The Spirits Business Gin Masters
Gin is still popular and the amount of gin entries at this year’s Gin Masters tell us that.
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
GINOLOGIST ORIENT
SA Craft Gin Awards 2021
The SA Craft Gin Awards is the first dedicated competition for craft spirits in South Africa and were created to celebrate them & promote their talents. Double Gold Awards were awarded to Gin Outstanding Brands
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
GINOLOGIST ORIENT
Best of Category Winners: London / African Dry
SA Women’s Wine & Spirit Awards 2021
The luxurious Lanzerac Hotel and Spa hosted the sixth SA Women’s Wine & Spirit Awards. Michelle Grimbeek, the convenor of adjudicators, and her team received the all-female panel consisting of some of South Africa’s finest palates during the first week of October 2021.
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
GINOLOGIST PINA COLADA SUMMER CUP
Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards 2021
A total of 1890 wines and spirits were entered, including entries from various countries in Eastern Europe as well as Australia, Switzerland, Kenya, Zambia, Namibia and the UK. Wines were the predominance of entries whereas in the spirits category 104 gins and 23 rums were received.
Now, in its 24th year, the competition remains unique in South Africa, in that all judges are hand-picked experts, representing all seven continents. Since the start of the competition in 1997, more than 170 different judges from 46 countries (more recently including Russia, Romania and China) have served on the panel. All entries are judged blind by panels of 5 or 6 judges, using the 100-point international recognised OIV judging system. Amidst the bans and lockdown regulations of the Covid-19 pandemic, they represented the cream of South Africa’s wine and spirits industry.
Gold: Michelangelo Gold medal winners are awarded at least 89 points out of a possible 100, putting these 599 fantastic products in the top 31% of all entries received in 2021.
Silver: For a Michelangelo entry to earn a silver medal it has to score at least 86 out of a possible 100 points. This year our panels awarded 24 silver medals to absolutely sublime wines and spirits.
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
GINOLOGIST ORIENT
The Merit Wine and Spirit Challenge 2021
The third Merit Wine and Spirit Challenge took place at the end of September 2021. The jury sat down at the Conference Centre at Klein Joostenberg, Stellenbosch, to adjudicate quality and value entries. The focus of this event is to give the younger generation of wine and spirit consumers a voice. Often wine and spirit panellists are older and not in touch with the preferences of the younger generation.
Millennials do not have the same tastes as their parents, nor did they grow up in an era with limited choices dominated by a few major producers. They are more experimental, not influenced by tradition, and are on the way to becoming an influential, fine-wine consuming generation. That is why the convenor of adjudicators, Celia Gilloway, selected a majority of younger panellists. The continued growth of this event is an acknowledgement of the unique features that are filling a need in the South African industry. Several high-end wines and spirits were entered, as well as several value offerings.
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
GINOLOGIST ORIENT
Old Mutual Trophy Spirits Show 2021
Providing consumers with information on the best spirits in South Africa. Discernment of future value defines both the role which Old Mutual plays in the lives of South Africa’s investment community and the role the show plays for the country’s spirits and liqueur enthusiasts.
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
Bronze
GINOLOGIST ORIENT
Bronze
Cathay Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition 2021
The Wine & Spirit Competition in Hong Kong is your go-to for quality international wines and spirits, especially if you are looking to break into the Asian Market.
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
GINOLOGIST ORIENT
Melbourne International Spirits Competition Announces 2021
In their 8th year of judging the Melbourne International Spirits Competition, they were excited to see a record number of submissions from around the world. Their trade buyers judged entries remotely.
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
Bronze
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
SILVER
Berlin International Spirits Competition 2021
The 8th Annual Berlin International Spirits Competition was flooded with over 250 spirits from 16 different countries. The trade-buyers looked at the quality and diversity of all these spirits.
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
Silver
GINOLOGIST SPICE
Silver
SOUTH AFRICA GIN OF THE YEAR
Old Mutual Trophy Spirits Show 2019
Providing consumers with information on the best spirits in South Africa. Discernment of future value defines both the role which Old Mutual plays in the lives of South Africa’s investment community and the role the show plays for the country’s spirits and liqueur enthusiasts.
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
Gold
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
Gold
International Spirits Challenge
Ginologist Spice has been awarded a Silver Medal in the Premium Gin category at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2019. Such an accolade from the ISC is regarded to be the most respected and sought after in the drinks industry, due to the stringent nature of the judging process.
Ginologist Spice passed a scrupulous blind tasting by a world renowned expert panel of specialist judges to beat strong competition to win the prestigious accolade of a Silver Medal. The quality of Ginologist Spice’s craftsmanship and liquid is reflected in this superb result.
For a full list of categories and sub categories, visit
http://www.internationalspiritschallenge.com/isc2018/en/page/entry-categories
About the Awards
Winning an ISC award is indeed an impressive achievement for any spirit that passes the scrupulous blind assessment from our expert panel of specialist judges.
Sunday Times: Ginologist Voted SA’s Best Gin!
Our intrepid judges tasted more than 70 international and local gins and narrowed the field down to four finalists in the local category and four finalists in the international category from which one gin was selected in each category as the overall winner.
LOCAL GINS
WINNER: GINOLOGIST FLORAL GIN
Tasting notes: Rose geranium-led floral infusion with a lingering flavour finishing with a soft dryness as orange blossom notes come through. Ideal for those who prefer to serve gin with light tonics or soda water.
Distiller: Craft Link Distillery, Joburg
Serving suggestion: Pour 25ml of Ginologist Floral gin into a glass of your choice and add some blueberries, a sprig of rosemary and top up with Indian tonic of your choice.
Old Mutual Trophy Spirits Show 2018
Providing consumers with information on the best spirits in South Africa. Discernment of future value defines both the role which Old Mutual plays in the lives of South Africa’s investment community and the role the show plays for the country’s spirits and liqueur enthusiasts.
GINOLOGIST CITRUS
GINOLOGIST FLORAL
GINOLOGIST SPICE
