Scots firms fill their boots with medals at global comp
Scottish distilleries cleaned up at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition with producers from across the country picking up a haul of gold medals.
Scottish firms notched up the accolades at the event, which saw over 1700 spirits blind tasted by a panel of spirits industry experts over the course of four days.
The competition’s top accolade went to Bunnahabhain Distillery which was named Distillery of the Year. The Islay distillery also picked up the Best Scotch prize for its Bunnahabhain 25 year old.
Other category-topping whiskies in the competition included Chivas Regal Original Legend 25 year old blended Scotch, which was awarded the Best Blended Scotch title; and Rock Oyster blended Scotch, which was named best blended no age statement Scotch. The top single malts at the San Francisco competition were Benromach Imperial Proof – sold as Benromach 100° Proof in the UK – in the up to 12 year old category; Tomatin 18 year old in the 13-19 year category; and Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength, in the no age statement category.
William Grant & Sons’ Monkey Shoulder was named best blended malt Scotch whisky and Loch Lomond claimed the best independent merchant single malt prize for Inchmurrin LL Island Collection 18 year old Scotch.
Other firms celebrating success across the Atlantic included International Beverage Holdings, which picked up medals for 11 of its brands including a double gold for anCnoc Rascan, which was launched by the firm last year; Shetland Distillery, which took gold for its Blended Malt Scotch and a silver medal for Ocean Sent Gin; and Duncan Taylor, which secured gold medals for Black Bull 12 year old and The Big Smoke.
Ian Macleod Distillers also picked up a double gold for Tamdhu Batch Strength Speyside Single Malt, as well as a further four golds for its whiskies, including 12 year old expressions of Glengoyne and Isle of Skye.
Neil Boyd of Ian Macleod Distillers said it was “great to receive such a high recognition for the quality of our products, especially as the judging and evaluation process is always so rigorous”.
