AN Oxfordshire craft distillery has won two global awards for its gin.

Sky Wave Gin, based in Bucknell near Bicester, has received two Master Medals in the Global Gin Masters 2020 awards.

Out of the 200 entries from 105 producers, judges favoured the company’s Navy Strength and signature London Dry tipples.

Also read: Sky Wave Gin in Bicester named Best Contemporary Gin in the world

Co-founder and distiller Rachel Hicks said: “We are absolutely bowled over. We had hoped for a bronze or a silver, maybe even a gold, but to win the top award, a Master Medal, for both our gin entries is fantastic.

“It’s great that such a prestigious industry award, judged by leading spirits specialists, has recognised the work of our craft distillery, producing a premium gin. It’s a great endorsement for the creativity and quality of craft gin across Britain.”

Oxford Mail:

The latest award follows a successful start to 2020 for the company which, since its inception in October 2018, has created five flavours.

Earlier this year, the distillery was crowned as creating one of the world’s best gins after its signature bottle, London Dry Gin, was named the World’s Best Contemporary Gin at the 2020 World Gin Awards.

Mrs Hicks and her husband Andrew Parsons, who is also a co-founder of the business, picked up a double Gold Medal at the China Wine and Spirits Awards and a Gold Medal at the Women’s Wine and Spirits Awards.

The Global Gin Masters 2020, organised by The Spirits Business, aims to 'find and rewards the finest gin brands on the world stage'.

Also read: Sky Wave Gin in Bicester named Best Contemporary Gin in the country

Judged in a blind tasting by a panel of spirits experts, the awards recognise excellence in a range of categories.

To be awarded a Master Medal, a spirit must have scored between 90-100 points from every judge.

Awarding the medal to Sky Wave’s London Dry, the judges highlighted its ‘bright lemon zest, juniper and sweetness to balance’.

Another medal was awarded for its Navy Strength bottle, with the judges describing the flavours of apple, pine and lemon zest, deeming it to be ‘very sippable, even with the high ABV’.

Oxford Mail:

The award-winning distillery has also just revealed its new London Dry, called Liberation, which reflects life under lockdown and have announced the appointment of three senior staff to boost its business development, sales and marketing.

Mr Parsons said: “It’s been an incredibly successful six months, we have been developing new gins under lockdown, building our online presence and undergoing a brand refresh.

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“We’re now in a very strong position to grow the business with new partners and distributors.”

Sky Wave Gin was launched in October 2018. The distillery creates genuine artisan spirits with each still run producing just 120 bottles at a time.

The process is controlled by hand, not machinery, and the 'botanicals' (plants) used in all the gins 'reflect the provenance of Oxfordshire as well as the wider world'.