I thought I’d kept the diary pretty clear with the kids off school for the Easter holidays but somehow April still turned out to be pretty busy with plenty of writing, a little judging, a couple of launches and a couple of distillery visits. Read on to hear all about them, plus the usual booze news and new gin alerts!
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March was, quite frankly, mental. With one panel to host, three articles to write and seven or eight days of judging, I was already struggling to keep on top of it all before covid finally got me after two whole years. In fact, given one of my articles was a few days late and this gin monthly is even later, it is quite apparent I didn’t entirely keep on top of everything! Anyway, better later than never as they say. Here’s what I can still remember from that whirlwind of a month…
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The original and the biggest gin-themed social media challenge is back for its fourth year running! Always intended to be a bit of fun, it’s also an opportunity to support and promote the drinks industry in what continues to be a challenging time. For many producers still struggling with the impact of Brexit and Covid, increased energy costs present another challenge for them and yet another reason for us to rally round.
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I’ve got to be honest, I don’t know where February has gone and I’m not really sure what I’ve done either. But there’s a fair bit of booze news and new releases to catch up with, so continue reading to find out what you might have missed out on.
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Some of the gins featured below were kindly gifted. Article contains affiliate links.
2021 was another odd year for just about everything and the gin category was no exception. While less gin may have been sold in 2021 than 2020, last year also saw the opening of 110 new gin distilleries (bringing the total number in the UK up to an incredible 820, according to the Office for National Statistics). To truly understand what all this means check out Olivier Ward’s insightful article What happened to gin last year? on Spirits Beacon. What I’ll say, is that there was definitely plenty to get excited about in 2021, and plenty of reasons to feel positive about gin’s future. So, without further ado, here are my top ten gins of 2021; technically not all were new to the market in 2021 (though most of them were) but they were all new to me and all stood out for different reasons.
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It’s been a long old month and I haven’t even been attempting Dry January (although I have been enjoying a little of Lyre’s non-alcoholic Coffee Originale, which I discovered at the Spirits Masters Low & No Masters 2022)! If you’ve stayed sober, hats off to you. Meanwhile, I’ve been quietly busy with lots of writing and a little bit of judging. To find out more, read on…
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December has, once again, been dominated by early school closures and covid – and this Christmas started to feel a lot like Last Christmas – but my favourite festive spirit saw me through!
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With the exception of getting the mumps (yes, really!) November was another fun, and very busy, month with plenty of distillery visits, lots of gin and a fair bit of research and writing. Read on to find out more about what I’ve been up to.
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Kicking off with International Scottish Gin Day, continuing with a fair share of gin launches and drinks judging, and with London Cocktail Week Month extended again, I’ve been on the go all October and, frankly, it’s little wonder this gin monthly is late (again)!
Anyone else utterly exhausted?! What with Imbibe Live and Junipalooza not only back but also bookending Negroni Week it’s been a busy old month, so it’s no wonder my gin monthly is (once again) rather late. But it’s also been just brilliant to see people again and catch up with gin pals old and new. It’s what we have all been waiting for and it definitely did not disappoint!
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Gin A Ding Ding 