The Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards

The Winners of the Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards are known:

Result per category:

  • Light Spirits. Gold Medal: GinIsh; Silver Medal: Bax Botanics Sea Buckthorn; Bronze Medal: Ginamis.
  • Dark Spirits. Gold Medal: Gnista Barreled Oak; Silver Medal: Lyre's Dark Cane Spirit; Bronze Medal: Abstinence Epilogue.
  • Aperitif: Gold Medal: Three Spirit Livener; Silver Medal: Three Spirit Nightcap; Bronze Medal: Lyre's Coffee Original.

    Photo: Albert van Beeck Calkoen



    ---Press release---
    Sober October can get off to a good start
    Winners of the first edition of the Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards announced
    [Haarlem, October 1, 2021] The winners of the first edition of the Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards have been announced.

    The Jury The expert jury - consisting of: cocktail personality and expert Timo Janse, Mister Cocktail Albert van Beeck Calkoen and Cocktailicious founder and cocktail influencer Bart Waterschoot - assessed the number of entries based on 3 criteria: taste, packaging & design and concept. Taste determined 50% of the score and the other two criteria for 25% each. Janse: “When you judge a spirit, you mainly look at the complexity and the extent to which a tension is sought. Something has to be done. As a jury, we were unanimous in the winners that all three really stood out.”

    Winners: Ish Spirits GinIsh, Three Spirit Livener and Gnista Barreled Oak 'GinIsh' won in the Light Spirits category. Morten Sorensen, Founder of Ish Spirits: “We are extremely proud of this award. We would like to thank the jury of the Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards for their recognition. Our dedicated research & development team has the utmost focus to make the best non-alcoholic drinks in the world. In this way we make mindful drinking accessible to everyone.” 'Three Spirit Livener' won in the Aperitif category. “We are very happy that Three Spirit is one of the winners of the first Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards. The Netherlands has an exciting non-alcoholic scene and we hope that more and more people will taste our products in the near future.” said Dash Lilley, Co-Founder Three Spirit. The winner of the third Dark Spirits category is 'Gnista'. Founder Erika Olen: “We are very proud to have won an award at the first Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards organized by NIX & NIX. This again shows the top quality of our Barreled Oak and Floral Wormwood drinks.”

    Nice start Sober October The non-alcoholic spirits category in the Netherlands (and internationally) continues to grow rapidly. That is why the first non-alcoholic liquor store and also market leader in the Netherlands NIX & NIX launched the Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards last month; an official national non-alcoholic trade award that assesses both local and international brands. Wim Boekema (NIX & NIX): “We see it as our responsibility to give the non-alcoholic spirits category an extra boost and to look for the best flavors and brands in this category. In this search we used the expertise of this fantastic jury. We encourage further growth and development of the category and see this award as an encouragement to do so. We congratulate the fantastic winners of this first edition! Sober October 2021 can now really start well.”

    Result per category: Light Spirits. Gold Medal: GinIsh; Silver Medal: Bax Botanics Sea Buckthorn; Bronze Medal: Ginamis.
    Dark Spirits. Gold Medal: Gnista Barreled Oak; Silver Medal: Lyre's Dark Cane Spirit; Bronze Medal: Abstinence Epilogue.
    Aperitif: Gold Medal: Three Spirit Livener; Silver Medal: Three Spirit Nightcap; Bronze Medal: Lyre's Coffee Original.
    - End press release -

    NIX & NIX has announced the Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards. A professional price for non-alcoholic drinks. A jury of experts will determine the winners on September 30. Participation in the Awards is free of charge.


    The Jury selects on 3 criteria:

  • Taste
  • Packaging & Design
  • Concept

    Brands that want to compete for an Award can register by emailing: awards@nixennix.com. Please state in the email
  • Company Name
  • Name and description of products you want to register for participation
  • Contact details including email and phone number

    We respond to the email with an explanation of the procedure. Press questions can be sent to: awards@nixennix.com

    NIX & NIX is excited to announce The Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards. On September 30 a jury of cocktail experts will decide on the best non alcoholic spirits out of the brands that have enrolled. The competition is open for both Dutch and international brands. Participation is free of charge.

    The jury will decide on the basis of 3 criteria
  • Taste (50%)
  • Packaging & Design (25%)
  • Draft (25%)

    Brands can email their interest to participate to awards@nixennix.com.
  • Please make sure to include
  • Your company name
  • Name and description of drinks that you would like to enrol
  • Contact details including email and telephone number

    We will reply to you with the further outline of the competition and address details for bottle(s) delivery.

    Press questions, please email awards@nixennix.com

    Full press release in Dutch:


  • Launch trade prize for non-alcoholic drinks. Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards. Professional jury includes Timo Janse, Albert van Beeck Calkoen and Bart Waterschoot [Haarlem, September 7, 2021] The non-alcoholic spirits category in the Netherlands (and internationally) continues to grow rapidly. Where it used to be hard to find alcohol-free options and you had to apologize for drinking an alcohol-free cocktail, there is more and more variety and offer in this category. At category leader and first alcohol-free liquor store NIX & NIX alone, there are almost 40 different non-alcoholic spirit products. Non-alcoholic spirits account for 40% of sales. It is high time for an official national non-alcoholic drinks professional award that assesses both local and international brands. Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards That is why NIX & NIX is launching the Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards. The jury includes cocktail personality and expert Timo Janse, Mister Cocktail Albert van Beeck Calkoen and Cocktailicious founder and cocktail influencer Bart Waterschoot. Timo Janse: “Alcohol-free Spirits are getting more and more space in the range for cocktails. Thanks to the unique flavors, it is increasingly possible to create surprising cocktails without having to use alcohol.” Bart Waterschoot (Cocktailicious): “Alcohol-free is not a hype that is only visible during Dry January. Our site is frequently visited by people who want to make delicious cocktails at home and we have seen a significant increase in visitors to our non-alcoholic cocktails over the past two years. With new cocktails we often get the question with which non-alcoholic drinks you can make something. With the increasing and accessible range of high-quality alcohol-free spirits, you as a home bartender can go in more and more directions with alcohol-free. Whether you make an alcohol-free cocktail for yourself or for your guests!” Wim Boekema (NIX & NIX): “As market leader in non-alcoholic drinks, we see it as our responsibility to give the spirits category an extra boost and to look for the best flavors and brands in this category. We are very happy that we have been able to place the judging in the hands of experts such as Timo, Albert and Bart.” Judging of the Dutch Non Alcoholic Spirit Awards is based on 3 criteria: 1-Taste. 2-Packaging & design. 3-Draft. Taste counts for 50% and the other two criteria for 25%. From September 6, Dutch and international producers can submit entries. Submission details can be found at: nixennix.com/pages/the-dutch-non-alcoholic-spirit-awards. The judging will take place on September 30, so that alcohol-free lovers in the Netherlands will immediately have more inspiration for Sober October on October 1. Sober October is part of the rapidly growing trend to drink less or no alcohol at all. It is a month in which worldwide calls are made to take up the challenge not to drink alcohol for a month, comparable to Dry January and Dry July. - End press release -