Which north distillers were cream of the crop at Scottish Gin Awards?

North Uist Distillery in the Western Isles won the top honour at the latest annual “Oscars” for Scotland’s gin-makers.

It was crowned distillery of the year for a second year in a row at the seventh annual Scottish Gin Awards in Glasgow.

Judges hailed it as a “formidable business with an impressive range of gins”.

The Hebridean distillery also scooped the award for best new product for its Downpour Coast & Croft gin.

And its Downpour Pink was named “Old Tom” gin of the year.

More north gin successes

Meanwhile, North Point Distillery in Forss, Caithness, triumphed in the category  for excellence in sustainability.

It also won a gold “taste” medal in the London dry category for its Crosskirk Bay gin.

Great Glen Distillery in Drumnadrochit – reputedly Scotlands smallest craft distillery- won the pink gin of the year gold medal.

Fassfern Distillery, near Fort William, won the category for festive gin of the year.

And in yet another coup for north gin-making, Isle of Barra Distillers came out on top in the category for excellence in packaging.

The Scottish Gin Awards is the one of the largest competitions do its kind in the UK.

Winners were chosen after a blind tasting of nearly 200 gins, all distilled in Scotland.

Judging panel chairman Adam Hardie, partner and head of food and drink at Aberdeen-based accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael, said: “It continues to be a very tough and challenging year but many are not just surviving but excelling.

“For success in business we need formidable leadership, strong brands, great tasting products, good distribution and profitable growth.  Congratulations to all the finalists and winners.

“We wish them future success on the back of these well-deserved awards.”

Kirsten Speirs, director of KDMedia and founder of the accolades, said: “The Scottish Gin Awards continues to highlight achievements in gin distilling at a national level.

“Wise gin drinkers will see that these gins are the best made in Scotland right now and shop with the knowledge they come highly recommended by our gin experts from across in the UK.”

The winners:

• Scottish gin distillery of the year  – North Uist Distillery
• Excellence in branding – Persie Distillery
• Excellence in sustainability – North Point Distillery
• Excellence in packaging – Isle of Barra Distillers
• Gin tourist destination of the year – Beinn an Tuirc Distillers
• Ready to drink product of the year – Angels Dare Cocktails, Cheeky Wee Kiss
• Best new product of the year – North Uist Distillery, Downpour Coast & Croft
• London dry gin of the year – North Point Distillery, Crosskirk Bay
• Distilled gin of the year – Edinburgh Gin, Seaside
• Citrus flavoured gin of the year –  Edinburgh Gin, Orange & Basil
• Herb and spice flavoured gin of the year – Linlithgow Distillery, Four Marys Subtly Spiced
• High strength gin of the year – The Biggar Gin Company, Biggar Strength
• Pink gin of the year – Great Glen Distillery, Premium Pink
• Festive gin of the year – Fassfern Distillery, Christmas Gin
• Old Tom of the year – North Uist Distillery, Downpour Pink
• Gin liqueur of the year – Summerhall Distillery, Pickering’s Sloe Gin
• Cask gin of the year – Linlithgow Distillery, LinGin Cask Aged #3 (Oloroso)
• Flavoured gin of the year – Lanark Distillery, Corra Linn Handcrafted Scottish Raspberry Gin