Affordable Gin Takes Top Prize

The 2026 WSWA Wine and Spirits Tasting Competition awarded its Best Gin title to a craft gin which costs $24. The judges rated Earl Giles London Dry Gin with 96 points which resulted in the rare Double Gold rating that every judge awarded to the winning bottle.

The competition took place in Las Vegas and featured more than 250 entries across wine and spirits categories. Earl Giles stood out among the competitors, becoming the only gin to achieve Double Gold recognition during the event.

Crafted in Minneapolis With Unique Ingredients

The award-winning gin is produced in Minneapolis, Minnesota, using a corn-based spirit sourced from the region. The distillation process uses two botanical distillates to create the flavor of the gin. One of these mixtures undergoes a four-day maceration process with a custom blend of botanicals, which helps develop the gin’s aroma and taste.

After the botanicals are prepared, the spirit is redistilled using an in-house still known as “Hotrod.” The completed gin product contains 40% alcohol by volume when it is placed into bottles.

Distillery’s Journey From Non-Alcoholic Drinks

The gin company Earl Giles was established in 2015 by Jesse Held and Jeff Erkkila. The brand started its operations by producing non-alcoholic drinks until it later developed its capacity to make alcoholic beverages.

The name "Earl Giles" honors Erkkila's great-grandfather who operated a pharmacy during Prohibition and used a float plane to transport alcohol to customers across the Midwest.

The company operates its business from an 18,000-square-foot facility which occupies a historical building that dates back to the 1890s. The property contains a distillery and bottling and canning facilities and an apothecary and a restaurant that accommodates 225 guests.

Additional Awards for the Brand

Earl Giles earned multiple awards at the competition. Dr Fernetti received 98 points for his creation, which won the Best Herbal/Botanicals Liqueur award and the Double Gold medal.

The Tasting Alliance organizes the WSWA competition through its management of major events, which include the San Francisco, New York, and Asia World Spirits competitions.

 The success of Earl Giles London Dry Gin demonstrates that craft producers can successfully compete with international brands while maintaining affordable prices for their products.