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| Irini Tzortzoglou |
Ulverston-based Shed One Distillery's Yiayia Gin, created in partnership with Greek chef and 2019 Masterchef winner, Irini Tzortzoglou, came out on top in the Gin category of the annual awards, which celebrate the very best artisanal produce in the UK's food and drink industry.
The Gin category was judged by top industry expert and Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur, Adam Handling, who said Yiayia was "an excellent gin with elegance and complexity, foraged and sourced all in the UK with an innovative concept of Mediterranean flavours. A super artisanal and female-led project."
Yiayia Gin was judged by Adam to be a prime example of Great British food and drink – demonstrating not only delicious flavour, but also providing an optimum drinking experience and one-of-a-kind enjoyment.
The awards, launched in 2014, give a promotional platform to passionate artisanal brands and makers with a judging panel made up of an array of food industry icons, critics, and Michelin-starred chefs.
Each year the Great British Food Awards champion the standout producers from all over the UK with winners confident their winning items truly are among the very best the country has to offer.
Shed One Distillery owner and co-founder, Zoe Arnold-Bennett, said: “We're beyond thrilled for Yiayia Gin to be recognised as the best of the best by the Great British Food Awards and by a chef and restaurateur of Adam Handling's stature.
"We're blown away by his comments and his appreciation of the concept, genuine love, and enthusiasm that went into creating this special gin, which evokes the flavours and aromas of Irini's homeland of Crete.
“We drew inspiration from the island's rich gastronomic culture then set out to find locally grown and locally foraged savoury and citrus flavoured botanicals to perfectly compliment this corner of the Mediterranean. After lots of mixing and blending, and even more testing and tasting, we created Yiayia Gin or as we now like to refer to it, Crete in a glass!”
Yiayia, which translates as 'grandmother', was inspired, created, distilled, and bottled by women, and features vine, fig, olive, and lemon leaves, mushroom, seaweed, rose pelargonium, and oregano alongside classic juniper.
Irini Tzortzoglou added: “What started as a chance conversation with Zoe when I was on a gin-making experience at Shed One, ended with me spending months working with the women of the distillery to produce a gin we all loved.
“Named in tribute to my grandmothers, I am thrilled with the thought that the spirits of Yiayia Irini and Yiayia Stavroula are rejoicing in pride and joy, witnessing this wonderful Great British Food Awards accolade from beyond! You can't go wrong if you create with love and pure intentions, and I'm delighted and humbled that Yiayia Gin continues to be proof of that and has come so far.”
Having been awarded the highest Gold accolade, Shed One's Yiayia Gin will be promoted across Great British Food's print, online, and social channels in celebration of its achievement. For more information, visit www.greatbritishfoodawards.com/awards.
To learn more about Shed One, visit https://shed1distillery.com.