Four-time “World’s Best Gin”: Global Brand Ambassador Ross Bryant about No.3 Gin

No.3 London Dry Gin, created in 2010 by Berry Bros & Rudd at number 3 St. James’s Street in London, is one of the best gins in the world. It is the only one to have been named “World’s Best Gin” four times at the International Spirits Challenge and the first to win the prestigious “Supreme Champion Spirit Award” at the International Spirits Challenge 2019. Thanks to its balance, it works perfectly in any gin cocktail, as the annual cocktail competition “Unrivalled Classics” (formerly “Pursuit of Perfection”) is currently proving once again.

We spoke to Ross Bryant, No.3’s Global Brand Ambassador, about this competition, the German winner, who was announced at the end of May, and the final. He also talks about the gin, its production and its awards.

Tell us about yourself: What was your path into the spirits industry and to No.3?

Ross Bryant: I started working in a bar, as a lot of young people in UK, to support myself while studying. It didn’t take long for me to realize that hospitality is the industry where I could be creative and share my ideas with people. After few years I opened my own bar in Edinburgh and participated in couple of cocktail competitions, one of them being No.3 London Dry Gin. I always really loved the brand, but the competition made me realize that this is the brand I would like to work with in a bigger capacity.

What are your main tasks as Global Brand Ambassador of No.3?

Answer:  The main task for a Global Brand ambassador is to represent the brand around the world by educating people about No.3, hosting events and tastings, coordinating our annual cocktail competition Unrivalled Classics, supporting local brand ambassadors and distribution teams.

No.3 London Dry Gin was created in 2010. What milestones has the gin achieved?

Ross Bryant: The first research on the brand actually started in 2008, when Simon Berry, our chairman at that time gave a challenging task to his spirits team to create the best gin in the world. Lead by the only person in the world with Phd in gin, Dr. David Clutton, team worked for two years to create an outstanding liquid and it was realized in 2010.

Since then we’ve been awarded with multiple awards from different tasting challenges, but the most importantly we’ve been selected as the worlds best gin in the International Spirits Competition 4 times and in 2019 we’ve also received the Ultimate Spirits Champion award which made No.3 Gin the first gin and the first unaged spirit to receive this award. Since changing our bottle in 2018, we have also received awards for our new design.

How and where is the gin produced? Which ingredients are used?

Ross Bryant: We use a classic London dry gin distillation method, where all of the botanicals are steeped in neutral spirits, we use an exceptional French winter wheat spirit, and then distilled all together. Nothing is added after the distillation, we just dilute our liquid to 46% ABV.

To make No.3 Gin we use the highest quality botanicals – juniper, orange and grapefruit peels, coriander, cardamom and angelica root. The distillation magic happens at the award winning Royal De Kuyper distillery in Schiedam.

What does the gin taste like and what distinguishes it from other gins?

Ross Bryant: No.3 London Dry Gin embodies an unrivalled combination of juniper, citrus and spice. It is a very juniper lead gin with beautiful aromas of citrus and lingering flavour of spice. The gin was created with the idea to be a perfect gin for a Martini, however due to the incredible balance it works beautifully in any gin cocktail.

No.3 is on the road this year with the international cocktail competition in a new format. The “Pursuit of Perfection” has become the “Unrivaled Classics Global Cocktail Competition”. How and where does the competition take place, what is it about and what has changed?

Ross Bryant: No.3 brand is growing more and more globally, so we wanted to grow and develop our competition as well. We decided that we want to celebrate incredible gin cocktails and see how classics can be modernized to this day and hopefully become a worldwide modern classics. This is how the idea of Unrivalled Classics were born.

This year we wanted to see how talented bartenders can recreate a Gimlet cocktail, and the standard was incredibly high. We also had the biggest number of participating countries so far, Germany, UK, Italy and Spain was joined by US for the first time. The final of Unrivalled Classis will be taking place in The Royal De Kuyper distillery on the 9-10 of September.

The German final took place at the end of May. Who won?

Ross Bryant: We are very happy to announce that this years Germany’s finalist is Andrey Bartlett from The Local in Hamburg. Andrey showed and exceptional standard at making this years Unrivalled Classic – Gimlet.

The next step for him is the trip with Robin to the final in Schiedam on the 10th of Septhember where Andrey will compete against 4 other incredible bartenders from UK, Italy, Spain and US for a chance to win a trip to Singapore’s BCB, guestshift at the iconic Atlas bar and a wonderful dinner paired with No.3 Gin cocktails at the Michelin starred restaurant Burnt Ends.

You have recently received support in Germany: Robin Lühert is Brand Ambassador for No.3 in Germany. Why did you choose Robin?

Ross Bryant: We were very lucky to have someone like Robin to join our team. He was working with the brand for several years at his bar Espirit in Kanssel, he also has been Germany’s finalist for No.3 Cocktail Competition for 2 years in a row. Robin really embodies the passion of the brand, he is also extremely knowledgeable bartender, so we could not see a better face of the brand for German market.

What are his tasks, how does he support you and what does this mean for No.3’s presence on the German market?

Ross Bryant: Robin will be working with the team of Kirsch Import and No.3 central teams to bring No.3 Gin to German hospitality industry. He will be educating HoReCa sector on the essence of the brand, its history and different ways to approach No.3 Gin in cocktails and activations. He will also be a pinnacle person to build a strong No.3 loving bartending community.

Distribution in Germany is handled by Kirsch Import. How does the company support the brand?

Ross Bryant: Kirsch Import are the unrivalled experts in German market, they will support the brand by developing the strategy and growing No.3 withing the market by helping with education, events, PR and bartender network.

What do you and No.3 have coming up in the next few months – internationally and especially in Germany?

Ross Bryant: Global sponsorship of World’s 50 Best hotels, and in Germany, we are excited to announce that we will be bringing the team from The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy hotel, one of the most iconic hotels in London, to do a guest shift at one of the most amazing bars in Berlin. All the details will be shared closer to BCB, so keep an eye out for it.

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Pictures: Berry Brothers & Rudd Ltd.

+++ We would like to thank Ross Bryant for the open and very interesting interview! If you also have an interesting brand, then we should talk. Just send us an e-mail with the subject “about-drinks interview” to redaktion@about-drinks.com – we look forward to hearing from you! +++