3 March 2021
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
The good news keeps on coming for the team at Clonakilty Distillery after winning the latest in a long list of allocates for 2021.
The West Cork based distillery recently announced they won Best Irish Sloe Gin at the World Gin Awards in London. Following a blind tasting by a panel of expert judges, Minke Sloe Gin beat out stiff competition and won the prestigious award. Helen Scully, who co-created the distillery’s Minke Gin recipe, expressed her delight in being recognised at an internationally acclaimed standard. She said; “This is a wonderful achievement for the entire team here at Clonakilty. We are extremely proud of everyone involved and it is a testament to our commitment of ensuring the highest standard when producing this gin”.
And the celebrations don’t end there – in what is a tremendous personal achievement, Ewan Paterson, Visitor Experience Manager at the distillery, received the “Highly Commended” award in the “Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year”, category.
“This has been an extremely challenging year for the drinks and tourism industry, and to be recognised in such a competitive global category is a real honour”, Ewan stated. Credit is due to the entire visitor experience team here at the distillery without whom this would not be possible”.
Early this month Clonakilty Distillery also received not one but two Highly Commended Awards at the prestigious Icons of Whisky Awards 2021.
For the second year running, the distillery received the ‘Highly Commended’, in the Irish ‘Craft Producer of the Year’, category. Paul Corbett, Head Distiller at Clonakilty, also received the ‘Highly Commended’ award in the ‘Master Distiller/Master Blender’, category.
