The Scottish Gin Awards, which are sponsored by the Scottish Gin Society, a new national online community which celebrates Scottish gin, have launched with a promise to recognise achievements in gin distilling and product innovation across the country.
Scotland now produces over 70 per cent of the gin consumed in the UK and exports are predicted to outsell whisky by 2020.
The awards, which are free to enter, will see entrants go up in front of an independent judging panel which includes some of the foremost gin experts in the UK who will decide the winners of 12 categories which cover both business achievements and taste.
Society founder, Stephen White, commented: “The Scottish Gin Awards will give Scottish producers a fantastic opportunity for further business growth at a national and international level.
"Gin exports are at an all-time high and predicted to increase further so winning one of these awards will give Scottish gins further distinction and positive sales advantage.”
Geraldine Coates, founder of GinTime, and one of the UK’s most highly regarded gin experts has been appointed as a judge. She commented: “This is a terrific idea which will really help to identify and reward hard working Scottish distillers. I would encourage all gin companies which are eligible to enter to come forward and take advantage of the many opportunities this competition will bring.”
The competition will be operated under strict tasting conditions, supervised by the internationally regarded sensory management consultancy Cara Technology.
Six categories of gins will be tasted and these are:
• Cask/Aged Gin
• London Dry Gin
• Navy Strength
• Distilled Gin
• Gin Liqueur
• Speciality Gin.
Business performance such as innovation, export, marketing and design and business growth will also be judged. Businesses interested in engaging with the awards can register for updates on www.scottishginawards.co.uk.
