distillers

Bardstown, KY – Molson Coors Beverage Company, the iconic beer producer with a two-century foothold in the industry, announces the expansion of its first-ever whiskey, Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, into Wisconsin. This release marks the company’s first venture into the full-strength spirits category and is the debut release under the brand’s newest banner, Coors Whiskey Co. It will be sold for a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Initially launched in September 2021, Five Trail is the first premium whiskey by Molson Coors and establishes the evolution of the beloved beer brand as a beverage company. Still relatively new to the market, this expansion into the full-spirits and whiskey category has been an aspiration of David Coors for the past twenty years. When he was tasked to lead the company as it transitioned from beer to beverages in 2018, that dream became a reality. To bring the expression to life, David sampled well over one-hundred whiskies before landing on a blend of Colorado single-malt whiskey and three bourbons, cut to 95 proof with Rocky Mountain water. The expression is distilled, blended, and bottled in partnership with the award-winning, Kentucky-based Bardstown Bourbon Company.

The result of this partnership is a unique, well-balanced blend artfully crafted by a team of five hands, helmed by a fifth-generation member of the Coors legacy, both nod to the symbolic name of this special blend. On the palate, expect generous notes of sweet bourbon with hints of roasted nuts, honey, and caramel. The lingering notes of single malt are complemented by the spice of four-grain bourbon and the depth of wood and grain come from the 13-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon.

“I had been wanting to make a whiskey for a long time, and we made that dream a reality late last year,” explained David Coors, Vice President of Next Generation Beverages at Molson Coors. “Whiskey seemed like a natural progression, given malted grain is essential to its production and there were a number of distillers that were already using our malts in their expressions. We’re extremely proud of what we created and the reception has been truly incredible.”

“We’re still in the early stages of the Molson Coors Next Generation Division, but we think this is a really strong and unique whiskey we launched right out of the gate,” explained Pete Marino, President of Emerging Growth at Molson Coors. “When we were looking at the next steps for the brand, we knew we needed to bring it to Milwaukee. The people here have been such strong supporters of Molson Coors and we wanted them to be a key part of our growth story as a company.”

Best enjoyed neat or in classic cocktails like a Manhattan or Old Fashioned, Five Trail is a whiskey for all, including the most seasoned of palates and those looking for an approachable entry to the category.

Furthermore, given its rich history in the brewing business, Five Trail will be a great whiskey for beer drinkers looking to dip their toes into whiskey.

For more information on Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, visit www.FiveTrail.com and follow along on social at @FiveTrail.

About Five Trail Blended American Whiskey
Five Trail marries Colorado provenance with the innovative distillation techniques of pioneering distillers in Kentucky and Indiana to produce this golden whiskey, using Coors malt from the brand’s brewhouse and the purest water in America, straight from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Five Trail is founded in an Unbroken Spirit, spanning a journey that started nearly two centuries ago, with trails, tribulations, and an enduring frontier spirit. The Coors brand has been forged on expertise, knowledge, and influences of all five generations.

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Tullamore, Ireland –  St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner, and – with nearly 200 St. Paddy’s Days under their belt – your friends at Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey know a thing or two about celebrating the holiday….and how to actually spell it. Year in and year out, Americans seem to get it wrong, opting for the use of the double T instead of the double D. This year, Tullamore D.E.W. is setting out to change that…with an appetizing partnership.

To offer a tasty spelling lesson, Tullamore D.E.W. has partnered with acclaimed American butcher Pat LaFrieda to create the ultimate St. Paddy’s Day Patty to help fans from making the common spelling mistake between a meat patty and Ireland’s national holiday. The specialty St. Paddy’s Day Patty is made up of a proprietary blend created by Pat LaFrieda himself and inspired by Tullamore D.E.W.

“Every March, we produce around 5 million burger patties so when Tullamore D.E.W. came to us to help teach Americans about the proper spelling between Patty and Paddy, we knew we could help,” said Pat LaFrieda, Owner & CEO of Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors. “There are four generations of Patrick’s in our family and it all started with my grandfather who was born on March 17th. St. Paddy’s Day is always a festive holiday for us and with whiskey and burgers being the perfect pairing, we’re thrilled to release our first St. Paddy’s Day Patty alongside Tullamore D.E.W.,” he continued.

Beginning March 10th, 193 kits will be made available on LaFrieda.com for a price of $84.99 (+ shipping), nodding to the 193-year history behind the Tullamore D.E.W. brand. Each St. Paddy’s Day Patty includes two Tullamore D.E.W. ceramic shot glasses, one beanie, drink recipe card, Drizly code** to order a bottle of Tullamore D.E.W. to your door and 12 8oz meat patties. This way, you can celebrate the green holiday with a perfect pairing of Pat’s patties and Tully’s D.E.W. & A Brew serve created by Tullamore D.E.W. ambassador and Cork, Ireland native Gillian Murphy.

The St. Paddy’s Day Patty coincides with the U.S. launch of Tullamore D.E.W.’s new brand platform and advertising campaign “An Unwavering Whiskey in a Crazy World.” The campaign aims to highlight the refreshingly, unwavering world of the brand’s hometown, Tullamore, Ireland. The local townspeople take center stage, featured in all of the brand’s new advertising materials which is going live on OOH and digital channels across the U.S. in the lead-up to St. Patrick’s Day.

“This St Patrick’s Day we wanted to create something unique that speaks to our rich Irish heritage, but also our witty spirit,” said Conor Neville, Senior Brand Manager, Tullamore D.E.W. “That very personality and character is at the core of this new campaign. Being from Tullamore, a small town in the heart of Ireland, lets us go far and wide without forgetting who we are. Through the latest advertising executions, we are on a mission to playfully remind folks what truly matters, and what doesn’t.”

To learn more about Tullamore D.E.W. and to stay in the loop on all of the brand’s latest announcements, fans can head to TullamoreDEW.com.

About Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey
Tullamore D.E.W. is the second largest Irish whiskey in the world in one of the fastest growing categories. With an intriguing smooth yet complex character, Tullamore D.E.W. is the original triple blend Irish whiskey, the first to pioneer a blend of all three styles of Irish whiskey, grain whiskey, malt whiskey and pot still whiskey. These three spirits come together to create an unrivaled taste and character like no other in the category.

Founded in 1829 in the town of Tullamore and inspired by the vision of Daniel E. Williams whose initials live on each bottle to this day – Tullamore D.E.W. has perfected the art of blending whiskey with over 45 industry awards in the last 10 years alone.

Tullamore D.E.W.’s new, state-of-the-art distillery, which was completed in 2014, marked the return of whiskey production to the town of Tullamore, 60 years after the original distillery closed its doors heralding a new era in Irish whiskey. Tullamore D.E.W. has an ABV of 40% and SRP of $24. For more information on Tullamore D.E.W., please visit www.TullamoreDew.com and follow on Instagram @TullamoreDewUS.

Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, 40% Alc./vol. (80 Proof) ©2022 Imported by William Grant & Sons Inc., New York, N.Y. Glasses up to Responsible Drinking.

About William Grant & Sons
William Grant & Sons Holdings Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the global premium spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distills some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch, Grant’s®, as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry® Spiced Rum, Tullamore D.E.W.® Irish Whiskey, Monkey Shoulder® Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and Drambuie® Scotch Liqueur.

Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the US with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick’s Gin, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, Drambuie, Milagro Tequila, Fistful of Bourbon, Grant’s, Hudson Whiskey, Gibson’s Finest, Monkey Shoulder, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Flor de Caña Rum, The Knot and Raynal French Brandy. For more information on the company and its brands, please visit www.williamgrantusa.com.

About Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors
A fourth generation butcher and third generation meat purveyor, Pat LaFrieda supplies beef to over 700 of the nation’s best restaurants, and ships his legendary product nationwide.

Famous for dry aged beef and “chopped” not ground meat, Pat LaFrieda has created over 50 custom hamburger blends and is the mastermind behind such burgers as the famous “Black Label Burger” at Minetta Tavern, as well as signature custom blends for the likes of Shake Shack, Union Square Café and Blue Smoke.

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Louisville, Kentucky – Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson have approved the release of Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Rye. Shipment to distributors and importers begins this month.

Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Rye is a single barrel product, and the average proof of the barrels in this March 2022 release is 111.6 proof. “Our barrel strength whiskey is always stunning, and this release continues to deliver a bold experience with layers of sweetness and spice along with gentle oak maturity,” observed Wilson.

McKee commented, “At Michter’s, we’ve put out some terrific Barrel Strength Rye over the years. Personally, I love this 2022 release for its richness, complexity, and depth. It’s a perfect representation of our Michter’s house style.”

“Dan and Andrea are our ultimate gatekeepers,” stated Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco. “They’ve continued the tradition set by our late Master Distiller Willie Pratt and our Master Distiller Emerita Pam Heilmann of not releasing something unless they feel the whiskey is just right.”

The suggested retail price in the United States is $100 for a 750ml bottle of Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Rye.

Michter’s has a rich and long legacy of offering traditional American whiskeys of uncompromising quality. With each of its limited production offerings aged to its peak maturity, Michter’s highly acclaimed portfolio includes bourbon, rye, sour mash whiskey, and American whiskey. Currently all types of Michter’s are being allocated because demand exceeds supply. In October 2021, Michter’s was named the Most Admired American Whiskey in a survey conducted in 25 countries. In January 2022, Michter’s was named the #1 Top Trending American Whiskey brand by Drinks International in their Annual Brands Report.

In addition to Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery and Michter’s Shively Distillery, both located in Louisville, the company has its 205-acre farm and operations in Springfield, Kentucky. For more information, please visit www.michters.com.

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SHEFFIELD, Massachusetts – In its final round of the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project, Berkshire Mountain Distillers (BMD) has released three new whiskies distilled from beer sourced from popular brewers Long Trail Brewing Company, Two Roads Brewing, and Chatham Brewing, available now in the BMD tasting room and across the Northeast in March.

These three whiskies are the latest and final release of a six-year collaboration led by BMD, the award-winning maker of a select line of premier craft spirits, and includes the distilling of a dozen beers from a limited collection of celebrated craft brewers. In 2021, the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project was recognized in the US Open Whiskey & Spirits Grand National Championship where BMD’s Jack’s Abby Smoke & Dagger American Whiskey won a Gold Medal.

“We’re really excited to work with a great group of partners on a unique project bringing together the craft distillery and craft beer worlds and are hoping to celebrate with some collaborative tasting events this Spring,” said Chris Weld, founder of Berkshire Mountain Distillers. “Given all the positive feedback, we’re also planning to have another project come out on the tail of this one.”

Consumer demand for this project has resulted in a wider distribution for Smuttynose, now available in New Hampshire, Captain Lawrence, available in New York, and in Spring 2022, Brewery Ommegang will also be available in New York. The success of this project has prompted BMD to distill another round of whiskies from well-known brewers including Big Elm Brewing, Two Roads Brewing, and Night Shift Brewing.

Featured in this month’s release, a complex yet easy-drinking whiskey, Long Trail Brewing’s Unearthed American Whiskey is made from an American stout base. This whiskey has a blossoming nose of garam masala, cedar, clove, and vanilla sugar with a clean, rich note of caramel, and hints of peat and cardamom.

Chatham Brewing is one of the first microbreweries in New York to produce award-winning beers. The Eight Barrel whiskey offers notes of roasted almond, madagascar vanilla, and cacao nib, with a spicy mid-palate of cinnamon and toffee that resolves into a clean and creamy finish.

Two Roads Brewing Worker’s Comp Farmhouse Ale whiskey is formulated from their iconic Saison with a unique yeast strain, complex grain build, and judicious use of hops which create rich, malty notes and hints of turmeric, sandalwood, papaya, and pineapple, finishing with a frozen banana custard richness.

“It has been an honor and a lot of fun to be included in Berkshire Mountain Distillers’ Craft Brewers Whiskey Project,” said Phil Markowski, brewmaster at Two Roads Brewing Company. “I have enjoyed being involved and observing the slow evolution of our Two Roads Whiskey over the last five years. The final result is a fascinating spirit that preserves the array of unique flavors and aromas generated by a very special strain of yeast we use to make our Worker’s Comp Farmhouse Ale. I am looking forward to future collaborations with BMD!”

The first releases of the Craft Brewers Whiskey Project were distilled from six Massachusetts-based beers including Boston Lager from Samuel Adams, Berkshire Brewing Company’s Imperial Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale, and Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers Smoke & Dagger Black Lager plus UFO White Ale from Massachusetts Bay Brewing Co., Spencer Brewery’s Trappist Ale, and Big Elm Brewing’s 413 Farmhouse Ale. The 2021 fall release included Really Old Brown Dog Strong Ale from Smuttynose Brewing, Brewery Ommegang’s Three Philosophers, and Liquid Gold from Captain Lawrence Brewing.

Whiskies are sold in the BMD tasting room and are available in select stores – Chatham Brewing whiskey will be available in the BMD store only. Samuel Adams, Jack’s Abby, and Big Elm are currently sold out in the BMD tasting room and several others are in short supply. BMD is located at 356 South Main Street in Sheffield, open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit craftbrewerswhiskeyproject.com and BMD.

 

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a collaboration with Marianne Eaves, one of the most esteemed tastemakers in the beverage industry, Watershed Distillery is set to release a new premium cask strength bourbon available only via online lottery.

Watershed is one of eight craft distilleries to be included in Eaves Blind—a premium, collectible bourbon series curated by Marianne Eaves, recognized as the first female master distiller in Kentucky. Created with the intent of stripping away bourbon stereotypes, the series showcases some of the most awarded craft bourbon distilleries in regions beyond Kentucky.

“My ‘aha moment’ was realizing that there are so many other regions and distilleries outside of Kentucky that are making exceptional bourbons, too,” shares Eaves. “This Ohio collaboration gave me the chance finally to work with some energetic and trailblazing industry friends. Watershed should be on everyone’s shortlist of amazing bourbons and believe me when I say they are only going to get better from here.”

Watershed Eaves Cask Strength Bourbon was created to highlight the attention the Ohio distillery pays to key aspects of the bourbon-making process, specifically grain and mashing, fermentation, distillation, and maturation.

All the unique, single-source bourbons in the series were first sampled throughout 2021 in blind seasonal tasting kits intended to remove preconceived bourbon stereotypes: color and indications of age, quality, etc. Now, each expression is available for bourbon lovers and spirit collectors.

“Here at Watershed, there has been quite a bit of excitement around this project,” adds Greg Lehman, CEO of Watershed Distillery. “Not only was it an honor to work side by side with Marianne, but to be selected to be in the company of these other emerging distilleries was a real point of pride for us.”

Watershed Eaves Cask Strength Bourbon is bottled at 130.3 proof with topline tasting notes of warm cinnamon and brown sugar, citrus peel and toasted oak with a sweet creamy palate. The price is $150 per 750 ml bottle. The bottle lottery will open on Feb. 16 and close on March 9. Must be 21 years or older to enter. Winners will be notified and allotted the opportunity to purchase one bottle in person from Watershed’s bottle shop.

Eaves’ collectible series features blends from seven other award-winning distilleries across the U.S.: Oregon Spirit Distillers (Bend, OR), Distillery 291 (Colorado Springs, TX), St. Augustine Distillery (St. Augustine, FL), Stumpy’s Spirits Distillery (Columbia, IL), Treaty Oak Distillery (Dripping Springs, TX), Journeyman Distillery (Three Oaks, MI) and King’s County Distillery (Brooklyn, NY)

ABOUT WATERSHED DISTILLERY
Watershed Distillery is the largest independent Ohio distillery and producer of award-winning craft bourbons, gins, vodka and a variety of specialty spirits. Founded in 2010 by Greg Lehman, Watershed Distillery was inspired by the vision of creating great spirits and shared experiences that bring people together. Watershed Distillery offers daily tours and is home to Watershed Kitchen + Bar—consistently named one of the top restaurants and cocktail bars in Columbus. Find Watershed online at watersheddistillery.com or @watershedistillery.

For More Information:
https://www.watersheddistillery.com/lottery

 

 

 

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Chico, California – Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and St. George Spirits will be releasing a new, limited-edition malt whiskey blended with spirits distilled from grains and hops, Ruthless, on December 18th to celebrate the brands’ friendship and collaboration. In 2013, the two came together to distill one of Sierra Nevada’s most beloved beers, Ruthless Rye IPA, as an experiment. For this first release, St. George’s head distiller/blender Dave Smith has carefully chosen and blended whiskeys from seven Ruthless Rye IPA casks and married in a small portion of the first barrel of St. George Single Malt Whiskey, which was brewed by Sierra Nevada and distilled by St. George Spirits in 1997. The teams are excited to share this uniquely special spirit and history with beer and whiskey lovers alike.

Sierra Nevada and St. George have been longtime partners for more than two decades, brewing the wash for St. George’s Single Malt Whiskey programs since the late 90s. This is the first time a distilled Sierra Nevada beer has been released. It was a fully hopped and finished beer prior to distillation and was then laid down in new American oak and used French oak port casks in 2013. The marriage of a small portion of St. George Single Malt Whiskey completes this first release, showing chocolate, turmeric, pistachio, fruit punch and coconut notes on the nose. On the palate it shows marmalade, coconut, roasted pineapple, ginger, white pepper and even Tootsie Roll notes.

“I have been a fan of St. George’s products for many years and I think they’re some of the most talented and creative distillers in the world,” said Ken Grossman, Founder and Chairman of Sierra Nevada. “St. George’s friendship has been very meaningful over the years, and I am thrilled that we were able to work together to craft such a special and unique product.”

St. George’s head distiller/blender Dave Smith adds, “Ruthless honors and celebrates our friendship as well as our collaboration. This is a spirit that has been in barrel for eight years – older than many craft distilleries. Of course, our friendship dates back even further as Sierra Nevada has brewed the wash for our Single Malt Whiskey programs since 1997. At St. George we’ve always looked to propel the art of distillation in all categories and have consistently found ourselves inspired by the creativity and excellence of our friends at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Ruthless Rye IPA has long been one of our team’s favorite beers and now our collaborative efforts are finally ready to share with our incredible fans.”

Ruthless will be available for $75 per bottle starting December 18th exclusively at the St. George Spirits Distillery in Alameda, CA. A limited number of bottles will be available for sale at that time, in-person only (limit of two bottles per person). For more information and updates on Ruthless Whiskey, follow St. George Spirits’ social media @stgeorgespirits.

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Inspired by frequent trips to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Ken Grossman founded Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in 1980. Highly regarded for using only the finest quality ingredients, Sierra Nevada has set the standard for craft brewers worldwide with innovations in the brewhouse and in its sustainability efforts. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada now spans both coasts with breweries in Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina. Sierra Nevada is famous for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Hazy Little Thing®, Torpedo® and a host of seasonal, specialty and limited release beers. Learn more at www.sierranevada.com.

About St. George Spirits
St. George Spirits is a true American original, defining and propelling the art of distillation in the U.S. for the last 40 years. Today, the extensive St. George Spirits portfolio of gins, vodkas, whiskeys, liqueurs, brandies, and eaux de vie stands apart for not only its excellence in every category but also its expression of creativity and an uncompromising point of view. The exacting standards and commitment to raw, fresh ingredients established by founder Jörg Rupf in 1982 form the foundations by which the distillery still operates. Independent in spirit and in fact, St. George Spirits remains owner-operated by master distiller Lance Winters and head distiller Dave Smith. St. George Spirits is proudly located in Alameda, California.  www.stgeorgespirits.com

TULLAHOMA, Tennessee –  With the holiday season underway, the hunt has begun for the ideal gift, especially for those hardest to buy for on the list. Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. General Manager and Distiller Nicole Austin is releasing a premium rye whisky, perfect for the whisky afficionado in your life. Cascade Moon 13 Year Old Rye is an extremely rare release, available in select U.S. markets starting this month.

Hand-selected by Austin, this Cascade Moon release complements the series by offering a complex and mature rye addition to the lineup. The barrels containing aging rye arrived at Cascade Hollow in 2012, where they spent nearly a decade in Cascade Hollow’s single-story rickhouses. As a result of the temperate conditions, the barrels matured gracefully, bringing the beautiful and unique notes of the whisky forward.

“The Cascade Moon series is a collection of some of our most unique and rare whiskies. Each release has its own unique story behind the innovation and mastery of its making,” said Austin. “With this release, I’m excited to offer drinkers a beautifully aged rye whisky unlike anything else we’ve released in the series.”

At 100 proof (50% ABV), this sophisticated, mature rye is best enjoyed neat and in moderation to realize the full flavor profile and taste the unique notes of the whisky. This 13 year old whisky offers sweet notes of vanilla, toffee, leather and nutmeg with a smooth, oaky finished.

The debut of Cascade Moon 13 Year Old Rye comes off the heels of two award-winning Cascade Moon variants released at the end of 2020 in celebration of the 150-year anniversary of George A. Dickel & Co. Cascade Moon series pays homage to the distillery’s history, while continuing to set the tone for the future of the whisky category. The Cascade Moon 13 Year Old Rye will start rolling out on shelves in Tennessee, Texas and California for a limited-time only at a suggested retail price of $299.

As we celebrate the holidays, your friends at Cascade Hollow encourage you to sip this new offering the same way it’s made – slowly and responsibly.

About DIAGEO
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

DIAGEO is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about DIAGEO, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit DIAGEO’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

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The winners in the national awards program for Scotch whisky have been announced following a St Andrews day dinner and celebration held in Glasgow last night.

The 3rd annual Scottish Whisky Awards revealed the winners from its comprehensive competition that included the blind tasting of 200 Scotch whiskies and the assessment of 58 distilleries and whisky producers.

The ultimate award of the night, Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year, sponsored by Bruce Stephenson Insurance Brokers, was presented to Glen Scotia Distillery in Campbeltown. Part of the Loch Lomond Group, the distillery won praise for its commitment to the community, excellent product development and high-quality standards achieved in a challenging year. They also collected a Gold Medal and a Silver Medal in two taste categories.

Over 300 people joined in the St Andrews Day dinner and celebration which paired a three course Scottish meal paired with Scotch Whisky supplied by Johnnie Walker, Glen Garioch and Glen Scotia distilleries.

Chair of the Judging Panel, Professor Alan Wolstenholme, commented,

“Congratulations to all the winners in this year’s Scottish Whisky Awards. We have very much enjoyed reviewing the work of the Scotch whisky industry which has shown real innovation, resilience, and dedicated support for local communities. All of the efforts in judging, tasting, researching, reading, and debating are worth it as we all work together to increase the promotion of Scotch whisky as the number one whisky of choice in the world.”

The event also presented the first ever Dr. Jim Swan Award for Services to Scotch Whisky. The award was presented to Sheila Burtles, a sensory expert who was the first ever female scientist to advise the Scotch Whisky industry on flavor. Her most famous achievement is as co-inventor of the first ever Whisky Flavor Wheel, created in 1979. Aged 92, Ms. Burtles accepted the award at a private presentation at home with her award presented by Charlie Maclean the renowned whisky expert and judge in the Scottish Whisky Awards. He commented.

“It is with the greatest possible pleasure that I have been asked to present this award. I first met Sheila in 1992 when I was invited to a course which she was giving on sensory skills and without a word of a lie this course changed my life. She really is an unsung hero of the Scotch whisky industry. She deserves immense credit for making the link between chemistry and the language we use to describe flavor and for being the first to display it in a wheel. This idea was taken up very rapidly taken up all over the world. She really is a wonderful person and deserves every recognition.”

Working with Dr. Jim Swan, Burtles created the Scotch Whisky Flavor Wheel which was quickly adopted in brewing and in the US by the wine industry. Since then, it has also been developed in many new modern versions over decades by authors, academics, and major whisky brands worldwide.

Receiving the award, Sheila Burtles said,

“This is really unbelievable. I can only thank everybody who remembers me and for this award. I was so fortunate to be able to work with Jim Swan. I was a very lucky girl in the job I did, and I met wonderful people throughout Scotland. I suppose I must admit that I was a wee bit of a pioneer in the whisky industry when I dared to turn up alone among several men. I really feel very lucky, and it has been a splendid journey.”

Among the big winners in the evening were Glenmorangie who won 2 gold award medals for Glenmorangie The Signet and The Accord, their 12 year old Single Malt. North Star Spirits were celebrated for their haul of awards as Independent Bottler of the Year and also for collecting three Gold Medals for their Spica 40 Year Old Blend, Supersonic Mach 4 Blended Malt and for their 11 year old Bunnahabhain Single Malt Single Cask bottling.

The awards were sponsored for a third year by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers. Graeme Dempster, Account Manager, commented;

“Very many congratulations to all the winners in the Scottish Whisky Awards. It has been a hugely rewarding positive experience taking part in the competition this year and we wish all the medalists and winners every success in the months and years ahead.”

The winners in full:

Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year sponsored by Bruce Stevenson
WINNER: Glen Scotia Distillery

Product Launch of the Year sponsored by Saverglass
WINNER: Ardnamurchan Distillery

Independent Bottler of the Year
WINNER: North Star Spirits

Newcomer of the Year sponsored by Rankin & Sons
WINNER: Isle of Raasay Distillery

Judges Awards of Merit
Ardnahoe Distillery for Tourism and Community Contribution
Tomatin Distillery for Community Contribution
Kingsbarns Distillery for Tourism
Glenmorangie Distillery for Sustainability

TASTE CATEGORIES

Single Malt No Age Statement sponsored by Berlin Packaging UK
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Glenmorangie Signet, The Glenmorangie Distillery.
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Glen Scotia Double Cask, Glen Scotia Distillery.
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Glasgow 1770 The Original, Glasgow Distillery.

Single Malt No Age Statement (Peated)
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Glasgow 1770 Peated; Glasgow Distillery
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Bunnahabhain Toiteach A Dha Islay; Bunnahabhain Distillery
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: CHAOS #2; North Star Spirits

Single Malt Under 12 Year Old
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Laphroaig 10 Year Old; Laphroaig Distillery
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Deveron 10 Year Old; Macduff Distillery
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Benromach Cask Strength Vintage 2009 Batch 4; Benromach Distillery

Single Malt 12 Year Old sponsored by Winter UK
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Glenmorangie The Accord 12 Year Old; The Glenmorangie Distillery
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 Year Old; The Glenmorangie Distillery
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old; Bunnahabhain Distillery

Single Malt 13 – 16 Year Old sponsored by Cooper Software
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Glen Scotia 15 Year Old; Glen Scotia Distillery
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Aberfeldy Madeira Cask 16 Year Old; Aberfeldy Distillery
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Glenmorangie Cognac Cask Finish 13 Year Old; The Glenmorangie Distillery

Single Malt 17 – 20 Year Old
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Glen Garioch 17 Year Old The Renaissance 3rd Chapter; Glen Garioch Distillery
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Deanston 18 Year Old; Deanston Distillery
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Glen Garioch 1999 Wine Cask Matured; Glen Garioch Distillery

Single Malt Over 21 Year Old sponsored by Sanderson Weatherall
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Royal Brackla Oloroso Palo Cortado & Perdo Ximenezv 21 Year Old; Royal Brackla Distillery
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Aultmore 21 Year Old; Aultmore Distillery
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old; Bunnahabhain Distillery

Single Cask 12 Year Old and Under
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Bunnahabhain 11 Year Old (Series 012); North Star Spirits
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Glen Garioch Hand filled Minnesota 2012 American Trilogy First fill cask 1355; Glen Garioch Distillery
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Bruichladdich Lochindaal 10 Year Old (Series 014); North Star Spirits

Single Cask 13 Year Old and Over
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Auchentoshan Distillery Cask – 1997 Oloroso; Auchentoshan Distillery
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: The Loch Fyne Bunnahabhain 14 Year Old; The Loch Fyne
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Blair Athol 14 Year Old (Series 014); North Star Spirits

Blended Scotch Whisky
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Black Bottle; Distell International
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Black Bottle Double Cask; Distell International
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Clansman Blended Scotch; Loch Lomond Group

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Supersonic Mach 4; North Star Spirits
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Ardgowan Distillery Clydebuilt Series Shipwright; Ardgowan Distillery Company
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Supersonic Mach 2; North Star Spirits

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – Aged
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Artful Dodger Whisky Collective (Burnside) 1989 30 Year Old; Artful Dodger Whisky Collective
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: The Vatting Series – 6yo Peatside (PX + Bourbon Finish); Murray McDavid
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: The Vatting Series – 11yo The Speysiders (Ximenez-Spinola PX Finish); Murray McDavid

Blended Scotch Whisky – Aged
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Spica; North Star Spirits
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Artful Dodger Whisky Collective 1978 41 Year Old; Artful Dodger Whisky Collective
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Black Bottle 10 Year Old; Distell International

Single Grain Scotch Whisky
GOLD MEDAL AWARD: Spearhead Single Grain Scotch Whisky; Loch Lomond Group
SILVER MEDAL AWARD: Loch Lomond Single Grain; Loch Lomond Distillery
BRONZE MEDAL AWARD: Select Grain Series 13yo North British (Murca Tawny Port Finish); Murray McDavid

 

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