ‘ginny’ palate”.

Subtle tartness

Among the 29 Gold winners was Malfy Con Arancia, with notes of “pithy orange, bright zest”. Slingsby Rhubarb Gin also won a Gold award for its mix of “candied rhubarb and subtle tartness”, and Aldi’s Haysmith’s Blackberry & Raspberry Bramble Gin also won a Gold medal for its “super juicy palate, good texture and gorgeous colour”.

No fewer than 32 Silver medallists were also enjoyed in this round.

Eichler said: “When done well, flavoured gin can be amazing, and can outshine a lot of other spirits. But when done badly (often with artificial rather than real flavours), it can be a letdown. It’s a tricky balance to strike.”

Athavia thought: “Original and unique local ingredients shone through, and I’d like to see more producers experiment in this way.”

The penultimate flight of the day was Sloe Gin, and a solid set of three Gold-worthy entries made for a happy group of judges. Gin Lane 1751 Sloe won a Gold medal for being “sweet, jammy”, and Downpour – Sloe & Bramble bagged Gold for being “fruity, full of flavour and very sippable”. Erste Maennerhobby’s Sloe Gin gained a Gold medal for its “classic sloe profile, and hint of sharpness on the finish”.

A trio of Silver medallists – Gargano Sloe Gin, Plymouth Sloe Gin, and Bareksten Sloe Gin – completed the round. While the judges enjoyed the selection of medal winners, they yearned for bolder flavours.

“I was hoping for more,” Pamplin admitted. “Some of the entries were a little thin on flavour, and sloe gins offer such wonderful, full flavour.”

The Gin Masters – First Tasting finished with a small flight of gin liqueurs, in which the final Master of the day was discovered: Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb & Ginger Gin Liqueur. Pamplin said: “This moves beautifully on the palate; interesting complexity and a solid juniper backbone.”

The Craft & Co was awarded a Gold medal in the closing flight for its Gingerbread Gin Liqueur. Milliken found “lots of playful spice” on the nose with “some delicate ginger heat” palate.

Overall, the judges were full of praise for the standard of gins presented in the first instalment of this year’s competition. Experimentation was well received, and

there still remains room for improvement – no bad thing for a category that still has new markets to crack.

The second part of the tasting will take place later this year, when the Master medallists from both parts of the competition will be retasted to determine The Gin Taste Master 2022. Stay tuned…

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Standard

Premium 

Super Premium 

Ultra Premium

London Dry

Contemporary

Organic

Microdistillery

Old Tom

Cask‐Aged

Navy Strength

Pink Gin

Flavoured Gin

Sloe Gin

Gin Liqueur

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