While some purists might turn their nose up at the idea of a flavoured gin, the genre has come on leaps and bounds in recent years – using additional flavours to complement the true juniper character of the spirit at hand, rather than overwhelm it.
The best examples are often fruity twists on the spirit, where the sweetness of additional flavourings is balanced with botanicals integral to the spirit. These spirits are ideal for pairing with tonic water for a true thirst-quencher, and their often-vibrant colour in the glass doesn’t do any harm, either. While the best flavoured gin from the IWSC reflects this trend and champions some better known styles of flavoured gin – the award-winners listed below also reflect some surprising innovations and twists on the category.
Showcasing this innovation, the top scoring gin on the list is Junipero’s Smoked Rosemary Gin. With 96 points and a gold medal, the judges were intrigued by the palate which ‘reveals smoked rosemary, juniper, and hints of fresh lemon.’ Representing those big and bold fruit flavours, Caorunn’s Scottish Raspberry Gin took home a gold medal and 95 points, with judges praising the ‘bright raspberry nose with beautiful authentic raspberry on the sweet palate’.
The list from the IWSC proves the recent improvements in flavoured gin are very much a global affair, with bottles from Vietnam, Poland, and Argentina taking up the top thirteen spots. Read on to discover the best flavoured gins to drink right now, all award-winners at the IWSC 2024.
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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13 top flavoured gins from the IWSC 2024
Junipero, Junipero Smoked Rosemary Gin
Balmenach Distillery, Caorunn Scottish Raspberry Gin
Settlers Spirits, Yuzu Gin
Old Carrick Mill Distillery, Mo Chara Passionfruit & Mango Gin
Good Gin Company Sp. z o.o., Heritage Baltic Gin
DiBaldo Spirits, Au79 Saffron Gin
Sông Cái Distillery, Sông Cái Spiced Roselle Flavored Gin
L&H Craft Subotica, Ginfinity Illusion Gin
Norwich Dry Gin Company, St. Giles Mandarin And Passion Fruit Gin
Domenis 1898, GinRose
Runa, Maracuya & Miel Gin
Section 44 Distillery, Masala Gin
Nong Distillery Co., Dried Smoked Longan Gin
