With so many competitions and awards taking place all over the world it is now common to see awards and medals on gin bottles from many different countries, but one Australian gin brand is standing ahead of the back and there is one simple reason for that.
The team at Never Never take a flavour first approach to all their gins and products and it is this mindset and focus that enables the brand to perform so consistently at competitions globally.
In the last year alone the Never Never team and products have scored gold or above over 30 times in competitions both domestically and internationally. It’s an incredible performance for a South Australian distillery that only launched its first spirit in 2017.
The awards include:
- Global Distiller of The Year (Tim Boast) International Spirits Business Awards 2021
- Champion Australian Distillery | RASV Australian Distilled Spirit Awards 2020 / 2021
- International Distiller of the Year Shortlist | International Wine & Spirits Competition 2021
- Export Award | South Australian Premier’s Food & Beverage Industry Awards 2021
- #10 Hottest Trending Global Gin Brand | Drinks International 2022
Then on top of that there are six awards for the Never Never Triple Juniper Export Strength, five awards for the South Strength Gin, five also for the Triple Juniper Gin, and three awards for the Never Never Ginache Gin. And that is just the 2021 and 2022 results, which have also seen wins for the Juniper Freak Gin, Dark Series ARGO Gin and Dark Series Med Gin.
And just last week the distillery won the coveted title of World’s Best London Dry Gin for the Triple Juniper Gin Export Strength, while the distillery’s Tim Boast was named Master Distiller of the Year at the World Gin Awards.
“The World Gin Awards are one of the best spirit competitions in the world. London Dry Gin is the most consumed category in the world so it feels pretty amazing to be considered on top of that competitive heap,” Boast said.
“As a brand we strive to consistently create gin of the highest quality. These awards not only provide validation to my team, but to the thousands of gin enthusiasts in Australia that we make great juice.”
Boast was also delighted to be named Master Distiller of the Year, and said: “If the flurry of very late-night messages that continued well into the early morning was anything to go by, it was an exciting moment for the whole team.”
It’s phenomenal stuff and for Co-Founder and Brand Director Sean Baxter what makes the brand and its gins stand out in a congested gin market is the focus on being a champion of juniper.
“We are all about more flavour. Every step in our production is about wringing every ounce of flavour out of the botanicals we use with juniper proudly at the forefront.”
“Some people think that, ‘all gin has juniper, how are you any different?’ By putting more in, we get more out, it’s pretty simple really,” Baxter said.
Using a small still to concentrate and enhance flavour, Never Never uses just nine botanicals, but in large volumes. Juniper and other traditional botanicals take centre stage, rather than a focus on unique artisanal botanicals, to create gins that are rich and intensely indulgent.
“When you’re using those kinds of intense root and juniper flavours, it pumps up that base spirit with heavy concentrations of rich botanical flavour. Some other companies might filter or stretch this concentration with neutral spirit to create something that’s a bit lighter in character,” Baxter said.
“It’s so concentrated it clouds on dilution, a sign of how much character we leave in.
“We keep it concentrated, primarily with the focus of making some of the most flavoursome gin and tonics and gin cocktails in the world, which we think we achieve.”
The gins are a delight for bartenders to work with, they offer complexity and yet familiarity with classic flavours mixologists understand just delivered in over-drive.
For instance, Distiller Tim Boast says: “The Southern Strength Gin is a gin with purpose. 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.”
Plus a trend that has developed during the pandemic is a consumer desire for more local products, in conjunction with the long-running premiumisation trend which is showing no signs of slowing. These two factors are massive drivers in both on- and off-premise markets so why not stock an ultra-premium, Australian product that delivers massively on flavour? Make sure you have got Never Never on your shelves or back bar.
Contact your local Proof & Company representative to find out more about stocking a range of Never Never products, or email ordersAU@proofandcompany.com.