Not only have I been celebrating five years of blogging this month, but there’s also been World Gin Day – which coincided with National Rosé Day – and World Martini Day to toast. And, as if that wasn’t enough, I’ve also had the honour of judging about 260 gins for the International Wine & Spirits Competition Awards 2021! Read on to find out what happens behind the scenes and who won some of the top medals.
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Wowsers, that was one hell of a month! Between #GinADayMay, indoor hospitality reopening and plenty of exciting new gin releases, it really has been a busy one. Here’s my round-up of what I can remember!
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What a month! The sun has shone and pub gardens have reopened! The industry still has a long way to go, but finally there is light at the end of tunnel. And that light got a little brighter for me today as I not only had my first haircut in well over a year, but I also got my first covid-19 vaccine! There’s been plenty else going on this month too, mind, so without further ado….
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I can’t claim a second lockdown birthday was top of my wish list, but luckily there have been other highs this month. And with British Summer Time here, social restrictions slowly easing and the (partial) reopening of hospitality just a couple of weeks away, things are starting to look up.
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After an unusual, but successful, #GinADayMay 2020, the original and biggest gin-themed social media challenge is back for its third year running! Despite, or perhaps as a result of last year’s lockdown, it was gratifying that makers reported increased engagement as a result of #GinADayMay and heartening to hear other participants not only enjoy taking part but also, and consequently, making new friends, learning new skills and getting to know the gin community better.
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Some of the items featured were kindly gifted.
Looking for a special gift for your gin-loving mother? Look no further. But goodness knows we’ve all had a tough year, so if you want to treat your best friend – or even yourself – instead your secret is safe with me!
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Finally, the days are getting longer and warmer, spring is on its way, and we might even have a roadmap out of lockdown! There’s still a long slog ahead of us, especially for those in the hospitality industry, but at least there’s a little light at the end of the tunnel. As for February, it might have been a short month but there’s been plenty going on, not least my five-year anniversary of Gin A Ding Dinging! Thank you to everyone who has supported and helped me so far on this journey; with any luck there’s even more to come over the months and years ahead.
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There’s no denying that January in lockdown was pretty grim but we made it, so give yourselves a well-deserved pat on the back. And, if you endured dry January too, give yourself a round of applause and a stiff drink! I had good intentions of having a drier January this year but, between home schooling and judging the World Gin Awards Final, that was pretty short-lived indeed.
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Some of the gins featured below were kindly gifted. Article contains affiliate links.
What a year 2020 was. And what resilience, generosity and determination distillers have demonstrated; adapting events to online experiences, turning their hand to sanitiser production and continuing to not only make our favourite spirit, but create new ones too! Unsurprisingly, most of last year’s releases were line extensions rather than new brands, but my goodness, there were some crackers in there. So, without further ado, here are my top ten of 2020.
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So it’s been yet another month of ups and downs ending in more tiers than ever, but nevertheless I hope you’ve managed to have a peaceful and happy Christmas. If you’ve been, understandably, burying your head in the sand lately, read on for some booze news you may have missed.
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