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 – such as Sloe Gin and Pink Gin – the award-winners listed below also reflect some innovations in the category.
Take the ‘decadent’ Jaffa Cake Gin, styled on the zesty, chocolatey snack and consequently awarded 95/100 points by judges; or Haysmith’s rhubarb and ginger gin, which scored 98/100, a balanced beauty of a flavoured gin available at Aldi supermarkets. Plus. Four Pillars, Gyre & Gimble and Australian Distilling Co’s gins showcase how distilleries based in parts of the world known for their winemaking are incorporating famous flavours from the vineyard into their spirits – infusing premium grapes into unique ‘wine gins’. Read on to discover the best flavoured gins to drink right now, all award-winners at the IWSC 2023.
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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15 top flavoured gins from the IWSC 2023
