In Dutovlje, within the Karst region, the 7th Gin & Brin Festival unfolded on June 30th and July 1st, captivating attendees with premium Slovenian spirits and popular gin tonics. During the fourth assessment of gins and juniper spirits, a panel of experts chose the top 49 rated distillates. For the very first time, the awarded distilleries were granted their commendations in a digital format that readily verifies for the source and authenticity of these credentials.
The Gin & Brin Festival, organized by gin and juniper enthusiasts from the Karst region since 2017, is a two-day event aimed at promoting gin appreciation, raising awareness of the history and tradition of juniper spirits in this regions, and showcasing Slovenian and international distillers to the broader public.
The expert evaluation at the festival adheres to international standards and includes a carefully selected committee of Slovenian experts in the field of spirits, sommeliership, distillation, and hospitality. From numerous submitted samples, 49 distillates were chosen, receiving 7 gold, 27 silver, and 15 bronze awards in various categories such as London Dry gin, cold mixed gin, distilled gin, fruit gin, juniper spirits, gin-based liqueur, and spirit with juniper aroma.
A significant innovation of this year’s festival is the introduction of awards in a verifiable digital format, issued by the festival’s organizers using the MyNextID platform by Netis. Our director Tomislav Mučič explains how it works:
Tomislav Mučič, director of Netis, explains: »For many years, we have been active in developing solutions for secure data exchange. Our infrastructure enables companies to independently digitize certificates, documents, or tickets in a standardized and easy-to-read format for other institutions. This facilitates rapid and easy document exchange and verification between individuals and companies, putting the user at the center. The user can hold various organizations’ credentials in a single digital wallet, allowing the user to control and share their data as needed.«
Foto: Tomislav Mučič, director of Netis
Author: Tania Mendillo
The functionality is illustrated through the Gin & Brin Festival example: organizers issued digital awards to distilleries via the MyNextID platform. The awardees subsequently established verified company profiles, publicly showcasing the bestowed recognition. Clients and partners can verify award origins through a QR code, thereby endorsing its legitimacy.
Mučič explains that this is possible “due to trust infrastructure. All involved individuals and organizations can exchange and verify credentials in a secure and standardized manner, following the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) protocol and W3C and openID standards. By involving officially authorized organizations, the platform’s components are also suitable for issuing and verifying documents such as diplomas, employment certificates, individual creditworthiness, driver’s licenses, and more.“
Katja Gabrijelčič from the Društvo na placu, the organizer of the Gin & Brin Festival, explained that they opted for such digital awards because they “provide distilleries with a modern and practical tool for presenting accomplishments to customers, distributors, and spirit vendors. I believe this marks a significant and welcome step beyond printed accolades or labels on spirit bottles, where authenticity is much harder to verify and prove.”
Similar sentiments are shared by providers such as the Petriot distillery: “Awards fortify trust in our spirits and their quality. We are eager to communicate them, and plan to feature QR codes on our products. Slovenian craft distilleries can thereby effortlessly amplify awareness of top-tier Slovenian spirits—an endeavor we consider pivotal,” adds Petriot’s representative, Nina Petruna Babarović.
Together with Netis, the festival’s organizers also plan to digitize awards from the past three years. Majda Debevc, one of Slovenia’s leading experts in spirits and a member of festival’s expert jury, adds: “Verifiable awards are an excellent addition to the Gin & Brin Festival, heightening the event’s professionalism. The same applies to the awarded distilleries. I am confident in drawing an even broader array of distillers from the wider region in the forthcoming years. This innovation is also interesting for other domestic and international festivals, as attesting and enhancing quality is imperative for the hospitality and tourism sector. Therefore, it is important that we boldly undertake such projects.”