But who really cares - and do they really mean anything? In most cases, actually we do care and they do mean something - because they’re generally judged blind (not blind drunk) by people who know what they're talking about, which means they're one of the few measures of quality in the drinks industry that can't be misrepresented - although of course people do try…

Below is our full, honest, unembellished list of awards. No stock photography of medals we don't own. Nor made-up awards from places you’ve never heard of. Just the proper ones we’ve actually won.

Spirits competitions judge entries blind — the judges don't know whose product they're tasting, how much it costs, or who made it. That's why we take them fairly seriously. The most credible include:

The IWSC (International Wine & Spirit Competition) - one of the world's oldest and most respected spirits competitions, judged by Masters of Wine and spirits professionals.

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition - widely regarded as the most rigorous spirits competition in the United States.

The Gin Guide Awards - judged by gin specialists and open to public voting, reflecting both expert and consumer opinion.

The World Gin Awards - annual competition awarding category leaders across gin styles globally. 

The Great Taste Awards - the UK's most trusted food and drink accreditation, blind-tasted by over 500 judges from the Guild of Fine Food.

The London Spirits Competition - an international competition judged by working trade buyers and bartenders, evaluating spirits on quality, value, and packaging.

USA Spirits Ratings - judged by leading American retail buyers and distributors, assessing spirits as they would actually perform on a US shelf.