The finalists have been named at the first ever Scottish Gin Cooperative Awards, with over 60 Scottish Gins set to go head to head over 13 different award categories. The announcement comes after a two-month judging period and more than 14,000 individual scores.
Over 60 expert judges decided which gins would win Gold, Silver and Bronze across various award categories including Best New Scottish Gin, Best Packaging and of course, Scottish Gin of the Year 2022.
Launched in May 2022, the inaugural The Gin Cooperative Awards 2022 saw entries from a range of Scotland’s gin brands and producers across an assortment of established and recognised gin styles; London Dry, Distilled, Old Tom, Cask Aged, Flavoured and Navy Strength were all well represented across the Scottish Gins entered.
The winners will be announced on Monday, August 29, 2022 via The Gin Cooperative website and social channels.
Each entry has undergone a rigorous and structured judging process looking at several key elements; the flavour of the entry neat, with a tonic accompaniment and a score for packaging.
The judging panel brought together award-winning mixologists, including Max Hayward from Lab 22 in Cardiff and Eleonora Biason, who is Head Bartender for the gin bar at the prestigious The Holburn Dining Room, London.
The panel also featured Scottish actor and author Sam Heughan, best known for his role as Jamie Fraser in the hit series Outlander; Sam is also founder of the award-winning The Sassenach malt.
Natalie Reid, Co-Founder of The Gin Cooperative, said: "We are hugely excited to announce the finalists of The Gin Co-operative Awards 2022; the results of a rigorous process which has seen a number of brands receive some very high scores. Our carefully selected judging panel has been brought together from the spirits and hospitality sectors along with consumers, writers and bloggers from Scotland’s exciting and diverse gin community.
"We’re seeing a continued renaissance of the spirit this year, with hundreds of entries coming from the length and breadth of Scotland, from urban distilleries to island producers. Scotland’s gin scene has never been livelier."
Martin Reid, Co-Founder of The Gin Cooperative said: "The Gin Cooperative Awards 2022 finalists this year reflect Scotland’s exciting and diverse gin industry and include some familiar, well-known Scottish gin brands and smaller producers and newcomers.
"The awards showcase a really strong variety of Scottish gins for consumers keen to find their new favourite gin or hospitality businesses looking to revive and refresh their gin selection at their restaurants or venues. Our finalists combine great-tasting liquids with eye-catching packaging and unique brand and product storytelling.”
Outlander actor, Sam Heughan tweeted from his Official Twitter account: "Delighted to be on the panel and celebrate our excellent Scottish spirits craftsmen and women".
The full list of finalists is available here.
Scottish Gin and Tonic Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Alexander’s Gin ( Alexander’s )
- eeNoo Gin ( Lost Loch Spirits )
- Farmer Strength Drovers Gin ( The Wee Farm Distillery )
- Foghouse Gin ( Foghouse Spirits )
- LinGin Dry ( Linlithgow Distillery )
- LoneWolf Peach & Passion Fruit Gin ( BrewDog Distilling Co. )
- Misty Isle Gin ( Isle of Skye Distillers )
- Persie Sweet & Nutty Old Tom Gin ( Persie Distillery )
- Shoogle Junniperous Navy Strength Gin ( Shoogle Spirits )
- Strathaven Hedgerow Gin ( McLean’s Gin )
Scottish Gin Packaging Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Biggar Strength Gin ( The Biggar Gin Co. )
- Crosskirk Bay Gin ( North Point Distillery )
- Downpour Scottish Dry Gin ( North Uist Distillery Co. )
- Hills & Harbour Gin ( Crafty Distillery )
- Isle of Harris Gin ( Isle of Harris Distillers )
- King’s Hill Gin ( The Pentland Still )
- Kirkjuvagr Aurora Spiced Orkney Gin ( Orkney Distilling )
- Lind & Lime Gin ( Lind & Lime Gin Distillery )
- LinGin Dry ( Linlithgow Distillery )
- The Botanist Gin ( The Botanist Gin )
New Scottish Gin Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Aatta Gin ( Orkney Gin Company )
- Biggar Cask Aged Gin ( The Biggar Gin Co. )
- Foghouse Gin ( Foghouse Spirits )
- Glaswegin Raspberry & Rhubarb Gin ( Courageous Spirits )
- Height of Arrows Bright Gin ( Holyrood Distillery )
- LBD Gin #projectQUERCUSACER ( Little Brown Dog Spirits )
- Oro Strawberry Gin ( The ORO Distilling Co.)
- Portknockie Indian Spiced Gin (Ketch Distillery)
- Sky Garden Gin ( Dark Art Distillery )
- Strathaven Hedgerow Gin ( McLean’s Gin )
London Dry Scottish Gin Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Aatta Gin ( Orkney Gin Company )
- Alexander’s Gin ( Alexander’s )
- Devil’s Staircase Gin ( Pixel Spirits )
- Downpour Scottish Dry Gin ( North Uist Distillery Co. )
- eeNoo Gin ( Lost Loch Spirits )
- Isle of Harris Gin ( Isle of Harris Distillers )
- Lind & Lime Gin ( Lind & Lime Gin Distillery )
- LinGin Dry ( Linlithgow Distillery )
- Sky Garden Gin ( Dark Art Distillery )
- SOS Gin Scotland’s Other Spirit ( SOS Gin )
Distilled Scottish Gin Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Biggar Herbaceous Gin ( The Biggar Gin Co. )
- Clydesdale Gin Artist Edition ( The Wee Farm Distillery )
- Foghouse Gin ( Foghouse Spirits )
- Height of Arrows Bright Gin ( Holyrood Distillery )
- Isle of Raasay Gin ( Isle of Raasay Distillery )
- Misty Isle Gin ( Isle of Skye Distillers )
- Portknockie Indian Spiced Gin (Ketch Distillery)
- Restoration Gin ( Isle of Cumbrae Distillers )
- Strathaven Hedgerow Gin ( McLean’s Gin )
- Tipple Gin ( Tipple Spirits Company )
Old Tom Scottish Gin Award 2022 Finalists are:
- 1881 Garden Gin Summer Edition ( 1881 Distillery )
- Height of Arrows Heavy Gin ( Holyrood Distillery )
- Mackintosh Old Tom Gin ( Mackintosh Gin )
- Makar Old Tom Gin ( The Glasgow Distillery Company )
- Misty Isle ‘Pink’ Old Tom Gin ( Isle of Skye Distillers )
- Persie Sweet & Nutty Old Tom Gin ( Persie Distillery )
Cask Aged Scottish Gin Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Biggar Cask Aged Gin ( The Biggar Gin Co. )
- LBD Gin #projectQUERCUSACER ( Little Brown Dog Spirits )
- Makar Mulberry Aged Gin ( The Glasgow Distillery Company )
- Up Helly Aa 2022 Rum Cask Aged Gin ( Shetland Reel )
Navy Strength Scottish Gin Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Biggar Strength Gin ( The Biggar Gin Co. )
- Crossbill 200 Single Specimen Dry Gin 2021 ( Crossbill Distilling )
- Darnley’s Spiced Gin Navy Strength Edition ( Darnley’s Gin )
- Farmer Strength Drovers Gin ( The Wee Farm Distillery )
- LBD Gin Latitude Strength ( Little Brown Dog Spirits )
- Mackintosh Mariner Strength Gin ( Mackintosh Gin )
- Shoogle Junniperous Navy Strength Gin ( Shoogle Spirits )
- Tarbert Legbiter Navy Strength Gin ( Beinn an Tuirc )
Flavoured Scottish Gin Award 2022 Finalists are:
- 1881 Rafters Gin Subtly Smoked ( 1881 Distillery )
- Aberdeen Scottish Bramble Gin ( City of Aberdeen Distillery )
- Caorunn Blood Orange Gin ( Caorunn )
- Ellis No.5 Lemon Gin ( Ellis Gin )
- Glaswegin Raspberry & Rhubarb Gin ( Courageous Spirits )
- HRAFN Gin ‘Cranachan’ ( Raven Spirits )
- LoneWolf Peach & Passion Fruit Gin ( BrewDog Distilling Co. )
- Oro Strawberry Gin ( The ORO Distilling Co. )
- Persie Spaniel Gin ( Persie Distillery )
- Vara Gin ( Deerness Distillery )
Industry Judges Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Aatta Gin ( Orkney Gin Company )
- Devil’s Staircase Gin ( Pixel Spirits )
- Fidra Gin ( Fidra )
- Glaswegin Raspberry & Rhubarb Gin ( Courageous Spirits )
- LBD Gin Latitude Strength ( Little Brown Dog Spirits )
- LinGin Dry ( Linlithgow Distillery )
- Lussa Gin ( Lussa Drinks Company )
- Portknockie Indian Spiced Gin (Ketch Distillery)
- Rock Rose Gin ( Dunnet Bay Distillers )
- Strathaven Hedgerow Gin ( McLean’s Gin )
Community Judges Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Aatta Gin ( Orkney Gin Company )
- Aberdeen Lemon & Lime Gin ( City of Aberdeen Distillery )
- Alexander’s Gin ( Alexander’s )
- Crossbill 200 Single Specimen Dry Gin 2021 ( Crossbill Distilling )
- Foghouse Gin ( Foghouse Spirits )
- Isle of Harris Gin ( Isle of Harris Distillers )
- LBD Gin Latitude Strength ( Little Brown Dog Spirits )
- Misty Isle Gin ( Isle of Skye Distillers )
- Oro Strawberry Gin ( The ORO Distilling Co. )
- Roehill Springs Gin No 5 ( Roehill Springs Distillery )
Consumer Judges Award 2022 Finalists are:
- Alexander’s Gin ( Alexander’s )
- Cairngorm Gin (Cairngorm Gin Company Cairngorm Gin Company )
- HRAFN Gin ‘Valkyrie’ ( Raven Spirits )
- LBD Gin #projectQUERCUSACER ( Little Brown Dog Spirits )
- LinGin Dry ( Linlithgow Distillery )
- Shetland Reel Zesty Gin ( Shetland Reel )
- Sky Garden Gin ( Dark Art Distillery )
- SOS Gin Scotland’s Other Spirit ( SOS Gin )
- Tipple Gin ( Tipple Spirits Company )
- Vara Gin ( Deerness Distillery )
Don't miss the top culture and heritage stories from around Scotland. Sign up to our twice weekly Scotland Now newsletter here.
READ MORE:
The four Scottish villages named among the 'poshest' places to live in UK
25 Scottish words and phrases for the weather from smirry to dreich
