Understanding Spirits Competitions and the Significance of Medals

As the founder and distiller behind Entre Nous Gin, an award-winning Luxembourg gin, I’ve experienced firsthand the importance of spirits competitions. These events not only celebrate the artistry of distilling but also act as a benchmark for quality. In this post, I’ll explain how international gin competitions work, the significance of medals, and share the awards Entre Nous Gin has won in 2025.

What Are Spirits Competitions?

Spirits competitions, including international gin competitions, are events where distillers submit their products to be evaluated by expert panels. Judges — often master distillers, sommeliers, and spirits experts — assess entries based on aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and balance.

For small distilleries like mine in Luxembourg, these competitions are an invaluable way to gain recognition, build credibility, and showcase award-winning gins to a wider audience.

The Judging Process in International Gin Competitions

Judging is meticulous and unbiased. Spirits are tasted blind, meaning judges don’t know which distillery produced the gin. This ensures that medals reflect true quality. Competitions evaluate appearance, aroma, taste, and finish. The highest-scoring gins advance to final rounds, where top awards such as gold, silver, and bronze medals are granted.

Types of Medals Awarded

In spirits competitions, medals signify different levels of excellence:

• Gold Medal – for outstanding gins with exceptional craftsmanship

• Silver Medal – for high-quality gins demonstrating character and balance

• Bronze Medal – recognizing very good gins that meet industry standards

  
  

Special awards like Best in Category or Country Winner further highlight top-tier gins, helping consumers identify premium options.

The Importance of Medals for Consumers

For gin enthusiasts and buyers, medals are a reliable quality marker. A gold medal on a bottle signals that the gin has been rigorously evaluated by experts in international spirits competitions. For small Luxembourg gin producers, these awards boost visibility, credibility, and consumer trust.

My Experience as a Medal-Winning Gin Producer

Creating Entre Nous Gin in Luxembourg has been a journey of passion and experimentation. Entering international gin competitions allowed me to measure my work against global standards. The results have been incredibly rewarding: in 2025, Entre Nous Gin was recognized in multiple prestigious competitions, earning medals that reflect both quality and innovation.

🏆 Awards for Entre Nous Gin (2025) – International Recognition

• 🥇 Gold – Frankfurt International Trophy (Germany)

• 🥇 Gold – Concours National de Paris (France)

• 🥇 Gold – International Trophy of Paris (France)

• 🥇 Gold – Meininger’s ISW (Germany)

• 🥈 Silver – World Gin Awards (Global)

• 🥈 Silver & Country Winner – Berlin International Spirits Competition (Germany)

• 🥉 Bronze – London Spirits Competition (UK)

• 🥉 Bronze – Craft Spirits Berlin (Germany)

• 🥉 Bronze – IWSC – International Wine & Spirits Competition (UK)

• 🏵️ Finalist – The Gin Guide Awards (UK)

  
  

These accolades highlight Entre Nous Gin as one of the leading award-winning gins from Luxembourg, praised for its delicate botanicals including lavender and elderflower.

How Spirits Competitions Shape the Gin Industry

International gin competitions encourage distillers to innovate and uphold high standards. They shine a spotlight on unique gins from small distilleries, allowing consumers to discover new flavors and premium options.

For my distillery, these awards have increased visibility and credibility abroad, helping pave the way for export to Belgium, France, and other markets, while promoting Luxembourg as a source of high-quality gins.

Final Thoughts

Spirits competitions and medals are more than just trophies; they represent quality, recognition, and trust. For consumers, they are a guide to award-winning gins, and for producers, they validate the craftsmanship behind every bottle.

Entre Nous Gin, proudly distilled in Luxembourg, is a testament to this dedication, having won multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals in top international competitions in 2025. When exploring gins, look for medals — they could lead you to your next favorite award-winning Luxembourg gin.