The World’s Best Gins, According to The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

The best gins have been officially announced by the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Ginny Big Distillery’s Botanic Gin has been recognized as a top entry, having been deemed both the Best Overall Gin and Best London Dry Gin. (Photo: Ginny Pig Distillery)

The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) recently concluded its judging, crowning category winners at the Top Shelf Awards Gala in Las Vegas. With a record-breaking 6,000 entries, the SFWSC solidified its position as the world’s largest and most prestigious spirits competition, Forbes reported.

Established in 2000, the SFWSC serves as a platform for emerging brands to gain acclaim, exposure and recognition within the distribution community. Expert judges blindly taste all spirit entries and award bronze, silver, gold, double gold or platinum medals based on their quality.

Entries that receive gold medals from all judges attain the prestigious double gold status. The highest-performing double gold recipients then progress to the sweepstakes round, where they contend for “Best In Show” and other such honors.

The SFWSC had previously announced its Double Gold Medals in early May, offering a comprehensive list of winners across all spirits categories. This year, there were approximately 1,800 submissions for whisky, making it the category with the highest number of entries. Gin followed closely behind with 577 submissions.

The awards ceremony, held on June 17, celebrated the many outstanding spirits that emerged victorious from the competition. Here, we present the gins which have been deemed among the best in the world, according to the 2023 SFWSC.

The World’s Best Gins, According to The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Best Overall Gin: Ginny Pig Distillery Botanic Gin (44% ABV)

Best London Dry Gin: Ginny Pig Distillery Botanic Gin (44% ABV)

Best Navy Strength Gin: The Hope Distillery Gindome Mermaid Navy Strength Gin (58.2% ABV)

Best Old Tom Gin: Greenhook Ginsmiths Old Tom Gin (50.05% ABV)

Best Barrel-Aged Gin: Avonak Distillery Distiller’s Reserve Barrel-Aged Gin (47.5% ABV)

Best Flavored Gin: Billy Stitch Distillery Berry Mojito Gin (50% ABV)

Best Genever: Old Dutch Distillers Genever (38% ABV)

Interested in more than just gin? Here are the 2023 SFWSC’s best whiskeys and agave spirits.

Read next:

The 5 Best Gins We Tasted in May 2023

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Founded by Dan Abrams, The Daily Pour is the ultimate drinking guide for the modern consumer, covering spirits, non-alcoholic and hemp beverages. With its unique combination of cross-category coverage and signature rating system that aggregates reviews from trusted critics across the internet, The Daily Pour sets the standard as the leading authority in helping consumers discover, compare and enjoy the best of today's evolving drinks landscape.

Candie Getgen is an editor and the database manager for The Daily Pour. Before immersing herself in the world of spirits journalism, Candie has been many things: a bartender, a literary journal editor, an English teacher — and even a poet. Candie has a passion for gin and shares it with the world in hopes of helping others fall in love with it, too (if they haven't already!). When not writing, Candie enjoys sipping a Negroni while drawing or relaxing by the pool with a campy mystery novel.