Today in our highlights of the Bartenders' Brand Awards 2023, we present the gin category.
With so many entries, our gin sessions took place over two days. By the end, it was a gin that was known to the panel that took top spot – not that they knew that when they blind-scored it a gold.
That gin was Ian Macleod Distillers’ Edinburgh Cannonball, which was lovingly described as “amazing, great and beautiful – a whole mouthful of gin”. With an abv to melt nostril hair (57.2%) and an rrp of £40, it took gold again on value for money and a high-scoring silver on design.
Our panel likes a punchy abv – and that’s something our top two gins share. Elephant Navy Strength was 57% too. A point back with a total of 82/100, this “citrussy, balanced” gin impressed, also on value for money (“for that abv, they’ve nailed the price”).
Edinburgh Seaside Gin did what it said on the tin, with judges giving a high-ranking silver for its seaweed, saline flavours. The design was considered “in keeping and clean” and the rrp judged “accessible”.
Suntory’s Roku came fourth with a silver medal in taste, and golds in design (“it resonates; beautiful”) and value for money. Stranger & Sons Gin took the same points, but was edged out on historical performance.
The panel loved the “complex spicing”, thought the design ideal for the fl avour profi le and it off ered bang for buck.
The Bartenders' Brand Awards follows a three-step process to mirror buying behaviour, with each product blind-tasted, judged on value for money and by design. For more on the methodology behind the BBAs, read more here.