Henstone in the News: Our Record Third Distillery of the Year Win Makes Headlines
Henstone's record third Distillery of the Year win has made headlines — from BBC Radio Shropshire to The Gin Guild. Catch up on all the press coverage.
When we were named Distillery of the Year at the Gin Guide Awards 2026 — for a record third time, and the only distillery in the world to achieve it — we knew it was a special moment for everyone here at Henstone. What we didn't quite expect was just how far the news would travel.
Over the past few weeks, our win has been featured in print, online and on the airwaves, and we wanted to share a few of the highlights with you.
On Air with BBC Radio Shropshire
One of the real treats was being invited onto BBC Radio Shropshire to talk about the win. Chris spoke to Mark Elliott about what the hat-trick means to the team, life at the distillery, and what goes into making a world-beating gin in rural Shropshire.
You can listen to the full interview below:
Border Counties Advertizer
Our local paper, the Border Counties Advertizer, ran the story under the headline "Oswestry gin & whisky firm named world's best three times" — and we'll admit, that one's going in the scrapbook. Local press has followed our journey since the very first bottles left the distillery, so it means a lot to share this milestone in print with our home patch.
The Gin Guild
We were honoured to see the win featured by The Gin Guild, the worshipful body representing the gin industry. As proud members, it means a great deal to be recognised among our peers. Their piece highlighted the third Distillery of the Year title as a reflection of the consistency and quality we strive for across our whole spirits range — something the entire team works incredibly hard to deliver, batch after batch.
Oswestry Life and It's Beautiful
Both Oswestry Life and It's Beautiful magazine also shared the story with the local community that has supported us since day one. Seeing our win celebrated alongside the food festivals, charity events and local businesses that make this corner of the world so special was a lovely reminder of where we come from.
As our Director and Co-Founder Chris Toller put it, being named Distillery of the Year for a third time firmly cements Henstone's reputation among the very best craft distilleries in the UK.
Visit Oswestry
We've also been featured by Visit Oswestry, who are now showcasing the win to visitors planning a trip to the area. If you've been thinking about coming to see us, there's never been a better time — come and taste the award-winning spirits for yourself. Tours run on Fridays and Saturdays — all dates are available as well as ticket purchases here.
How We Got Here
For those just discovering us through the coverage: the Gin Guide Awards is widely regarded as the world's largest independent gin awards. Every entry is judged through a rigorous blind tasting by a panel of distillers, spirits buyers, mixologists and industry experts — no branding, no marketing, no country of origin. Just the spirit in the glass.
This year, our three core gins — London Dry, Navy and Rosé — each won their category once again, against competition from hundreds of distilleries across 36 countries. It was our combined scores across all three that earned us the Distillery of the Year title, following our previous wins in 2020 and 2023.
Thank You
To every journalist, presenter, publication and organisation that shared our story — thank you. And to our customers, stockists and the Henstone family of supporters: none of this happens without you. Here's to the next chapter.
You can find our award-winning London Dry, Navy and Rosé Gins, along with our whisky, vodka, rum, apple brandy and corn liquor, in our online shop and at the distillery shop (Dingle Farm, Trewern SY21 8EG).
