Wessex Distillery Shortlisted for International Wine and Spirits Competition 2021

Wessex Distillery is extremely proud to announce that we have been shortlisted in the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) for the third year running for several of our signature gins. The gins that have been shortlisted include our Alfred the Great Premium gin, English Sloe gin, Wyvern spiced gin, Wyvern Classic gin, and a gold medal for our Saxon Garden floral gin.

The IWSC is a prestigious competition that’s been running for over 50 years with the very first competition taking place in 1970, so the whole team are delighted to be shortlisted and in with a chance of winning the trophy to add to our accolade of awards.

As a craft gin distillery, every bottle of gin is made using ingredients sourced from the local surrounding countryside and distilled using our own simple yet quality methods. We keep it traditional when making our British gin, adding our own modern twists with innovative flavours, making it particularly special that our family-run distillery is being continually recognised alongside other premium spirits year after year. 

The IWSC is judged by world-renowned experts in the wine and spirits industry, some of which are distillers themselves so it’s an honour to be put on the shortlist alongside other talented brands. 

When creating their shortlist, judges were looking for aspects like balance, complexity and power when assessing the spirits, something we’re proud to offer with our premium gin that is well-balanced with a prominent juniper flavour and coriander endnotes. Packaging and the overall drinking experience is also considered, another aspect that our whole team have poured over to create a bottle shape, design and label that we’re inherently proud of. 

Our commendation from the judges in 2020

“We love the use of the green glass and chunky cork – this is apothecary done well! The label is neat and sits well on the bottle. It feels very substantial in the hand and is incredibly giftable thanks to the little tag. The bottle could also be reused as a decanter or a vase.”

A quote from Jonathan Clark, our Master Distiller

“The Wessex team are thrilled to have been shortlisted for this prestigious trophy for our distillery alongside other fantastic companies in the industry. It’s great to know that our range of premium gins and the family-run distillery where they are made are being recognised.” 

Watch out for the results!

It’s fantastic to be shortlisted in such a well-respected industry competition, so keep your fingers crossed that we take home the trophy and watch out for the results being announced on 1st November 2021. We’d like to thank all our customers for their ongoing support and acknowledgement.