St. Giles Norfolk Gin

Product Information

Antony Moss MW led a panel that included: Angelo Sparvoli, head bartender, St James Bar; and Graham McAteer, spirit partnerships lead at Craft Gin Club. This year’s contest was held at private members club Home House in London, and will be the first of two gin tastings, with the second to be held in November.

Whilst each product boasts a distinct and complex character, what marries them is an unmistakable delicate smoothness that has become synonymous with the St. Giles name. The slow and careful distillation process ensures the delicious blend of flavours is retained within the spirit, resulting in a beautifully rounded and delicate gin, perfect for taste explorers. The Old Tom flight saw two Gold medals go to Lydén Distillery’s Old Tom Gin, with its “savoury and herbal nose”, and Hernö Old Tom Gin, enjoyed for its “gentle spices throughout, cardamom and ginger elevating it past just a standard Old Tom gin”. Rodriguez‐Curtis said of the flight: “Old Tom is not enjoyed enough; it is a good category for drinkers to play with and experiment. These gins showed good character and showed the potential for Old Tom.” Summing up the gin competition, judges were pleased with the quality and diversity found among entrants.

Awards for St. Giles Gin

One of the biggest subcategories in the competition is flavoured gin, where judges found a complexity of flavours. Twenty‐one Gold medallists and 33 Silvers were awarded in this round.

Jones praised the number of styles on offer: “A broad and diverse category, given the breadth of price points. Great to see innovation in flavours being well‐handled, as well as some more traditional classic styles.”While a Taste Master is normally selected at the end of our competitions, to ensure that all gin entrants get a fair chance at the title, the Master medallists from this tasting will be sipped alongside its counterparts in the second part of The Gin Masters later this year, when the ultimate contender will be decided. David T Smith, spirits consultant, writer and co‐founder of the Craft Distilling Expo, chaired another group. Forming his panel were: Anne Jones, drinks expert at Waitrose; and Keegan Menezes, drinks consultant. Taking home one of the top accolade was the “vibrant” Hernö Gin Palate, described by Kiely as having “bright citrus, juniper prevails, some cardamom, coriander and herbaceous notes towards the finish. Well balanced.”

Up next was the Cask‐Aged category and the Master standard continued, with five medals awarded. Peddlers Barrel Aged Gin took home a Master for its “good balance of flavours, spice and slight menthol finish, and very good balance for its high ABV”. Fellow Master medallist Four Pillars Whiskey Barrel Gin #1 was enjoyed for its hints of “rich Sherry, coffee cake and walnuts” and “soft vanilla notes”. Gold medallist Saarema Ore Gin impressed with its “bitter orange notes and a tingle of Asian spices”. The penultimate flight of the day, Sloe Gin, saw a Master go to Plymouth Sloe Gin. Eichler said of the expression: “Cherry and almond notes on the nose, tart, juicy and plummy on the palate with a welcome sour greeness on the finish.” The 1665 Great Plague started in St Giles and the first victims were buried in the St Giles churchyard. [1] By September 1665, 8,000 people were dying a week in London. By the end of the plague year there were 3,216 listed plague deaths in St Giles parish, which had fewer than 2,000 households. [6] After the Restoration, the area was populated by Huguenot refugees who had fled persecution and established themselves as tradesmen and artisans, particularly in weaving and the silk trade. [2] St Giles Circus, St Giles High Street and St Giles Passage – after St Giles Hospital, a leper hospital founded by Matilda of Scotland, wife of Henry I in 1117. St Giles was an 8th-century hermit in Provence who was crippled in a hunting accident and later became patron saint of cripples and lepers. Circus is a British term for a road junction, with several roads meeting and a central reservation or 'roundabout, the traffic passing in a one way system around the roundabout or 'circus'Smith added: “It’s surprising how many gins don’t taste like the flavours they propose; however gins that really do work and are highly awarded balance their designated flavour with gin character well.”