Awards Terms & Conditions

Definitions

• ‘Entrant’ shall mean the producer/ importer/ retailer / agent that submits the Entry.
• ‘Entry/Entries’ shall mean the gins entered into the Awards by the Entrant.
• 'Awards' shall mean The Gin Guide Awards 2018 competition.
• 'Organiser' shall mean The Gin Guide. 
• 'Entry Closing Date' shall mean Monday 4th June 2018.
• 'Sample Delivery Date' shall mean Monday 11th June 2018. 

Entry & Form Submission

• The Gin Guide Awards 2018 (the 'Awards') online entry form must be submitted and the correct entry fee must be received by Monday 4th June (the 'Entry Closing Date').
• An entry to the Awards is only completed and eligible for judging when the entry form, entry fee and product sample(s) have been received. 
• Any entry forms which are incomplete will be deemed invalid. In this event, the entrant will be notified and given the opportunity to complete all required fields in the form before the Entry Closing Date.
• Any entry forms which are not fully completed by the Entry Closing Date or are submitted after the Entry Closing Date will be deemed invalid. In this event, The Gin Guide (the 'Organiser') will retain 50% of the entry fee as an administration fee and product samples will be retained by the Organiser.   

• In the event that an entry is deemed ineligible or is refused, the Organiser will retain 50% of the entry fee as an administration fee and product samples will be retained by the Organiser.  
• The Organiser reserves the right to alter the Entry Closing Date and any published scheduling, place an entry into a different category, reject an entry, deem an entry as ineligible, or alter the date, time or place on or at which the awards are scheduled to take place. 
• The Organiser's decision is final.
• By submitting The Gin Guide Awards 2018 entry form, you confirm that all information provided is correct at the time of submitting the form and you accept that any information found to be incorrect or misleading will result in disqualification from the Awards.  In this event, entry fees and product samples will be retained by the Organiser. The Gin Guide must be informed of any changes to entry form information before the commencement of judging.
• By uploading and submitting imagery with an Awards entry form you confirm that you own and have the rights to distribute the imagery. By uploading and submitting any imagery, you grant the Organiser permission to display, print, publish, reproduce and/or edit the imagery without providing credit. In the event of the Organiser utilising imagery provided by you that is not owned by you or that you do not have the rights to distribute, you accept full liability for any breaches of applicable laws. 
• Entries must be submitted by the distillery or brand owner of each gin, or by a third party appointed by the distillery or brand owner (such as a PR Agency or Distributor) with the permission of the distillery and brand owner of each gin entered.
• The Entrant will indemnify The Gin Guide for any claims which arise as a result of the Entrant submitting an Entry which it does not have the authority or permission to submit.
• Payment of entry fees must be completed by bank transfer or byonline via Paypal, debit card or credit card, and using PayPal's payment platform.
• Current paid Members of The Gin Guide are entitled to enter one (1) gin into the Awards at no cost. 

Product Eligibility

• All gins submitted must be bottled at a minimum of 37.5% ABV.
• Entries into the Navy Strength category must be bottled at an ABV of between 57% and 58%.
• Gin liqueurs bottled at below 37.5% ABV cannot be entered.
• Barrel aged or cask aged gins cannot be entered.
• Entries with no identifiable juniper flavour, where the category requires it, may be disqualified at the discretion of the Head Judge. The Head Judge's decision is final.
• Gins that are either 'homemade', for personal consumption, unlicensed, non-commercial, or not currently available for on-trade or off-trade sales cannot be entered. 

Product Samples & Shipping

• Product samples must be sent by pre-paid post or courier and must be be received by Monday 11th June (the 'Sample Delivery Deadline'). 
• All customs, clearance and associated shipping costs must have been paid. In the event that these have not been paid, the Organiser reserves the right to either not accept the entries or to invoice the costs incurred and an additional £10.00 administration fee. 
• Entries into one (1) or two (2) Awards categores must provide a minimum of one (1) sealed 50cl or 70cl bottle of each gin being entered.
• Entries into three (3) or more Awards categories must provide a minimum of two (2) 50cl or 70cl bottles of each gin being entered.
• Product samples must be provided and presented as per retail, with bottling, labeling and sealing as per retail. 
• If product samples are not received by the Sample Delivery Deadline, the entry will be invalid and the Organiser will retain 50% of entry fees as an administration fee.
• It is the responsibility of the Entrant to ensure that samples have been delivered to the Organiser before the Sample Delivery Deadline.
• The Organiser cannot be held liable for the loss or damage of sample deliveries. Entrants are responsible for arranging sufficient and suitable insurance for deliveries.
• Any product samples received after the Sample Delivery Deadline will be retained by the Organiser. 
• Product samples will not be returned following judging.  
• The Organiser reserves the right to retain open bottles or utilise remnants at trade and consumer events to promote the gin. 

Judging

• The judging of tasting categories is conducted in a 'blind' format. Packaging, product information and imagery provided is not considered or able to influence judging. Prior or current commercial relationships with any gin producer or their representatives must be declared by judges and measures are in place to prevent such relationships being able to impact judging.      
• The judging of non-tasting categories ('Spirit of Gin' and 'Gin Innovation') is based on information provided in the Awards entry form and entrants may be required to provide additional information to the judges or answer specific questions from the judges. Failure to respond to requests for additional information or responses to questions may result in disqualification. 
• Head Judge, Paul Jackson, has the right to disqualify any entry not deemed to meet the entry criteria or Terms and Conditions. In this event, 50% of the entry fee will be retained by the Organiser as an administration fee and product samples will be retained by the Organiser. 
• The decision of the Organiser is final on all matters.

Shortlisting, Winners & Prizes

• Shortlisted gins will be entitled to display the 'The Gin Guide Awards 2018 - Shortlisted' logo online, in printed materials and on bottle stickers. The 'The Gin Guide Awards 2018 - Shortlisted' logo may not be edited in any way and the design is owned by The Gin Guide.
• Any display, publication or text references to the being Shortlisted must state the Awards year that the Shortlisting was achieved and must state the specific gin that the Shortlisting refers to.
• The winning gin in each category will be entitled to display the 'The Gin Guide Awards 2018 - Winner' logo online, in printed materials and on bottle stickers. The 'The Gin Guide Awards 2018 - Winner' logo may not be edited in any way and the design is owned by The Gin Guide.
• Any display, publication or text references to winning an Awards must state the Awards year that the Awards was achieved and must state the specific gin that the Award refers to.
• Winners and Shortlisted gins agree that the Organiser may publish details and particulars of each winning and shortlisted Entry.
• The overall winning gin in each category will receive a certificate.
• All gins entered into the Awards will receive a feedback comment from the judges.
• Gins entered, excluding Navy Strength Gins, Old Tom Gins and Flavoured Gins, will have an online profile set up on The Gin Guide website.
• Navy Strength Gins, Old Tom Gins and Flavoured Gins will be eligible to have an online profile set up on The Gin Guide website or be featured on the profile of another gin produced by the same distillery or under the same brand, at the discretion of The Gin Guide. 

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If you have any question or queries regarding the Terms and Conditions of The Gin Guide Awards, please contact [email protected]