THE prestigious International Spirits Challenge has taken place on Scottish soil.
A judging panel comprising experts from Japan, Sweden, the USA, Ireland and Scotland assembled at Edinburgh’s Scotch Whisky Experience from June 5-7, where they were tasked with blind tasting and sampling 350 whiskies from distilleries around the world.
The challenge is one of the world’s most respected spirits competitions and until now had been hosted for 17 consecutive years in London.
Visitors to the award-winning Scotch Whisky Experience were able to view the judges via a webcam linked to its whisky shop. The panel was chaired by former Edrington master distiller John Ramsay. Tourism minister Fergus Ewing was on hand to welcome the judges.
“We feel honoured and privileged to have been selected to host the first International Spirits Challenge event to take place outside of London,” said Susan Morrison, director and general manager of The Scotch Whisky Experience.
“Scotland has fired whisky invention and creativity across the world… it is perfectly fitting, then, that the whisky element of the challenge should come to Scotland.”
