Local spirit enthusiasts have long known that the gin produced by Adelaide distillery Never Never was a winner. Now their suspicion has been affirmed as the distillery has just been awarded World’s Best Classic Gin for their Southern Strength Gin at the World Gin Awards.
Competing against hundreds of distilleries from all over the world, this is the first time an Australian Gin has won this prestigious award.
“This is a huge accolade for our young distillery,” comments Managing Director of Never Never, George Georgiadis. “It’s a much-coveted award and firmly puts Australia and South Australian gin on the world map, in a similar guise to what the World’s Best Whisky award did for Sullivan’s Cove and Tasmanian whisky.”
PIN ITPhotos by Meaghan Coles.
The winning gin is bottled under the distillery’s Dark Label Series banner. At 53 per cent alcohol, it packs maximum flavour and intensity. “It’s a gin with purpose,” says head distiller Tim Boast. “It was made with a classic or savoury gin cocktail in mind. It’s a little higher in alcohol than our Triple Juniper Gin and botanically richer, so it stands up to tonic and dilution.”
Never Never bested a bevvy of emerging and established brands, including one of the world’s most popular gins, Tanqueray No. Ten, the representative for the United Kingdom. Never Never’s Juniper Freak Gin was also awarded Australia’s Best Navy Gin
“When we started our distillery, we … never thought that we would have such a global impact in the short time that we have been in operation,” says brand director Sean Baxter. “We are blown away by the support we have received from local and global gin lovers. It gives us the drive to continue to take on the big guys.”
Small but world class
Although small – the Never Never team currently only consists of four full-time staff members – the distillery has quickly gained momentum as the Australian gin brand to watch.
The award comes on the back of their gold medal win for their hugely popular flagship gin, Triple Juniper Gin, at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in May 2018.
PIN ITFrom left to right; Tim Boast, Sean Baxter & George Georgiadis
Less than two years old, the distillery was founded by three friends passionate about creating bold and distinctive Australian spirits. Since its inception, the focus has been to produce Juniper forward gins that make waves with a modern take on the classic Gin style.
“We are blown away by the support we have received from local and global gin lovers. It gives us the drive to continue to take on the big guys,” says Baxter.
Tim Boast, Head Distiller at Never Never, feels that focusing on quality, consistency and innovation, while paying homage to traditional flavour, is what makes their product so appealing.
“We’re incredibly humbled and excited by the win,” comments Boast. “It validates the decision we made right from the outset to focus on juniper as the hero of our Gins”.
If you like to experience guided tastings, a masterclasses or even just a few gin-based cocktails during the Adelaide Fringe Festival, the distillery is doing a pop-up distillery door on the upper level of The Stag Public House, every Sunday for the duration of the festival.
For more information and stockists, visit neverneverdistilling.com.au
