The gin craze might have mellowed somewhat in recent years but it’s far from disappearing completely. Instead, consumers searching for new ways to quench their thirst have turned to the intriguing style of cask-aged gin. The method has seen a significant rise in production over the last decade, gaining a reputation as a more complex, nuanced expression of the spirit, often found at the premium end of the market.
Placing gin into wooden casks is far from revolutionary; the juniper-based spirit has been put into barrels for journeys across the sea for decades, often arriving at its destination with a newly acquired golden hue and a more mellow flavour to boot. Yet the actual intentional cask-ageing of gin is a relatively new phenomenon. Once distilled, producers can choose to rest their liquid in barrel, with the spirit gradually taking on flavours and tannins from the wood over time.
With less restrictions and rules surrounding cask-aged gin than those that exist in the world of Scotch or bourbon, for example, distillers can experiment with the type of wood they use,and with the length of time they leave their liquid to rest – resulting in a variety of flavours, as well as colours, emerging among the category.
Sitting at the top of the list below of the best cask-aged gins from the IWSC 2025 is a gin from Wales. Cygnet Distillery’s Cygnet 77 Oak Aged Gin won a gold medal and was described by IWSC judges as possessing an ‘inviting aroma of meadow flowers and creamy vanilla’.
Australia and the UK are two countries that helped pioneer the style and both countries make several appearances on the list. However, reflecting that this has become a truly global category, there are producers from Croatia, Sweden, New Zealand, Argentina, France and Australia all featuring on the list of the best cask-aged gin from the IWSC 2025.
HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE SPIRITS?
We run a tightly structured, rigorous spirits tasting process. That means that each spirit sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC spirit judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the drinks industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.
HOW DO WE SCORE THESE SPIRITS?
Only the best spirits sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, spirits have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.
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The top cask-aged gin from the IWSC 2025
