The Gin Guide Awards 2021 - Entry Categories

The Gin Guide Awards 2023 - Entry Categories

The Gin Guide Awards celebrates gins and distilleries through the following sets of categories. Please ensure you have read the full descriptions of each category before entering your gin(s) to ensure that they are placed in the most suitable category:

Tasting Categories
Geographic categories
Design & Branding categories
Environmental Sustainability categories
Distillery of the Year Award, New Distillery of the Year Award, and Product of the Year Award
The Gin To My Tonic Bursary Award

After the Judging process for each tasting category, Finalists are first selected and announced before the global Winners are then named. Highly Commended Gins are also named as well as the highest scoring gin from each continent and country. The number of Finalists and Winners in each category is determined by the number of entrants in the category and the number of those gins which achieve a score above the thresholds to be a Finalist and then a Winner. If you are unsure if your gin is eligible for a category, please contact awards@theginguide.com before entering.

Tasting Categories

These categories are defined by the taste, character and quality of the gin:

Traditional Gin: Unmistakably juniper-forward gins with traditional flavour profiles and botanicals (e.g. juniper, angelica root, orris root, coriander seeds, citrus) and without prominence of contemporary botanicals. Submitted gins must be traditional in taste and may be produced using traditional or contemporary production methods. Minimum 37.5% ABV.
Contemporary Gin: Gins with prominent juniper alongside non-traditional botanicals or flavour profiles (e.g. bold floral or herbal profiles). Submitted gins must be contemporary in taste and may be produced using traditional or contemporary production methods. Excludes Flavoured/ or Infused Gins and Barrel Aged Gins. Minimum 37.5% ABV.
High ABV / Navy Strength Gin: Gins bottled at 54% ABV or above (max. 70% ABV).
Flavoured / Infused Gin: Gins with identifiable juniper and prominent natural flavours of fruit or other botanicals from which flavour is achieved through distillation, infusion or blending. Excludes gin liqueurs. Minimum 37.5% ABV.
Sloe Gin: Gins infused with sloes as the prominent flavour. ABV must be between 25% and 45% ABV.
Spiced Gin: Gins with clearly identifiable juniper and a prominent focus on a combination of spice botanicals. Minimum 37.5% ABV.
Old Tom Gin: Gins in the traditional Old Tom style, sweetened botanically or post-distillation. If the gin is not labelled as an Old Tom, please contact the team to confirm suitability for this category. Excludes Flavoured Gins. Minimum 37.5% ABV.
Aged Gin: Gins aged in wooden barrels or aged with wood chips or staves. Minimum 37.5% ABV.

International Awards

These categories are defined by the distillation location of the gin:

African Gin: Gins distilled and bottled within Africa.
Asian Gin: Gins distilled and bottled within Asia.
Australasian Gin: Gins distilled and bottled within Australia or New Zealand.
British Gin: Gins distilled and bottled within Britain.
European Gin: Gins distilled and bottled within Europe (inc. Britain).
North American Gin: Gins distilled and bottled within the USA or Canada.
South & Central American Gin: Gins distilled and bottled within South America, Central America or the Caribbean.

Additional Country Categories: Additional national and regional Awards are awarded for all countries and geographical regions from which the threshold number of entries are received. For example, see the 2022 International Awards results.

Distillery & Product Awards

These categories are Awarded to distilleries entering multiple products and achieving the highest average scores across their entries:

Distillery of the Year Award: Awarded to the distillery whose gin range (3 or more entries across 2 or more categories in The Gin Guide Awards 2023) has achieved the highest average score. The Winner receives the coveted Glencairn Glass 'Distillery of the Year 2023' Trophy.
New Distillery of the Year Award: Awarded to the distillery launched in 2022 whose gins (2 or more entries in The Gin Guide Awards 2023) have achieved the highest average score. The Winner receives the coveted Glencairn Glass 'New Distillery of the Year 2023' Trophy.

Product of the Year Award: Awarded to the gin which achieves the highest combined score from its blind tasting category together with the Design & Branding category.

Design & Sustainability Awards

Design & Branding Award (additional cost - £90): For the gins with the most outstanding combination of branding, bottling, labelling, presentation and related brand activity and materials. Judged by gin industry professionals and specialists in spirits marketing, PR, retail and merchandising.
Environmental Sustainability Award (no additional cost): For the gins most effectively, uncompromisingly, innovatively and measurably introducing and using processes and materials for the purposes of environmental sustainability, waste reduction and limiting environmental impact. Judged by industry specialists and sustainability experts.

You will be contacted after entry for additional information to support your entry into these categories.

Industry Choice Awards

The following categories are not open for entry and are shortlisted and voted for by The Gin Guide judging panel, industry writers and bloggers:

The Spirit of Gin Award
Industry Choice Award - Gin
Industry Choice Award - Distillery
Industry Choice Award - Event
Industry Choice Award - Innovation

The Gin to My Tonic Bursary Award

This hugely valuable award is presented to a tasting category Winner in The Gin Guide Awards 2023 and is selected by The Gin To My Tonic team and Head Judge, Paul Jackson, based on detailed criteria including Judging scores and characteristics of branding and future potential. With the aim of nurturing and supporting up-and-coming distilleries, the Winner will benefit from a generous program of promotional activities with The Gin To My Tonic, such as a free stand at one of TGTMT's flagship shows, inclusion in a TGTMT virtual gin tasting, and being stocked behind TGTMT's festival bars.

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