DAVID T. SMITH

GUEST COLUMNIST CAROLINE ASHFORD

GOING FOR GOLD

Inside the world of spirits judging

It often feels like gin competition results are announced every day, with winners proudly splashing their success across their social media platforms. With so many awards, one might ask, are there too many? Does everyone walk away with a medal? Would it make you choose one gin over another? the same medal as a distillery they admire.

Not all competitions are created equal. At worst, some are merely a money-making scheme for the organisers; at their best, they can reveal some of the best spirits around, scored by experienced judges. I have to admit that I have some skin in the game. I’ ve been judging competitions since 2017 and now judge for the World Gin Awards, Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, and American Distilling Institute Spirits Competition. The San Francisco World Spirits Awards and International Wine and Spirits Competition are two other highly valued competitions. Gin competitions are meticulously organised. Prior to the start of judging, gins are tasted by stewards to determine the order in which they should be tasted. Generally, spirits are ordered by ABV and Judges come from various backgrounds: distillers (not judging their own spirits, of course!), master blenders, chefs, journalists and writers are often invited onto panels. The best competitions not only have judges with vast experience, but also from different locations around the world. You would be surprised how palates vary between countries, which is useful for offering up new perspectives on a spirit. A chair of judges is appointed to oversee proceedings and can be called upon to offer advice, or a second opinion when judges cannot agree. Gins are delivered to judges for evaluation and tasted in the same way as in a wine competition – you spit the liquid out once you’ ve tasted it. We go back to each gin a few times before giving a score. How gins are scored varies between competitions, but generally marks are awarded for appearance, aroma, palate, balance and medals are generally awarded for 74–81.9 points, silver 82–89.9 and gold 90–100. Double gold medals are awarded when all the judges on a panel award a gold medal. A good competition will insist that judges also provide feedback on each spirit, offering distillers the chance to consider making adjustments to their process. This silver medal or higher in future. Some distillers use competitions as a way of ‘benchmarking’ their gins – seeing how they perform against other similar

For a new brand, a great result can really propel a business forward. Media interest is vital when cutting through on social media is a challenge and marketing budgets are limited. A newsworthy result can also open doors with previously elusive retailers and thereby have a direct impact on sales. Tim Boast, distiller at Never ... at their best, they can reveal Never Distilling Co., shared his some of the best spirits around, perspective wi an award can th be me: an “Winning incredible scored by experienced judges validation that our gins by more people than are our liked own mums, but in all seriousness, we set out to become a global brand and awards are one way of us knowing that we are on the right path. ” London in June that discussed awards and medals, and it was clear from questions asked by the audience that there is a lack of understanding about how spirits are scored. If this is truly the case, then more information and transparency must be made available to consumers. One thing is for sure: tasting gin is a subjective experience. I love gins my friends dislike and vice versa. A swathe of medals across a label is no guarantee that you will enjoy a particular gin. I would always recommend you try before you commit to buying a whole bottle!

This page: Gin Pearl variation, Rhubarb and Custard Old Fashioneds, and a Brandy Alexander from Dessert Cocktails

Gin writers launch dessert cocktails collection

Renowned gin writers and judges Keli Rivers and David T. Smith are hoping to satisfy to your sweet tooth with their new cocktail book. Dessert Cocktails is a collection of 40 recipes for occasions that call for sweet liquid indulgence, whether as a grown-up alternative to dessert or a cocktail hour treat.

From chocolate, caramel and coffee, to fruity is a dessert cocktail here to suit all tastes. While gin cocktails are a focus, the book also features other spirits including American and Scotch whiskies, vodka and rum. It includes classics such as the White Russian and Gin Alexander alongside original recipes including the Colorado Bulldog, Hot Apple Crumble, and a Rhubarb and Custard Old Fashioned. For the ultimate dessert treat, there are even ice cream drinks such as the White Cargo.

David T. Smith is a drinks writer, consultant, and judge for spirits competitions including the World Gin Awards and the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). He is Gin Magazine’s contributing editor and, in 2021, became the seventh inductee in the magazine’s Hall of Fame. Brooklyn, New York resident Keli Rivers has almost 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, including at worldrenowned San Francisco bar Whitechapel. She is currently Sipsmith’s US brand ambassador.

The duo teamed up last year to write Negroni, a collection of 30 classic and original recipes for this world-famous Italian cocktail.

Dessert Cocktails, published by Ryland Peters & Small, is available from mid-August (RRP £8.99).