The results: Asia gin masters 2022

This year’s Gin Masters competition showed that countries all over the globe have met the challenge of creating exciting expressions featuring local ingredients, as Alice Liang discovers.

The Asia Gin Masters 2022 competition saw a panel of expert judges blind-taste more than 30 gins of various styles from around the world. The results showed that the gins on offer were diverse, and offering many appealing qualities.

“Even though the gin craze may seem to be subsiding a bit in the Asia Pacific region, gin remains a popular bar staple,” said Kai Ng, bar manager at Hong Kong’s Quinary. “For example, in Singapore, drinkers are rather health conscious, and so they are likely to go after the refreshing profile of gin.”

In the world of spirits, styles from Japan have become increasingly popular. As well as whisky, Japanese gin has swept across the world in recent years. The Kyoto Distillery, hailed as the producer of the first Japanese gin, won two medals in this year’s competition. The Ki No Bi Sei navy strength gin bagged a Master medal, our top accolade. “This gin shows a clean nose and great structure. As a classic navy strength, for such a price (HK$450-HK$500), it offers amazing value,” said judge Ivan Chang, general manager at Hong Kong’s Two Moons Distillery. The Kyoto Distillery’s seocnd entry in the competition, Ki No Tea Kyoto Dry Gin, again in the price range of HK$450-HK$500, won a Gold medal, the classic dry gin shining. brightly in its all-round stellar performance.

Another Master winner went to Vildkatt By Sweden, made by Brand Star Alliance Sweden. The gin is a blend of cask-aged gins from two different barrels, one Bourbon barrel and one Swedish oak barrel. Only 50 bottles were released in Sweden in the first batch. “The toasty butterscotch note of the gin is very charming; overall it is a very complex gin,” Ng said.

In this competition, Gold accolades were given to producers who triumphed in making affordable gin that offered superb value. These included: South Africa’s Ginologist Orient (HK$140); Canada’s Fou Gin (HK$232); and India’s Stranger & Sons Gin (HK$378).

Among the other Gold winners, all priced between HK$350-HK$450, the judges were thrilled by some of the intriguing production stories that are taking place worldwide. Grace gin is a handcrafted expression distilled in Greece, and offers incredible value. Ng noted: “The gin carries a dominant note of juniper berries, topped with hints of ground peppercorn. Creamy and rich, the nose and palate combine to give a consistent journey.”

Spain’s Alkkemist Gin places emphasis on the influence of the full moon in its production processes, and Ng spotted interesting flavours such as lemongrass and muscat grape. He believes these will appeal to Asian palates.

Scottish brand Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin is produced using spring water, distilled and bottled at the family-owned, purpose-built Glenrinnes Distillery, and the result is a “balanced, pure and focused classic dry gin with a very pronounced juniper berries aroma”, said Chang.

Renowned Sydney distillery Archie Rose won five Silver medals in this competition, for its five distinctive gin expressions, namely Signature Dry Gin, Bone Dry Gin, Distiller’s Strength Gin, Sunrise Lime Gin Harvest 2020, and Lemon Scented Gum.

For all the medal-winning gins from this year’s competition see below:

Premium

Company	Product Name	Medal
HK$350–HK$450
LKC Drinks/Λox Katpin Avantes Distillery	Grace Gin	Gold
Archie Rose Distilling Co.	Signature Dry Gin	Silver
HK$500–HK$550
Archie Rose Distilling Co.	Distiller’s Strength Gin	Silver

Ultra Premium

Company	Product Name	Medal
HK$350–HK$450
Junimperium Distillery	Junimperium Sloe Gin	Silver
Junimperium Distillery	Junimperium Cherry Edition Gin	Silver
Innovation Premium Brands	Alkkemist Gin	Gold
Junimperium Distillery	Junimperium Blended Dry Gin	Silver
Alasdair Locke and Alex Christou	Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin	Gold
HK$450–HK$500
The Kyoto Distillery	Ki No Tea Kyoto Dry Gin	Gold
HK$1,000–HK$1,100
Brand Star Alliance Sweden	Vildkatt By Sweden	Silver

London Dry

Company	Product Name	Medal
HK$100–HK$150
Craft Link/Ginologist	Ginologist Citrus	Silver
Craft Link/Ginologist	Ginologist Orient	Gold
HK$200–HK$300
Wolf Lane Distillery	Wolf Lane Distillery Queensland Dry	Silver
DS Concepts	Votanikon Gin	Silver
HK$300–HK$400
Tiger Gin	Tiger Gin	Silver
Highclere Castle Spirits	Highclere Castle Gin	Silver
HK$450–HK$500
Archie Rose Distilling Co.	Bone Dry Gin	Silver

Old Tom

Company	Product Name	Medal
HK$300–HK$350
Liquorsmiths	Old Tom 6	Silver

Contemporary

Company	Product Name	Medal
HK$200–HK$250
Les Spiritueux SCR Inc.	Fou Gin	Gold
Wolf Lane Distillery	Wolf Lane Distillery Tropical Gin	Silver
HK$300–HK$400
Catford Gin	Catford Gin	Silver
Third Eye Distillery	Stranger & Sons Gin	Gold
Nao Spirits and Beverages	Hapusa Himalayan Dry Gin	Silver
HK$450–HK$500
Archie Rose Distilling Co.	Sunrise Lime Gin Harvest 2020	Silver
Archie Rose Distilling Co.	Lemon Scented Gum	Silver

Cask-Aged

Company	Product Name	Medal
HK$1,000–HK$1,100
Brand Star Alliance Sweden	Vildkatt By Sweden	Master

Navy Strength

Company	Product Name	Medal
HK$450–HK$500
The Kyoto Distillery	Ki No Bi Sei	Master

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