A Somerset-based distillery has clinched a prestigious international accolade, with Dryad Gin shining among hundreds of entries from 32 countries. Their Dryad Yule Gin – a spiced London Dry Gin – was awarded first place in the Spiced Gin category at the renowned Gin Guide Awards 2025, the world’s largest competition dedicated solely to gin.
The awards featured multiple categories, including popular gin styles, country of origin, design and branding, as well as classic cocktail recognition.
Becky Wright, the distiller behind Dryad Gin, expressed her excitement: “We’re absolutely thrilled by this recognition. Our small-batch spiced London Dry Gin was crafted after a joyful day foraging whortleberries and blending them with juniper, pine, orange peel, warming winter spices, and just a hint of chili. It was truly a magical evening with friends, and now I think it’s time to produce a larger batch!”
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The winners were decided through a blind tasting process led by a panel of seasoned gin experts— including distillers, spirits buyers, authors, and mixologists. Each gin was evaluated on appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, finish, and overall quality—without any input from branding, marketing, or country of origin to ensure impartiality.
Paul Jackson, Founder and Editor of The Gin Guide and Head Judge, remarked, “The quality and diversity we’ve seen is exceptional. Both British and international gins demonstrated outstanding distillation skills and innovation. Gins from emerging markets impressed the panels significantly, highlighting how gin has truly become a global spirit.”
The Gin Guide Awards limit the number of winners in each category to maintain exclusivity and safeguard the award’s prestige. This strategy has proven successful, guiding both trade and consumer choices and enabling past winners to elevate their brands.