Gin win back to its Roots

A Marlborough made gin has taken out a top honour after being named the best of its kind in the world.

Roots Dry Gin, made in Rapuara at Elemental Distillers, was awarded the Best London Dry Gin Trophy at the 2023 World Gin Awards in London on Friday.

Held at the famous Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London, the glitzy awards ceremony attracted entrants from across the globe.

Roots Dry Gin co-founder Ben Leggett was in London for the special win.

Posting online after the big win, a delighted Ben said the win was for all those who had helped put the small distillery on the map.

“So, this is a win for all of you as well because you’re as much as part of this brand as the rest of us and of course to all of the Kiwis who are doing some amazing stuff in the spirits’ industry.”

“I just wanted to put a shout-out to all the people...who’ve been a massive part of our story, our development over the last three and a half years.

“To all the volunteers who have been just beyond epic whether it’s helping picking gorse flowers up in the hills of the Wairau Valley, whether it be peeling grapefruit, helping us with bottling days and just generally the community who’ve been just been incredibly supportive from day one.”

Founded in 2018 by Ben and business partner Simon Kelly, the locally produced gin has already won a raft of accolades including the trophy for Best Overall Gin at the New Zealand Spirit Awards in 20212.

Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor congratulated Ben and Simon on their win, saying the accolade was “an amazing result.”

“It makes me incredibly proud when Marlborough people do well on the national or international stage.

‘For our boutique Roots Dry Gin to take out the top honour at the World Gin Awards in London (the home of gin) is an amazing result.

“Congratulations to Ben Leggett, Simon Kelly and the team at Elemental Distillers - you make us all very proud to be Marlburians.”