Just two months after it was launched, Wales’s only aquavit has picked up a silver award at the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC), the world’s largest and most influential international spirit awards.

Silver Circle Aquavit, made by Silver Circle Distillery in Monmouthshire is a modern, versatile expression of a Scandinavian favourite – a premium spirit distilled with caraway, fennel, raspberry, lemon and rye.

Last week, judges at the IWSC scored it 91 out of 100, complementing the “…warm earthy aromas of rye cereals and caraway, plenty of spice on the palate with an anise and nutty five-spice sweetness and lingering in the mouth on a warm peppery note.”

Silver Circle Aquavit is one of only four aquavits which scored 91 – with only two aquavits in the world scoring any higher.

Distillery co-founder Nina Howden said “We are absolutely thrilled to receive a score of 91 from IWSC just a few short weeks after putting our aquavit out into the world. We worked really hard to create something we were proud of, but to receive feedback like this so early on is quite unbelievable!”

This most recent success follows on from the independent distillery scooping six stars at the 2021 Great Taste Awards; three stars for the pre-mixed, small-batch Damson Negroni, two stars for their Black Garlic Vodka, and one star for their signature Wye Valley Gin.