The winners in the inaugural competition to assess the business of Scotch whisky have been revealed.
The Scottish Whisky Awards welcomed over 400 guests to celebrate and to hear who had been crowned the best in the wide-ranging competition which assesses taste and business performance.
See a full list of the winners here
Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year 2019 was presented to The GlenAllachie Distillery in recognition of an outstanding year of business and after winning five medals in the blind tasting competition. The distillery has successfully served a full range of single malt into the market, opened a visitor centre and created a strong distribution network. Their awards haul included two gold medals for their 18 and 12 year old single malts.
Craigellachie, Glen Scotia, Highland Park and Loch Lomond Distilleries were also nominated in the category.
Angus-based Arbikie Distilling collected the award for the Newcomer of the Year and were applauded by the judging panel for their field to bottle ethos and innovative approach. They also collected a silver medal for Arbikie Highland Rye in the single grain category.
Other winners on the night included Johnnie Walker White Walker for their Game Of Thrones campaign whilst the Glasgow Distillery Company triumphed with multiple awards for their recently launched 1770 Single Malt.
Professor Alan Wolstenholme, Chair of the Judging panel commented;
“Very many congratulations to the winners in the inaugural Scottish Whisky Awards. Winning a Scottish Whisky Award is a huge opportunity to further the promotion of Scotch whisky at home and abroad. I hope that all the medallists and winners take the opportunity to promote their success and achievements in what was a very tough competition.”
The awards are supported by commercial sponsors including Shawbrook Bank and Bruce Stevenson.
Kevin Boyd, Managing Director at Shawbrook Bank commented;
“Congratulations to all the finalists and winners in the inaugural Scottish Whisky Awards. Shawbrook Bank are proud supporters of our whisky industry and we are delighted to support these awards and their work to promote the business of Scotch and all our wonderful whiskies at home and abroad.”
Graeme Dempster, Account Executive at Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers commented;
“We’d like to congratulate all the finalists and winners at the Scottish Whisky Awards. The quality of talent up for nomination clearly demonstrates the strength of the Scotch Whisky industry today. At Bruce Stevenson, we’re very proud to have a wide-ranging and deep involvement in such an exciting and growing sector.”
The awards also recognised one of the whisky industry’s most accomplished scientific and technical advisers with a special award presented posthumously to Dr Jim Swan. The award for outstanding contribution to Scotch whisky was accepted by Dr Swan’s daughters and was presented in recognition of his forty-year career as a research scientist and trusted adviser to whisky distilleries around the world. The award will be presented annually as The Jim Swan Award for Services to Scotch Whisky to an individual making a significant contribution to the Scotch Whisky industry.
Full results in the competition were unveiled for the first-time last night after being held as a closely guarded secret since the business and taste competitions were carried out in May. In the taste sessions, adjudicated by the international sensory management consultancy, Cara Technology, over 100 whiskies were blind tasted and scored by a 32-strong judging panel from the UK, mainland Europe and Asia.
The awards which will now become an annual fixture and will be hosted in Glasgow next year, were also a fundraiser for two charities; The BEN, the Benevolent Society of the Licensed Trade of Scotland and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, set up by rugby legend Doddie Weir to help improve the lives of those affected by Motor Neurone Disease.
THE WINNERS IN FULL
BUSINESS AWARDS
Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year sponsored by Shawbrook Bank
Winner: The GlenAllachie Distillery
Finalists:
- Craigellachie Distillery
- Glen Scotia Distillery
- Highland Park Distillery
- Loch Lomond Distillery
Newcomer of the Year sponsored by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers
Winner: Arbikie Distillery
Highly Commended: Kingsbarns Distillery
Finalists:
Glasgow Distillery
The GlenAllachie Distillers Co
Product Launch of the Year sponsored by McLaren Packaging
Winner: Diageo, Johnnie Walker White Walker (Game of Thrones, HBO)
Highly Commended: Glasgow Distillery Company, 1770 Glasgow Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Finalists:
Ardgowan Distillery, The Expedition 20 Year Old Blended Malt
Dark Sky Spirits, The Moffat Blended Malt
The Glenrothes and Fields, Morris & Verdin, The Soleo Collection
Ian Macleod Distillers, The Glengoyne Legacy Series
John Crabbie & Co, 50 Year Old Single Grain
John Dewar & Sons, Craigellachie 51 Year Old
Kingsbarns Distillery, Dream to Dram Single Malt Scotch
The GlenAllachie Distillery, Core Range
Excellence in Branding
Winner: Glasgow Distillery, 1770 Glasgow Single Malt
Finalists:
Annandale Distillery
Ardgowan Distillery, The Expedition
Gleann Mor Spirits Co, Whisky Row
Highland Park, Viking Legends Series
Kingsbarns Distillery
PeatReekers
GlenAllachie Distillers Co
Brand Experience of the Year sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons
Winner: Loch Lomond Group, The Grand Tour
Finalists:
Diageo, Johnnie Walker, Edinburgh’s Christmas & Hogmanay
Glen Garioch Distillery, The Legends of the Garioch (Beam Suntory)
Edrington Group, The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience Launch, Aberlour
Whyte and Mackay, The Cooperage Bar, Isle of Jura Distillery
Tourism Destination of the Year sponsored by Michael Laird Architects
Winner: Isle of Raasay Distillery, Isle of Raasay (R & D Distillers)
Highly Commended: The Clydeside Distillery, Glasgow (Clydeside Distillery Ltd)
Finalists:
Annandale Distillery, Annan, Dumfriesshire (Annandale Distillery Company)
Glen Garioch Distillery, Oldmeldrum Aberdeenshire, (Beam Suntory)
Glengoyne Distillery, Killearn, Glasgow (Ian Macleod Distillers)
Isle of Arran Distillery, Lochranza, Isle of Arran (Isle of Arran Distillers)
Glen Scotia, Campbeltown (Loch Lomond Group)
Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Speyside (Spirit of Speyside Ltd)
The Lindores Distillery, Lindores, Fife (Lindores Distilling Co)
Community Contribution of the Year sponsored by Bairds Malt
Winner: Ardnamurchan Distillery, Moidart (Adelphi Distillery)
Finalists:
Glenkinchie Distillery, East Lothian (Diageo)
TASTE AWARDS
Single Malt – No Age Statement
GOLD Glen Scotia Double Cask, Glen Scotia Distillery
SILVER 1770 Glasgow Single Malt Scotch, Glasgow Distillery Company
BRONZE Glen Scotia Campbeltown Harbour, Glen Scotia Distillery
Finalists:
Arran Single Malt Quarter Cask – The Bothy, Isle of Arran Distillers
Crabbie’s Yardhead, John Crabbie & Co
Dream to Dram, Kingsbarns Distillery
Glen Moray Classic Chardonnay Cask Finish, Glen Moray Distillery
Glen Moray Peated Classic, Glen Moray Distillery
Highland Park Dragon Legend, Highland Park
Jura Seven Wood, Jura Distillery
Loch Lomond Original, Loch Lomond Distillery
MacDonalds Traditional Ben Nevis Highland Single Malt, Ben Nevis Distillery
Man O’Words 2015, Annandale Distillery
While We Wait, Isle of Raasay Distillery
Single Malt Under 12 Year Old sponsored by Muntons
GOLD Laphroaig 10 Year Old, Laphroaig Distillery
SILVER Highland Park 10 Year Old Viking Scars, Highland Park Distillery
BRONZE GlenAllachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 2; GlenAllachie Distillery
Finalists:
Arran Single Malt 10 Year Old, Isle of Arran Distillers
Benromach 10 Year Old, The Benromach Distillery
Glengoyne 10 Year Old, Glengoyne Distillery
John Crabbie 8 Year Old, John Crabbie & Co
Loch Lomond 10 Year Old, Loch Lomond Distillery
MacDonalds Ben Nevis 10 Year Old Batch Limited Edition Batch No.1, Ben Nevis Distillery
The Single Cask Croftengea 10 Year Old (Loch Lomond Distillery), The Single Cask
The Single Cask Royal Brackla 11 Year Old, The Single Cask
Tullibardine 2010, Malts of Scotland
Single Malt 12 Year Old
GOLD GlenAllachie 12 Year Old; GlenAllachie Distillery
SILVER Loch Lomond 12 Year Old, Loch Lomond Distillery
BRONZE Jura 12 Year Old, Jura Distillery
Finalists:
Aberfeldy 12 Year Old, Aberfeldy Distillery
Aultmore 12 Year Old, Aultmore Distillery
Glen Moray 12 Year Old, Glen Moray Distillery
Highland Park 12 Year Old Viking Honour, Highland Park Distillery
John Crabbie 12 Year Old, John Crabbie & Co
Royal Brackla 12 Year Old, Royal Brackla Distillery
The Deveron 12 Year Old, Macduff Distillery
Single Malt 13-16 Year Old sponsored by TLT
GOLD Bowmore 15 Year Old, Bowmore Distillery
SILVER Glen Scotia 15 Year Old, Glen Scotia Distillery
BRONZE Benromach 15 Year Old, Benromach Distillery
Finalists:
Aberfeldy 16 Year Old, Aberfeldy Distillery
Aberfeldy 16 Year Old Madeira Cask, Aberfeldy Distillery
Cragganmore 15 Year Old 150th Anniversary, Cragganmore Distillery
Craigellachie 13 Year Old, Craigellachie Distillery
Glen Moray 15 Year Old, Glen Moray Distillery
Highland Park Twisted Tattoo 16 Year Old, Highland Park Distillery
Royal Brackla 16 Year Old, Royal Brackla Distillery
Tamdhu 15 Year Old, Tamdhu Distillery
Single Malt 17-20 Year Old
GOLD The GlenAllachie 18 Years Old, GlenAllachie Distillery
SILVER Arran 18 Year Old, Isle of Arran Distillery
BRONZE Highland Park 18 Year Old Viking Pride, Highland Park Distillery
Finalists:
Aultmore 18 Year Old, Aultmore Distillery
Craigellachie 17 Year Old, Craigellachie
Glen Garioch 18 Years Old, The Renaissance Chapter Three
Glen Moray 18 Year Old, Glen Moray Distillery
Loch Lomond 18 Year Old, Loch Lomond Distillery
The Deveron 18 Year Old, Macduff Distillery
The Single Cask Macduff 19 Year Old, Macduff Distillery
Single Malt 21 Year Old and Over sponsored by Orb Group
GOLD Tomatin Distillery 35 Year Old, Gleann Mor Spirits Co
SILVER Bunnahabhain Distillery 26 Year Old, Gleann Mor Spirits Co
BRONZE Aberfeldy 21 Year Old Madeira Cask, Aberfeldy Distillery
Finalists:
Aberfeldy 21 Year Old, Aberfeldy Distillery
Auchentoshan 2000, Malts of Scotland
Aultmore 21 Year Old, Aultmore Distillery
Glen Scotia 25 Year Old, Glen Scotia Distillery
Glendullan 1996; Malts of Scotland
John Crabbie 25 Year Old, John Crabbie & Co
Royal Brackla 21 Year Old, Royal Brackla Distillery
Blended Malt – Under 12 Year Old sponsored by Wolffe
GOLD The Living Cask Batch 7, The Loch Fyne
SILVER MacNair’s Lum Reek Peated; GlenAllachie Distillery
BRONZE The Hive; Wemyss Vintage Malts
Finalists:
Double Standard, PeatReekers
MacDonalds Glencoe 8 Year Old; Ben Nevis Distillery
Spice King; Wemyss Vintage Malts
The Living Cask 1745, The Loch Fyne
The Mossburn Cask Bill No 1 Smoke & Spice, Mossburn Distillers and Blenders
The Mossburn Cask Bill No 2 Rich, Mossburn Distillers and Blenders
Whisky Row Rich and Spicy, Gleann Mor Spirits Co
Blended Malt 12 Year Old and Over sponsored by Barr Printers
GOLD Expedition 20 Year Old, Ardgowan Distillery
SILVER Islay 21 Year Old, Gleann Mor Spirits Co
BRONZE MacNair’s Lum Reek Peated 12 Year Old, GlenAllachie Distillery
Finalist:
Speyside 18 Year Old, Gleann Mor Spirits Co
Blended Whisky – Up to 12 Year Old sponsored by Halewood
GOLD The Clansman, Loch Lomond Group
SILVER The Famous Grouse Smoky Black, Edrington-Beam Suntory UK
BRONZE The High Commissioner 7 Year Old, Loch Lomond Group
Finalists:
The High Commissioner, Loch Lomond Group
The Woodsman; Whyte & Mackay
Speciality Whisky sponsored by Close Brothers Brewery Rentals
GOLD Glen Garioch Virgin Oak No 2
SILVER Tamdhu Batch Strength 004, Tamdhu Distillery
BRONZE Robert Graham Treasurer’s Selection Bruichladdich 2004, Robert Graham Ltd.
Finalists:
Glengoyne Balba’na, Glengoyne Distillery
Glengoyne Cask Strength Batch No. 007, Glengoyne Distillery
Glengoyne Cuartillo, Glengoyne Distillery
Shackleton, Whyte & Mackay
Single Grain Whisky
GOLD John Crabbie 50 Year Old; John Crabbie & Co
SILVER Highland Rye, Arbikie Distillery
BRONZE Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond Distillery
Finalist:
Tweeddale Grain of Truth, Isle of Raasay Distillery
