A Cumbrian small batch artisan spirits producer has had two products reach the finals of a prestigious national food awards competition.
Ulverston-based Shed One Distillery’s Martini Gin and Yiayia Gin – the latter created in partnership with Greek chef and 2019 Masterchef winner, Irini Tzortzoglou – have both made the shortlist of the Great British Food Awards 2024.
The annual awards celebrate the UK’s finest artisanal produce as well as the hard-working people behind the scenes. Judges include many of the nation’s best loved chefs, cooks, and critics with recognisable names ranging from Raymond Blanc and Michel Roux Jnr to William Sitwell and Olly Smith.
Winners will be revealed on 28th October and featured on the Great British Food Awards website and special edition magazine.
Shed One is the only distillery in the Northwest to have two spirits shortlisted in the ‘Gin’ category, both of which will now go forward to be tasted by the esteemed judging panel of celebrity chefs, writers, influencers, and buyers.
Shed One Distillery owner and co-founder, Zoe Arnold-Bennett, said: “It’s a real honour to get not just one but two of our spirits in front of some of the most respected names in the food and drink industry. We’re thrilled that, after some rigorous testing in the application process, we’ve been shortlisted for two very different gins, but ones that wholly reflect our business and stand out from other mass market gins currently available.
“Yiayia was a special female-led project with Irini Tzortzoglou, which involved taking the culinary flavours of her homeland, then mixing and blending to create Crete in a glass. Andy and I used to distil the odd bottle of Martini Gin for personal use as it’s my favourite cocktail. Finally, we were persuaded by tasters to make it an official Shed One Gin, and both gins have become very popular and gained loyal customers.”
Zoe and Andy Arnold-Bennett dream up, create, distil, and bottle, every last drop of gin and vodka from their former old calf shed distillery in Ulverston on the edge of the Lake District. Many of the botanicals used in their spirits are locally foraged and locally grown. The couple had their spirit-making process from the fields and shorelines to the still followed by Channel 5’s new docu-series, Cumbria: The Lakes & The Coast, which is currently showing on Wednesday evenings.
The Great British Food Awards are designed to champion the standout producers from across the UK and bring a great deal of kudos as the only scheme entirely dedicated to discovering the best British food and drink products. Winning or even being shortlisted is an incredible feat. For more information, visit https://www.greatbritishfoodawards.com.
To find out more about Shed One, visit https://shed1distillery.com.
