News / San Francisco accolade for Unst-made spirit
SHETLAND Reel Gin has won a silver medal in one of the world’s most prestigious spirits competitions.
Judges at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition highlighted the gin, produced in Unst, for praise.
Shetland Distillery Company managing director Stuart Nickerson said: “This is a very welcome accolade for us so soon after launching the gin in Unst in August last year, and naturally we’re very delighted.”
“The San Francisco event is one of two major annual global spirits events, and the competition is fierce so it is particularly pleasing to win a silver medal.”
More than 1,500 spirits were judged in the competition, which was held in March at the Hotel Nikko in Downtown San Francisco, with the results made public this month.
Each spirit was evaluated by spirits professionals and judged in blind tastings which the organisers say makes the competition the most “reputable and recognised … in the spirits industry”.
The Shetland Distillery Company will work closely with the renowned Elgin firm to sell the distinctive gin to hotels, bars, retailers and other outlets.Meanwhile, Shetland Reel Gin is to be distributed throughout the rest of the UK by award-winning wholesaler Gordon & MacPhail.
The deal with Gordon & MacPhail follows an agreement with local firm JW Gray & Co last year to distribute the gin in Shetland and Orkney, which has resulted in more than 700 bottles being sold in only a few months.
Internationally, Shetland Reel Gin is already being sold in Germany and the company is working to extend its distribution to the United Arab Emirates and Belgium.
“We are delighted to have secured an agreement with Gordon & MacPhail,” Nickerson said.
“We have created a premium gin with a distinctive flavour and we believe Gordon & MacPhail’s customer profile fits very well with our own.
“This will help us to build on the excellent work done by JW Gray in helping to make Shetland Reel Gin a strong seller in the islands.”
JW Gray & Co managing director Iain Johnston said: “Shetland Reel Gin has done really well and we are proud to look after sales in Shetland and Orkney.”
Shetland Reel Gin, launched in August last year, is made with nine botanicals, including apple-mint, which is specially grown in Unst.
The distillery is located in the ex-supplies building of the former RAF Saxa Vord site.
Established to create a gin and whisky distillery, The Shetland Distillery Company is a partnership between Scotch whisky industry specialist Nickerson, his wife Wilma and Saxa Vord owners Frank and Debbie Strang.
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