THE ANNUAL MARTINI CHALLENGE
2019 Winners, Campfire
Campfire Gin
Not satisfied with jetting around the globe fulfilling challenges from our loyal social media following, we felt we needed even more to do. So, we created The Contender’s Challenge Series.
The concept is blisteringly simple – each year, any gin producer from anywhere can submit to our very scientific testing process. We conduct one-on-one tastings with each of our entrants, we score them all and then choose a shortlist of the five best gins. We call those five our Contenders.
For the rest of the year the Contenders are featured across our World’s Best Martini channels, we work to promote their gins through small tasting events, "Martini of the Month" style features in premium drinks outlets and, as an option, in our product ecosystem including our Contenders Box Set and our (soon to be) world famous Travel Martini Kits.
Each January we hold the Contenders Challenge Event. This is a ticketed event for gin lovers everywhere. Attendees get to meet the gin makers and taste their classic recipe martinis. The highlight of the evening is when we invite our panel of expert judges to taste the gin makers' showcase recipe martinis and cast their votes to crown the winner of the World's Best Martini Challenge.
“World’s Best Martini Challenge was a fantastic competition that we are very proud indeed to have been involved in and ultimately to have won in 2017. The qualifying rounds and final event itself was an amazing amount of fun and very impressively organised and well run. Off the back of our participation and win we achieved a great amount of media coverage which was also supported very strongly by the event organisers. We look forward very much to defending our title again next year.” — CHRIS MOLYNEAUX, MANAGING DIRECTOR, DAFFY'S GIN
THE 2019 COMPETITION
Campfire Gin, 2019 Winner
Under stars, by a campfire, a gin was born. Pitching camp on the boundary between classic and contemporary styles, ten botanicals including rooibos, sweet, fresh orange, hazelnut and piney juniper are distilled with the finest UK wheat spirit. Campfire London Dry Gin has a citrus nose and juniper palette which yields to a rich fruity middle and sweet nutty end that builds, sip, after sip, after sip.
A hearty Navy Strength Gin distilled in honour of the RNLI. We raise a glass to the courageous men and women who have worked selflessly over two centuries to end preventable loss of life at sea. Upfront juniper pine and a warm savoury spice are paired in equal measure with the herbaceous sweetness of orange and dark-blue fruits of elderberry. Big mouthfeel and oily on the pallet. Complex and meaningful.
Conker Spirits Navy Strength
Marylebone Gin
The unique, balanced flavour and aroma of Marylebone Gin derives from our use of the purest grain spirit and our careful selection of the finest botanicals from around the globe, including camomile, lemon balm, lime flower, cloves and grapefruit peel.
Mary Rose Gin
Mary Rose Gin is the flagship spirit from the HMS Spirits Company. It respectfully admires the tradition of a well-balanced London Dry Gin whilst adding subtle notes of rosemary and grapefruit that bring it to life. It’s carefully distilled in small batches in a copper pot-still and has a higher oil content than most gins which gives it a richness and ensures it’s smooth on the palate.
Plymouth Gin, 2019 People's Choice
Plymouth Gin Original has been distilled using the same blend of seven exotic botanicals, soft Dartmoor water and pure grain alcohol since 1793. Plymouth Gin has a rich, fresh aroma of juniper followed by notes of coriander and cardamom. Extremely smooth, creamy and full-bodied, with a slight sweetness and an elegant, long, fresh and aromatic finish.
YOU CAN NOW SUBMIT AN ENTRY FOR THE 2020 CHALLENGE
This is your chance to put your gin on the world stage, going up against the best of the best in a series of individual tastings culminating in a grand final in February 2020. After an exciting and entertaining evening of martini tastings a panel of esteemed judges will decide the winner and our faithful audience will pick the people's favourite.
World's Best Martini Challenge Ts&Cs