Raising a toast to Shorty’s as gin scoops top prize
A TIPPLE distilled in Guisborough has scooped a top gong at the World Gin Awards – and the woman behind it could not be more delighted. Town Hall Gin comes from the Shorty’s Gins stable and is made at premises inside the newly renovated Town Hall in the heart of the town.
It has just won a bronze award at the World Gin Awards 2023 held in London, walking off with the accolade in the Contemporary Gin category, designed to recognise the best gins around the globe.
The woman behind the business is Rachael Conisbee, who was nicknamed Shorty by her dad. She revealed the news to her social media followers at the weekend.
She makes her gin brands in her own still in her premises at the newly renovated Guisborough Town
Hall and is no stranger to awards – her Endeavour Gin won a World Gin gong three years ago and was also shortlisted in the classic gin category at The Great British Food Awards last October.
The World Gin Awards “select, reward and promote the world’s best gins to consumers and trade across the globe”. The Contemporary category judges gins which have flavour profiles where the classic juniper still features – but others including citrus, spice and floral tones are also included.
Shorty has been making her Town Hall brand since moving in to the building it is named after in spring last year, 2022. “I am bursting with happiness today. Late last night, I checked for the results online...and I can announce that... Town Hall Gin has won BRONZE at the World Gin Awards 2023 in London,” she told her social media followers.
“Over 1000 gins were submitted to the awards this year, covering several different categories of gins. Town Hall Gin was in the Contemporary Gin Category. Thank you every single one of you who has supported Shorty’s Gins since
April 2017. I am still bouncing!”
Shorty launched her business in 2017 after losing her dad and her sister, her mum Kathleen is her “CEO” and has been with her every step of the way. Her impressive copper still is named after Kathleen.
Rachael started out making fruit gin liqueurs and quickly built up a reputation for delivering tasty tipples. Her business went from strength to strength and her gins began to be stocked in pubs and bars around Teesside, east Cleveland and North Yorkshire – and beyond. She then launched her Endeavour Gin which won a Bronze Award at the World Gin Awards in London in 2020 and a gold at the Women’s Wine and Spirit Awards.