Never Never write off a champion

Even in these times of lockdown in Australia, interstate rivalry is alive and well.

I recently received an email proclaiming South Australia as the gin capital of Australia. 

South Australian distilleries did dominate this week's Australian Gin Awards - winning four of the seven categories on offer as well as joint-best Gin of Show. 

Never Never Distilling Co Southern Strength Gin from South Australia and Ester Spirits Strong Gin from NSW shared the $5,000 cash prize. 

McLaren Vale distillery Never Never went back-to-back winning Australia’s Best Classic Gin and Best Gin of Show for the second-year. 

With a new set of judges presiding over the event and a new head judge due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, that was a major achievement.

Other category winners from South Australia includes Imperial Measures Distilling’s Signature Gin, which won Best Contemporary Gin, and Settlers Spirits which won Best Old Tom Gin. 

Prohibition also won Best Design with Adelaide newcomers Three Fold Distilling runners up.

The West Winds from Margaret River was the other big winner; with Best Matured Gin (Sur Lie) and Best Flavoured Gin (Wild Plum).

“We want our gin distillery to continue to be the highest achieving distillery in Australia,” says Never Never Distilling Co. Brand Director Sean Baxter. 

“This year our gins have succeeded all over the world, in some of the world’s most prestigious competitions, so for them to be appreciated in our home market as well is incredibly rewarding.”