Scottish Whisky Awards 2019 finalists revealed – did your favourite make the list?

This 32-strong judging panel came from the UK, Europe and Asia and participated in a blind tasting adjudicated by the international sensory management consultancy, Cara Technology.

Five distilleries have been selected for the ultimate award of the competition - The Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year.

These are: Craigellachie Distillery, GlenAllachie Distillery, Glen Scotia Distillery, Highland Park Distillery and Loch Lomond Distillery, and they have been chosen following the rigorous judging process, which combined not only the marks from the blind tasting but also performance in business categories.

Chair of the judging panel, Alan Wolstenholme, who also chairs the Scottish Distillers Association, commented: “The Scottish Whisky Awards has now established itself as a robust and highly regarded competition which has a significant role to play in the Scotch industry.

"Congratulations to all our finalists who have progressed and many thanks to the judges who have been submitting marks from around the world which ensures that we have drawn on some of the best insight and experience available.

“Scotch is the most important industry in Scotland; we have a unique and untouchable history and heritage. We look forward to helping promote the success of our finalist businesses at home and abroad in the coming months.”

The awards are supported by commercial sponsors including Shawbrook Bank and Bruce Stevenson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63EyzKuZffs

Kevin Boyd, Managing Director at Shawbrook Bank said: “At Shawbrook Bank, we are proud to play a part in supporting the inaugural Scottish Whisky Awards which offers a fantastic platform for blenders, bottlers and distillers to be recognised at both national and international level. We congratulate all of the finalists and look forward to celebrating everything that is great about Scotch in September.”

Graeme Dempster, Account Executive at Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers commented: “Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers are delighted to sponsor the prestigious Best Newcomer category in the inaugural Scottish Whisky Awards. It is terrific to see sustained growth in the Scotch Whisky sector and we congratulate all finalists in this year’s competition and wish them the best of luck.”

The winners will be announced at the Scottish Whisky Awards dinner and celebration on Thursday 5 September 2019 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh. Tickets go on general sale on Friday 12 July.

The awards are also a fundraising vehicle for 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 Neuron Disease.

The Scottish Whisky Awards team recently announced a new annual award, which has been added to celebrate the contribution of one of the most accomplished scientific and technical advisers to the whisky industry, Dr Jim Swan.

Dr Swan had a forty-year career as a research scientist and trusted adviser to whisky distilleries around the world prior to his sudden death in 2017, aged 75.

His tireless work to collaborate, encourage and steer whisky producers to pursue excellence in whisky production, has been universally admired by the industry as they have mourned his loss over recent years.

The Scottish Whisky Awards judging panel have now received the blessing of Dr Swan’s family to create a new annual industry award which will be titled “The Jim Swan Award for Services to Scotch Whisky” and will be presented to an individual making an outstanding contribution.

This year, the award will be presented to Dr Swan posthumously and will be accepted by his daughters.

It will be presented alongside a tribute film featuring many of Dr Swan’s distillery clients including Annandale, Clydeside, Lindores, Cotswolds and Penderyn.

The idea, proposed by Professor Alan Wolstenholme, the chair of the judging panel, has received the full approval of the judges and many from the industry which benefited from Dr Swan’s advice.

He commented;“It is a real honour to be able to create this important award. It is an opportunity to keep the name and legacy of Dr Jim Swan front and centre in Scotch whisky and to celebrate his many achievements.

"He was a passionate educator, a collaborator and a tireless supporter of new distilleries trying to get off the ground.

"His selfless sharing of knowledge and expertise has benefitted a huge range of distilleries in Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales and abroad.

“It is also an opportunity to share the character of Jim which made him special. He was warm, witty and humble; a complete gentleman who selflessly shared his expertise for the benefit of the whisky industry.”

The Finalists in Full

Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year sponsored by Shawbrook Bank

Craigellachie Distillery GlenAllachie Distillery Glen Scotia Distillery Highland Park Distillery Loch Lomond Distillery

Newcomer of the Year sponsored by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers

Arbikie Distillery Glasgow Distillery Kingsbarns Distillery GlenAllachie Distillers Co

Product Launch of the Year sponsored by McLaren Packaging

Ardgowan Distillery, The Expedition 20 Year Old Blended Malt Dark Sky Spirits, The Moffat Blended Malt Diageo, Johnnie Walker White Walker (Game of Thrones, HBO) The Glenrothes and Fields, Morris & Verdin, The Soleo Collection Glasgow Distillery Company, 1770 Glasgow Single Malt Scotch Whisky 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

Annandale Distillery Ardgowan Distillery, The Expedition Glasgow Distillery, 1770 Glasgow Single Malt 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

Diageo, Johnnie Walker, Edinburgh’s Christmas & Hogmanay Glen Garioch Distillery, Legends of Glen Garioch Loch Lomond Group, The Grand Tour 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

Annandale Distillery, Annan, Dumfriesshire (Annandale Distillery Company) Glen Garioch Distillery, Old Meldrum, Aberdeenshire (Edrington Beam Suntory) Glengoyne Distillery, Killearn, Glasgow (Ian Macleod Distillers) Isle of Arran Distillery, Lochranza, Isle of Arran (Isle of Arran Distillers) Isle of Raasay Distillery, Isle of Raasay (R & D Distillers) Glen Scotia, Campbeltown (Loch Lomond Group) Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Speyside (Spirit of Speyside Ltd) The Clydeside Distillery, Glasgow (Clydeside Distillery Ltd) The Lindores Distillery, Lindores, Fife (Lindores Distilling Co)

Community Contribution of the Year sponsored by Bairds Malt

Ardnamurchan Distillery, Moidart (Adelphi Distillery) Glenkinchie Distillery, East Lothian (Diageo)

TASTE CATEGORIES Single Malt - No Age Statement

1770 Glasgow Single Malt Scotch, Glasgow Distillery Company 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 Glen Scotia Campbeltown Harbour, Glen Scotia Distillery Glen Scotia Double Cask, Glen Scotia 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

Arran Single Malt 10 Year Old, Isle of Arran Distillers Benromach 10 Year Old, The Benromach Distillery Glengoyne 10 Year Old, Glengoyne Distillery Highland Park 10 Year Old Viking Scars, Highland Park Distillery John Crabbie 8 Year Old, John Crabbie & Co Laphroaig 10 Year Old, Laphroaig Distillery Loch Lomond 10 Year Old, Loch Lomond Distillery MacDonalds Ben Nevis 10 Year Old Batch Limited Edition Batch No.1, Ben Nevis Distillery GlenAllachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 2; GlenAllachie 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

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 Jura 12 Year Old, Jura Distillery Loch Lomond 12 Year Old, Loch Lomond Distillery Royal Brackla 12 Year Old, Royal Brackla Distillery The Deveron 12 Year Old, Macduff Distillery GlenAllachie 12 Year Old; GlenAllachie Distillery

Single Malt 13-16 Year Old sponsored by TLT

Aberfeldy 16 Year Old, Aberfeldy Distillery Aberfeldy 16 Year Old Madeira Cask, Aberfeldy Distillery Benromach 15 Year Old, Benromach Distillery Bowmore 15 Year Old, Bowmore Distillery Cragganmore 15 Year Old 150th Anniversary, Cragganmore Distillery Craigellachie 13 Year Old, Craigellachie Distillery Glen Moray 15 Year Old, Glen Moray Distillery Glen Scotia 15 Year Old, Glen Scotia 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

Arran 18 Year Old, Isle of Arran Distillery Aultmore 18 Year Old, Aultmore Distillery Craigellachie 17 Year Old, Craigellachie Glen Garioch 18 Year Old, Glen Garioch Distillery Glen Moray 18 Year Old, Glen Moray Distillery Highland Park 18 Year Old Viking Pride, Highland Park Distillery Loch Lomond 18 Year Old, Loch Lomond Distillery The Deveron 18 Year Old, Macduff Distillery The GlenAllachie 18 Years Old, GlenAllachie Distillery The Single Cask Macduff 19 Year Old, Macduff Distillery

Single Malt 21 Year Old and Over sponsored by Orb Group

Aberfeldy 21 Year Old, Aberfeldy Distillery Aberfeldy 21 Year Old Madeira Cask, 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 Bunnahabhain Distillery 26 Year Old, Gleann Mor Spirits Co Tomatin Distillery 35 Year Old, Gleann Mor Spirits Co

Blended Malt – Under 12 Year Old sponsored by Wolffe

Double Standard, PeatReekers MacDonalds Glencoe 8 Year Old; Ben Nevis Distillery MacNair's Lum Reek Peated; GlenAllachie Distillery Spice King; Wemyss Vintage Malts The Hive; Wemyss Vintage Malts The Living Cask 1745, The Loch Fyne The Living Cask Batch 7, 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

Islay 21 Year Old, Gleann Mor Spirits Co Speyside 18 Year Old, Gleann Mor Spirits Co Expedition 20 Year Old, Ardgowan Distillery MacNair's Lum Reek Peated 12 Year Old, GlenAllachie Distillery

Blended Whisky – Up to 12 Year Old sponsored by Halewood

The Clansman, Loch Lomond Group The Famous Grouse Smoky Black, Edrington-Beam Suntory UK The High Commissioner, Loch Lomond Group The High Commissioner 7 Year Old, Loch Lomond Group The Woodsman; Whyte & Mackay

Speciality Whisky sponsored by Close Brothers Brewery Rentals

Glen Garioch Virgin Oak, Glen Garioch Distillery Glengoyne Balba'na, Glengoyne Distillery Glengoyne Cask Strength Batch No. 007, Glengoyne Distillery Glengoyne Cuartillo, Glengoyne Distillery Robert Graham Treasurer's Selection Bruichladdich 2004, Robert Graham Ltd. Shackleton, Whyte & Mackay Tamdhu Batch Strength 004, Tamdhu Distillery

Single Grain Whisky

Highland Rye, Arbikie Distillery John Crabbie 50 Year Old; John Crabbie & Co Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond Distillery Tweeddale Grain of Truth, Isle of Raasay Distillery