Cheshire Spirits make a splash on the People’s Choice Spirit Awards Shortlist #News

Victoria Hayes
25th January 2021

The People’s Choice Spirits Awards is the only UK-based national awards dedicated to and judged by spirits consumers with help and support from industry professionals.

Launched this year, The People’s Choice Spirits Awards is a companion event to the People’s Choice Wine Awards created in 2017 by Janet Harrison of Cracking Wine and Judy Kendrick, MD of ‘common sense’ wine marketing consultancy JK Marketing.

The award categories reflect the buying decisions of the average consumer and cover gin, whisky, rum and no/low alcohol drinks.

We are thrilled to report that Cheshire Gin is being recognised with Three Wrens Gin, Bison Grass Edition being nominated in both the OUT OF THE ORDINARY and the GIN FUSION Categories.

Cheshire Whisky aficionados Great Drams are clearly very popular as they have been nominated not just in two categories, but they have TWO entries in each category.

They feature in EASY WEEKDAY WHISKY with Great Drams: Blended Cask Batch 02 and Great Drams Single Cask Series 8 year old

and in TREAT YOURSELF WHISKY with Great Drams: Single Cask Series Glen Moray 12 year old and Great Drams: Rare Cask Series Girvan 13 year old.

All these categories contain steep competition, so just to be nominated is a huge honour.

The consumer-friendly spirits categories are open to submissions from all around the world at any price point. Submissions are welcomed from all sources, including importers, independent retailers, supermarkets and producers.

With pubs and restaurants again closed across the country, this year’s virtual awards ceremony is aiming to bring a bit of much-needed cheer after a socially distanced judging process.

Other finalists include an acclaimed alcohol-free gin from Salcombe in Devon, a host of artisan and spiced rums and a distinguished 21-year-old malt whisky from Loch Lomond – old enough to be out on its own, as the saying goes.

And if the awards were based purely on the originality of labels, Manchester-based Zymurgorium would surely be in with a shout with their Electric Blue and Scottish Raspberry Gin and Cane Toad Ruby Eyes Rum.

The People’s Choice Drinks Awards (incorporating the People’s Choice Wine Awards, now in its fourth year) are judged by enthusiasts with the assistance of expert tasters. This year’s judging was conducted via online tastings and socially distanced sessions.

The eight new spirits categories include: Mindful Drinking (low and zero alcohol), The Classic G&T and Treat Yourself Whisky. The full shortlist is available online here: https://peopleschoicedrinksawards.com/pcsa/2021-finalists/

The Awards are judged by hand-picked enthusiastic consumers chosen via an online application process alongside qualified industry experts in the first round of judging. Although many of this year’s sessions took place online – with the tasting samples shipped to judges around the UK – physical judging sessions were conducted within strictly socially distanced environments.

PCDA founder Janet Harrison said: “We are excited to expand the Awards to include spirits this year and have been amazed by the response from producers and suppliers.  Whilst it has been a massive challenge to complete the judging, everyone taking part (even over zoom) has had a fantastic time. We can’t wait to announce the results in February!”

“Taking the ceremony online means that many more consumers will be able to watch the results from home, with drink in hand, alongside industry folk.”

Hosted by BGT Finalist Steve Royle, Kate Goodman will announce the wine results alongside Helena Nicklin, Aidy Smith and Colin Hampden-White from The Three Drinkers (Amazon Prime).  The online awards ceremony will take place on Monday, February 8.

If you’d like to follow the People’s Choice Awards on social media, here are their social handles

Twitter: @PCDrinksAwards

Instagram/Facebook: @peopleschoicedrinksawards

#PCDA