Winning dram: Glasgow Distillery

The Glasgow Distillery won the top accolade – Whisky Distillery of the Year – in the awards celebrating Scotland’s national drink.

The Scottish Whisky Awards is a comprehensive year-round programme which assesses Scotch whisky producers in both business performance and taste. 

This year, it involved a rigorous judging process with a panel of 40 experts and the blind tasting of 155 Scotch whisky products.

Chairman of the judging panel, Professor Alan Wolstenholme, commented: “Congratulations to all our winners for their success in this most challenging of years.  Winning a Scottish Whisky Award is a significant achievement given the intense competition and rigorous judging. 

“This year, we have seen distilleries, suppliers and producers step up to support their local communities when they needed it most. Scotch Whisky continues to demonstrate its strength, resilience, creativity, and community spirit.  It is an industry which continues to shine brightly in good times and bad. We in Scotland can all be very proud of this.

“I applaud all of our winners and encourage them to make the most of this recognition by promoting Scotch worldwide as the whisky of choice.”

The Scottish Whisky Awards, unlike many international drink industry competitions, only presents three medals per category making the awards tough to win and highly sought after.

Nineteen distilleries collected medals in the taste competition with Glenmorangie, Ardbeg and Glasgow Distillery collecting the most. 

The news of the winners was announced at a live digital broadcast from Glasgow’s Hilton by Doubletree Hotel.Over 200 people from across the Scotch whisky industry participated in the event, which was highly interactive, allowing guests to chat to each other privately and in groups.  Live interviews were broadcast with distilleries across the country as the medal winners were announced.

Winners

Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year 

Glasgow Distillery 

Product Launch of the Year

Loch Lomond Group Glen Scotia Malts Festival

Excellence in Branding 

Wemyss Vintage Malts

Brand Experience of the Year

Isle of Raasay Distillery

Tourism Destination of the Year

The Clydeside Distillery

Community Contribution of the Year 

Diageo 

Independent Bottler of the Year

North Star Spirits

Excellence in Sustainability

Arbikie Distillery

TASTE CATEGORIES

Single Malt – No Age Statement

GOLD: Glasgow 1770 – Peated Release No.1.; Glasgow Distillery

SILVER: Ardbeg Blaaaack Committee Release; Ardbeg Distillery

BRONZE: Laphroaig PX (GTR); Laphroaig Distillery

Single Malt Under 12 Year Old 

GOLD:  Ardbeg 10 Year Old; Ardbeg Distillery

SILVER:  Arran 10 Year Old; Isle of Arran Distillers

BRONZE:  Ledaig 10 Year Old; Tobermory Distillery 

Single Malt 12 Year Old

GOLD: Deanston 12 Year Old; Deanston Distillery

SILVER:  Glenmorangie Lasanta; Glenmorangie Distillery

BRONZE:  The Deveron 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Macduff Distillery

Single Malt 13-16 Year Old

GOLD:  Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban; Glenmorangie Distillery

SILVER:  Highland Park Saltire Edition 2; Highland Park

BRONZE: Glen Scotia Campbeltown Malts Festival 2020; Glen Scotia Distillery

Single Malt 17-20 Year Old

GOLD:  Tomatin 18 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Tomatin Distillery

SILVER:  Craigellachie 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Craigellachie Distillery

BRONZE:  Glenmorangie 19 Year Old; Glenmorangie Distillery

Single Malt 21 Year Old and Over 

GOLD: Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old; Bunnahabhain Distillery

SILVER:  Royal Brackla 21 Year Old; Royal Brackla Distillery

BRONZE:  Glenmorangie Grand Vintage 1995; Glenmorangie Distillery

Blended Malt – Under 12 Year Old 

GOLD:  Malt Riot; Glasgow Distillery

SILVER: Clydebuilt Coppersmith; Ardgowan Distillery

BRONZE:  Peat Chimney; Wemyss Vintage Malts

Blended Malt 12 Year Old and Over 

GOLD:  Sirius; North Star Spirits

SILVER:  Velvet Fig Aged 25 Years; Wemyss Vintage Malts

BRONZE: GreatDrams Blended Cask Series Batch 03; GreatDrams Ventures

Speciality or Single Cask Whisky

GOLD:  Tomintoul 2005 with First-Fill Amontillado Sherry Finish #19A; Hannah Whisky Merchants

SILVER: Crabbie 40 Year Old Speyside Single Malt; John Crabbie & Co.

BRONZE: Tomatin Decades II; The Tomatin Distillery

Full list with all finalists here