It's celebrations all round at Granite North HQ this week as the team achieve their second award since the launch of Granite North Gin in November 2017.
Granite North Gin has been awarded silver in the premium London Dry 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.
Granite North gin passed a scrupulous blind tasting by a world renowned expert panel of specialist judges to beat strong competition to win the prestigious accolade of silver.
Managing director, Sandy Matheson, developed the recipe of Granite North Gin originally in his City Centre flat, in a 3litre copper pot still. Now based on Mugiemoss Road, plans to develop their premises into a city centre distillery are well underway.
Sandy strived to create a gin that was inspired by the rugged landscapes of Scotland.
A careful combination of citrus, bay leaf and Grand Fir needles from the Cairngorms are balanced to create a smooth, London Dry style of gin, that is packed of flavour. Having won a 2 star Great Taste Award in their infancy last year, the team are delighted to add a silver ISC award to their success. Following the success of Granite North Gin, director, Kirstie Nisbet has plans to extend the range with further expressions later this year.
Awards organiser, Justin Smith said: “This ISC grows every year, with producers entering a diverse mix of spirits from across the globe who are looking to benchmark their spirit at the very highest level”.
For the Tasting Awards, a highly controlled operation is held over fifteen days of intense blind tastings by panels of more than 50 respected and experienced industry professionals. Samples are delivered to the judging area in flights of numbered tasting glasses to ensure the accuracy of the blind tasting. Each judge assesses products according to their age, region and variety which is then determined by the entrant and verified by the chairman. Such a precise judging process has provided the basis of the strong reputation the ISC has established for rewarding quality and celebrating excellence.
