County Durham based WL Distillery have been awarded the Silver medal at the London Spirits Competition 2021 for their debut 1st Edition Gin. Now in its fourth year, the prestigious competition is an annual judging of international spirits organised by the Beverage Trade Network and the Silver medal is an ultimate endorsement in the global spirits industry
The independent small-batch producer, WL Distillery continues to make a splash in the gin market with nature at the forefront of their ethos. The distillery are just six months into production of their highly anticipated 1st Edition gin, a refreshing gin infusion boasting an indulgent aroma infused with garden botanicals, touches of apple, pear, raspberries, blackberries and those all-important juniper berries. The London Spirits Competition looks to recognise, reward and help promote spirits brands that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific spirits drinker. Spirits were judged on the basis of three primary criteria and WL Distillery scored highly in the three judging aspects of quality, value and packaging. Scott Wilson-Laing, WL Distillery said, “We are delighted that our 1st Edition Gin has been awarded Silver at such a prestigious spirits competition. Like many businesses 2020 was a difficult time which saw production put on hold due to the pandemic and a refocus in business strategy. We are just six months into production and the demand for our gin continues to be strong. We have a number of exciting plans in the pipeline and look forward to unveiling these in the coming months.” The judging panel of 2021 was drawn from leading spirits industry professionals with direct commercial buying responsibility. This establishes the winners at the competition to be agreeable to the on-premise trade and consumer alike and makes an award from the London Spirits Competition a coveted one. CEO Sid Patel of event organiser Beverage Trade Network said, “Spirits brands consumers are looking for an-round experience when drinking a spirit. The spirit needs to hit all the right notes to be enjoyed again and again. So, at the London Spirits Competition, we evaluate spirits that contribute to a spirit’s overall drinkability. Along with the quality, spirits are assessed for their appearance and value.” Scott Wilson-Laing, WL Distillery added, “We are committed to ensuring a fresh and classic authentic gin experience for customers. The Silver medal demonstrates that the spirits we are making are the kind that bar managers and mixologists want to stock and spirits drinkers enjoy drinking.” With ingredients taking centre stage, WL Distillery take great interest in nature and the beauty that it represents. Each bottle is infused with nature using handpicked, measured botanicals and natural mineral spring water to ensure the freshest, most authentic taste. The distillery is committed to combining their passion for gin with capturing the charm and nature of the region. Distilled in the North East, from start to finish the gin is expertly monitored and created, by hand in the distillery. Alongside the award-winning 1st Edition gin, the distillery found great success with their popular limited-edition Christmas and Valentine themed gin gift sets. With in-store presence in Fenwick’s over Christmas and listings in Vogue magazine, the explosion of flavours from the new distillery continues to be a hit with customers.