Hinch Distillery lifts third major accolade

Hinch Distillery lifts third major accolade

18 March 2020

THE award-winning Hinch Distillery has done it again.

The Ballynahinch drinks business has won a third major accolade since its launch eight months ago.

The distillery, which produces gin as well and a range of whiskeys of varying ages and styles, walked away with a Gold Award at the Australian International Spirits Competition for its Ninth Wave gin.

The awards event, based in Sydney, is run by Australian spirits experts in conjunction with US counterparts and ultimately links winners with international buyers.

It is chaired by veteran and globally respected spirits expert, Steve Beal, and sets out to judge brands in parallel with industry standards and consumer flavour preferences, quality and innovation.

The award follows on from two other wins for Hinch Distillery in the first quarter of 2020.

It also took a Gold Award at the World Gin Awards 2020 in January and in February the limelight was on the company’s Hinch Whiskey which received a Silver Medal for its five year-old Double Wood at the World Whiskey Awards 2020 held last month.

Dr Terry Cross OBE, Hinch Distillery chairman, said: “We are thrilled that our Ninth Wave Gin continues to impress experts in the sprits field here and at the other side of the world.

“To receive the Gold Award in the contemporary category at the AUISC shows us that while we may be a young company, we’ve already made many of the right decisions from our inception and we’re glad our self-belief is being endorsed by those who know best at home and away.

“It really marks the perfect start to what will be an exciting year for Hinch Distillery as construction revs up for a public launch this summer.

“We would like to congratulate everyone at Hinch for their contribution to the development of this award-winning recipe, and of course the industry experts who have joined us on this journey.”

Dr Cross has invested £15m in the Hinch Distillery project. The two-floor distillery opens this summer along with public features including a visitor centre, coffee shop, restaurant, pub, outside courtyard space, multi-purpose events spaces catering for weddings to corporate events and a retail shop.

Dr Cross is hoping that the company can continue on its winning roll as it awaits the results of the International Spirits Challenge due to be published in May. 

Considered one of the most authoritative respected and influential spirits competitions in the world, the International Sprits Challenge is in its 25th year.

Dr Cross added: “Our whiskey collection has time on its side. It caters to a range of palates with smooth, smoky and aromatic variations appealing to both the discerning whiskey connoisseur and to the novice alike.

“We are very hopeful that this winning formula will translate in the competition.”