Finalists revealed for Sunday Times Lifestyle Gin Awards

18 Sep 2018

The eight finalists for the Sunday Times Lifestyle Gin Awards have been announced, whittled down by the judging panel from 74 local and international entries. The competition, the result of a partnership between The Sunday Times, Makro and Fitch & Leedes, celebrates the creators and retailers of crafted gins and variants.

The finalists were selected by a panel that included comedian and actress Lihle Msimang, performer Thami Shobede, sommelier Higgo Jacobs, founder of The Gin Box Jean Buckham, and Aspasia Karras, magazine supplement publisher at Tiso Blackstar Group.

Blind-tasting opportunities in Makro stores around the country will allow South Africans to taste and vote for their favourites, and the winners will be announced at the Sunday Times Lifestyle Gin Awards on 19 October 2018.

Finalists in the Local Gin category are:

• Ginologist Floral Gin (Craft Link Distillery)
• Monks Mary Jane (Monks Distillery)
• Orient (Pienaar & Son Distilling Co.)
• Westcliff Copper Distilled (Angel Heart Distillery)

Westcliff Copper Distilled by Angel Heart Distillery

Finalists in the International Gin category are:

• Gin Mare (Global Premium Brands)
• Gordon’s London Dry Gin (Alexander Gordon & Co.)
• Hendricks Gin
• Tanqueray (The Cameronbridge Distillery)

Gin lovers are invited to visit the following Makro stores on 22 September, between 11h00-14h00, to taste and judge which gins they believe to be the best: Woodmead, Johannesburg; SilverLakes, Pretoria; Springﬁeld, Durban; and Montague Gardens, Cape Town.

Votes can also be cast online by visiting www.stla.co.za.