Top 10 award-winning gin expressions
Regardless of which direction gin is trending, the spirit’s quality is always there – as these 10 medal winners prove.
The excellence of the gin category spans far and wide, covering producers from all corners of the globe as well as various flavours and styles. So expansive is the category that The Gin Masters 2025 competition was split into two tastings: one held in June and the other in November.
Some say that the category, which recorded a 2% volume gain globally in 2024, suffers from oversaturation. However, our judges have used their expertise to pick out bottles that truly stand out.
From Australia to America, London Dry to pink gin, we’ve highlighted 10 entrants that collected medals during the blind tastings. Scroll down to find the bottle for your next Martini, Negroni, G&T and the rest.
Chin-chin – or should we say, gin gin…
Never Never Juniper Freak
Australian distiller Never Never embraced its inner freak with this juniper-laden gin, and our judging panel was very much into it – so much so that they awarded it the competition’s grand prize: the Taste Master.
“Green juniper branches on the nose; herbaceous juniper on the palate continues through to a long finish. Well-integrated and balanced,” noted judge Sarah Miller, while another judge remarked that “it would be perfect for a Negroni”, which is always a sign that you’re onto something good. Picking up a Master medal & Taste Master in the Navy Strength round, the gin is bottled at 58% ABV.
The gin is made with Never Never’s flagship triple juniper expression as a base. From there, it’s ‘more juniper, even more juniper… all the juniper’.
Madrona Navy Strength American Gin
The panel was feeling the navy-strength expressions in the second tasting (they must have been in high spirits that afternoon). Washington-based Madrona Distillery’s 57% ABV offering was the next in line to receive a top medal, securing Gold.
“Fresh, herbaceous, spicy nose, juniper-led, and with a nice sweetness,” was the feedback from one judge. Other comments saw the gin receive praise for its “bold nose” and its texture, which involved “soft oily citrus” notes.
The gin uses traditional botanicals like juniper, ginger root and citrus peel, while incorporating bull kelp from the shores of Orcas Island, which leaves a maritime feel. Excuse us as we go and make a few (strong) Martinis.
Bluff London Dry Gin
“Salinity on the nose, coastal, seaweed… a hint of smoke”, the judges were swept away to the small port town of Bluff on New Zealand’s southern coast after nosing and sipping this gin, which really showcased a distinct sense of place. It might be a classic London Dry in style, but its soul is all NZ.
Judge Sarah Jane Eichler was a particular fan, highlighting the expression for its “herbaceous sweetness on the palate”. “A really accomplished gin, would be cracking in a Negroni,” she added, as the expression scooped the third Master medal in the second tasting’s Ultra-Premium round.
Ukiyo Tokyo Dry Gin
Fresh and piney, bright and invigorating, even a bit herbaceous: Ukiyo’s Tokyo Dry Gin is exactly the sort of bottle you want by your side when the sun’s out and you’ve found yourself in the garden with an empty glass.
The expression is distilled from a rice-based spirit, which is then redistilled with seven traditional botanicals and five unique to the Far East, including yuzu peel, mikan peel, sakura flower, sakura leaf and sansho pepper. Bottling up the tastes and aromas of Japan earned it a Gold medal in the Super-Premium heat of the first tasting.
Looking to impress guests with cocktails? Try it in this Basil Smash.
Gibson’s London Dry
One judge dubbed this Master medal recipient the “dictionary definition of a London Dry” – which, as a London Dry, is what you want: no fancy business, just the fundamentals locked down and playing at their best.
“Strong hints of juniper, strong hits of citrus and some nice supporting spices”, said one judge in their tasting notes. “You get everything you want out of a London Dry,” added another. You can’t beat a classic done right seemed to be the underlying message.
Combine it with your tonic of choice (and a twist of lemon if you do want to get fancy) and away you go.
Canaïma Gin
Canaïma aims to represent the Amazon – the place and its people. The gin is made with 19 botanicals, many of which are fruits hand-sourced by Indigenous communities, such as tupiro, açaí berries, merey and semeruco.
Sweetness and citrus came through for the judges, who gave it a Gold medal in the Ultra-Premium round of the first tasting.
For an exotic gin that reminds you of a climate far from England, it hits the spot, works wonders in cocktails, and also helps a charitable cause – its producer, Venezuela’s Distillers United Group, donates 10% of sales to Amazon conservation.
Colombo No 9 with Earl Grey London Dry Gin
Taking home a Master medal in the busy London Dry round was this gin from Sri Lanka’s Rockland Distillers, made in collaboration with fellow Sri Lankan company Dilmah Tea.
The combined powers of gin and tea had their desired effect on the judges, who said the nose felt like “opening a fresh box of tea”, with lots of bergamot and Earl Grey, plus a “good core of juniper”. The palate was described as “nice and zesty, not too bitter and stays in the London Dry lane”.
The gin’s botanical lineup is headlined by Dilmah’s handpicked Earl Grey tea leaves and backed by a supporting cast of native botanicals, with coriander, curry leaves, angelica, cinnamon, black tea leaves, bergamot peel, liquorice, ginger and juniper.
Ginplz
Ginplz is a new arrival to the world of gin, hailing from Portugal and debuting at Bar Convent Berlin last October.
Despite its newcomer status, the brand hasn’t hesitated to show what it’s all about, picking up a Gold medal in the Contemporary round of the second tasting. Its palate was said to have “strong citrus characters” and flavours that “play well together”. “Fresh, complex, delightful,” were the words of affirmation from one judge.
The Mediterranean-inspired gin sits at 43% ABV – an ABV one judge labelled as “spot on” – and is designed for any evening celebration, shaken or stirred in cocktails.
Booth’s London Dry Gin
Sazerac-owned Booth’s came away with one of the three Master medals handed out in the London Dry round of the second tasting, which is no small feat considering how stacked the competition was.
Booth’s might be an old hand with foundations that trace to 1740, but it’s got all the tools a London Dry needs to succeed in the present day. “Zesty and mineral with citric tang; laser finish with a lingering zesty fire” were the judge’s thoughts, and of course, the ability to “indulge any tonic thrown at it”.
It is distilled using traditional methods and packed with classical juniper character – a great option for the traditionalist who appreciates a throwback to the spirit’s glory days.
Pure Origin Tasmanian Pink Gin
Pink gin can get a bad rap, but this expression from Coles Liquor Group has other ideas.
The segment’s sole representative in this list is distilled in Tasmanian-made copper pot stills and brings in local botanicals such as Tasmanian pepper leaf and lemon myrtle.
Australian through and through, the expression snapped up a Gold medal for flavours of “light red fruits, rosewater and a hint of spice and juniper”. Beyond its lighter notes, it also has a “creamy, forest fruit pepperiness” on the palate. One judge also observed that this pink gin could have performed well in other categories: a testament to its versatility.
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