Sweden’s much-famed Hernö Distillery cleaned up at The Gin Masters 2020 after its super premium, eclectic range picked up six Master Medals, two Golds and the ‘Best in Show’ Gin Taste Master Medal.
The Spirits Business has staged The Gin Masters competition since 2008 with the aim of finding and rewarding the finest gin brands on the world stage.
Chaired by The Spirits Business and a panel of leading spirits specialists, over 219 gins from 109 countries were judged in a blind tasting to discover the Gin Masters of 2020.
Excellence was rewarded by category with Silver, Gold and Master medals being awarded. The Master Medal winners were then judged again to find the overall Gin Taste Master of 2020.
No strangers to awards since its inception in 2011, Hernö had eight entries in total. The Hernö Pink BTL Gin doubled up with Master Medals in the ‘Ultra-Premium’ and ‘London Dry’ categories and the Hernö Old Tom Gin also received two Master Medals in the ‘Old Tom’ and ‘Ultra-Premium’ categories.
In the final Gin Taste Master award, which acts as a Best in Show centrepiece, Hernö Old Tom Gin stepped in to make it a hattrick on the night.
Hernö – The Gin Masters 2020Jon Hillgren, Hernö Founder, said: “We have been lucky enough to win a few awards since our inception, but these medals have truly blown us away. It’s been a difficult few months for the company and our team, so this is a huge honour and boost to everyone connected with our gin.”
The full list of Hernö medals at The Gin Masters 2020 includes:
Hernö Old Tom Gin – Masters Medal in Old Tom, Ultra-Premium categories plus the Gin Taste Master 2020.
Hernö Pink BTL Gin – Masters Medal in London Dry and Ultra-Premium categories.
Hernö Juniper Cask Gin – Masters Medal in Cask Aged category.
Hernö Navy Strength Gin – Masters Medal in Navy Strength category.
Hernö London Dry Gin – Gold Medal in London Dry category.
Hernö Sloe Gin – Gold Medal in Sloe Gin category.
About Hernö
It all started back in 1999 when Jon Hillgren headed to London together with a few friends to start working as bartenders. He quickly discovered gin and instantly fell in love with it.
During the years that followed, Jon’s passion for the drink evolved into gin crafting, and after numerous gin tastings, academic studies and technical visits to distilleries around the world, Jon finally founded the Hernö Gin Distillery in 2011. At the time, it was Sweden’s first dedicated gin distillery and the world’s northernmost gin distillery.
The distillery is located in the village of Dala, just outside the City of Härnösand in Ångermanland, Sweden. All part of the UNESCO world heritage area called The High Coast of Sweden, it is an area of real natural beauty.
Jon takes inspiration from this beauty to create a truly organic, artisan gin with the finest botanicals. To stay true to its Swedish heritage, the distillery is built in a traditional Swedish manor in wood painted in red and white.
Hernö is now available in 25 countries around the world and between 2012-17, Hernö was the most awarded gin in Europe. British Airways’ in-flight magazine ‘Highlife’ describes it as the best distillery in the world to taste gin. Jon Hillgren was inducted into the Gin Hall of Fame in 2019.
Hernö is exclusively imported and distributed in the UK by Love Drinks.
About Love Drinks
Love Drinks is an independent import, distribution and marketing company for premium quality spirits, liqueurs and craft beers. Their portfolio represents quality, craft-distilled and family-owned brands that have a rich provenance, heritage and history.
Founded by Kirsty Loveday BEM in 2007, Love Drinks represent Abelha Organic Cachaça, Conker, The Bitter Truth Cocktail Range of Bitters and Liqueurs, Einstök Icelandic Craft Beers, Gosling’s Bermuda Rums, Hernö Gins, Pedrino Spritz and White Heron Drinks.
Love Drinks holds the silver accreditation for Investors in People and launched Love Well in 2018 – a pioneering initiative to help the health and wellbeing of people working in the hospitality industry. The company was named Drinks Business Drinks Distributor of the Year in 2019.
For more information visit www.lovedrinks.com or follow on Facebook – @lovedrinksltd Instagram – @love_drinks_ltd or Twitter – @Love_Drinks. To speak to someone, call 0207 501 9630
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The Gin Masters 2020 – 7 July 2020 – The Gin Masters 2020