It might look small, but Smidgin is mighty in flavour. So mighty in fact, it has been causing a stir in The Spirits Business Global Masters Awards 2024.
For the second year in a row, Smidgin Dry Gin took the measure of its opponents and grabbed the top accolade, a low-alcohol Masters Medal, in the Serve Category. This fantastic performance by our clever little bottle was quickly topped when it went on to beat all the other Masters Medal winners in the final round of judging. Here it was declared the Low-Alcohol Taste Master - the best Low-Alcohol expression in the whole competition and ‘a truly exceptional product.’
Smidgin is crafted in our copper stills, just like our other gins, but we have increased the intensity of its six-ingredient recipe, so you only need a Smidgin to add full gin flavour to all your favourite drinks.
Here are just a few of the judge’s comments:
“Crisp and very refreshing, juniper and citrus a good example. A truly pleasant drink.”
“An attractive, inviting nose neat, with juniper to the fore and great balance. Tons of rich juniper. It mixes very well with tonic. Good robust flavour and a classic G&T profile.”
“Herbal and fresh on the nose, lovely juniper and zestiness with tonic. Bitter herbs and earthy spice on palate, very nice and well balanced. A great way to lower the ABV.”
Low-and-no-alcohol ‘spirits’ are becoming more popular, and this has led to a big increase in the number of brands and products coming into the sector. This has also consequently led to an increase in quality, making Smidgin’s overall win an amazing achievement.
Our head distiller, John McCarthy was rightly thrilled: “The Low & No Masters 2024 was once again very well represented with 77 entries from around the world. We were extremely proud to receive any sort of medal, but to then move on and be awarded the Low-Alcohol Taste Master accolade was a truly fantastic result. Being declared the best Low-Alcohol expression in the entire competition really is something, especially in an increasingly competitive market.
“I'm really pleased as a distiller of high strength spirits, to have been able to provide an alternative for those that want to moderate their drinking, and it being so well received.”
Treat yourself to a little prize of your own. For the perfect low-alcohol G&T, pour your 2.5ml measure of Smidgin over ice using the copper measure that comes with the bottle, add 200ml of Indian Tonic Water and garnish with a twist of orange zest. Just a 2.5ml (or half-a-teaspoon) serve of Smidgin will pack the juniper-laden punch, you’d ordinarily get from adding a 25ml serve of regular gin to the mix.
If you want to create an award-winning, low-alcohol stir, you only need a drop where you’d normally add a splash. If your go-to is a Colins, or you favour a French 75, Smidgin delivers that real gin experience with less alcohol.
Try our Smidgin French 75 recipe here.