There are ever more Gin competitions. In the footsteps of the wave of Gin expansion, we see the proliferation of contests dedicated entirely to Gin, and more attention on the older pre-existing contests.
The Scottish Gin Awards is one of the new ones, it was created this year.
The winners were revealed last week on the 14^th of September.
In a contest in which, naturally, only Scottish Gins participate, the big winners were Verdant Dry Gin, elected the best Gin in the category of London Dry, and Arbikie Distilling, distinguished as the distillery of the year. These winners were surprising given their youth – Verdant Gin only arrived on the market in May.
Divided into various categories, here are the winners from that night:
Distillery: Arbikie Distilling
Best Gin in contest: Verdant Dry Gin
London Dry Gin: Verdant Dry Gin
Distilled Gin: El Gin
Navy Strength Gin: NB Gin Navy Strength
Cask (Barrel Aged): Makar Cask Aged
Special Edition: Makar Old Tom
Gin Liqueur: Edinburgh Gin - Rhubarb & Ginger Liqueur
Business: Eden Mill
Marketing: Summerhall Distillery
Brand: Isle of Harris Distillery
Innovation: Summerhall Distillery
Bar: 56 North
Event: Juniper Gin Festivals
Gin Destination: Caorunn Balmenach Distillery

Consult the complete list of winners and nominees at: http://www.scottishginawards.co.uk/winners-2017/.

Botano Gin was original dreamed up as the perfect wedding toast. The couple had spent many holidays in the beautiful Greek islands and adored everything around them: the people, the food, the history, the landscape and, of course, the sunset.
The step from inspiration to production was rapid and destiny made sure that Paul Miller was in the right place at the right time for the bottling of the Gin. He insisted upon tasting it, and once he did, it won him over immediately. We don’t know the details of what came next, but at that moment the perfect wedding toast became the first seasonal Gin from the Scottish company. This is Eden Mill Botano, the Gin inspired by the Greek islands.
This special limited edition of 4500, of which only 200 will appear on the Portuguese market, is kept in a golden bottle, reminiscent of the golden sand, which is then wrapped in paper covered with blue and white patterns in homage to Santorini and Mykonos.
The Botano bottle is further decorated with a sprig of rosemary to evoke the Mediterranean breeze. Rosemary is one of the central botanicals in this Gin where we also find other Mediterranean herbs such as Dill, Basil, Parsley and even Bay. 
Botano is the Greek word for herbal, for the aroma is dominated by its herbs. Citrus fruits, most notably lemon, also punctuate the aroma of Botano, Juniper also there in the background. Botano is therefore a fresh and perfumed Gin, ideal for a hot summer afternoon.

Portugal continues to be at the forefront of Gin consumption in Europe and the shelves are filled with new referrals every week. Eden Mill is one of those new surprises. One of the examples where behind a careful and appealing image there is really a great Gin. Pardon us. Five major Gins: Original, Hop, Oak, Love and Golf. The gins are produced in the Eden Mill distillery in St. Andrews, Scotland, side by side with their own whiskey and beer brands. The bottle image is rough. The stopper is manually sealed in the original version or brewing stopper in the other versions which immediately denounce their craft production influenced by Scottish distilling tradition and cohabitation with the production of beer. In Portugal, you can now find these four versions:

Eden Mill Original
It reminds the London Dry most classic gins - citrus and with the ever-present juniper aftertaste. You can also taste some notes from the hawthorn spicy touch, where the clove is notorious without being dominant.

Eden Mill Oak
Bourbon-barrel-aged, the warm notes of wood and spices are more present here. Cinnamon, vanilla and the sweetness from the honey will punctuate this Gin throughout the taste. Nevertheless, the juniper remains alive and there is still room for the spicy notes of pine and ginger.

Eden Mill Love
More floral and soft, this version has its identity made by the flowers and plants used in its production. The hibiscus, rose petals, the elderberries or rhubarb, bring you extra softness and a floral touch with a richer flavor. It has also a sweeter aftertaste, reminding the ripe red fruit and vanilla. The citrus flavor is brought by the grapefruit, although more timidly than in the other versions of the range.
Curious? Take a trip to Gin Lovers online store.

Eden Mill Hop This gin completes the set of four from the Scottish house. The Hop has a bitter and astringent aftertaste as well as junipery. The citrus notes give an extra with more fresh and acidic aromas from the lemon, lime and grapefruit. It’s a different Gin from the others that invites you to discover new flavors. Now available at the Gin Lovers Princípe Real - Embaixada Concept Store 26, Lisbon.