Melksham distillery wins prestigious award for orange gin

A MELKSHAM distillery has won a prestigious Great Taste Award for its popular orange gin.

Ten Hides Distillery, based at Avonside, launched its orange gin flavour at the end of last year. The accreditation joins an award-winning lineup of beverages created by the distillery, including the company’s spiced rum, which also won a Great Taste Award in 2024 and London dry gin, which was given a World Gin Award in 2023.

“We are thrilled to have received this important accolade for our orange gin, only launched late last year,” said co-owner of Ten Hides Distillery, James Brake. “This means that all three of our hand-crafted spirits have won international acclaim. It just shows what a micro-distillery by the river in Melksham can achieve. We have a prize-winning lineup now!”

News of the accreditation comes ahead of Foodies Festival Bath this weekend, where Ten Hides Distillery will have a stand displaying their trio of award-winning drinks, which will also be included in a tasting session in the drinks theatre on Saturday 30th August by international wine and spirits judge Joe Wadsack.

Ten Hides Distillery opened in 2023 and distils a selection of gin, rum and now whisky. The company ethos is to keep things local, an idea reflective of the ‘Ten Hides’, which was an old English measurement of land in Wiltshire.

More than 14,300 products were submitted to the renowned Great Taste scheme – the biggest year yet – but only a third of those are recognised by the awards each year.

They are judged by 500 industry experts, from chefs and retailers to critics and writers, over the course of 110 days to ensure only the best products are rewarded. Each product is blind taste tested for a impartial review.

Pictured: Co-owner James Brake with the award winning gin