Sales director Alistair Walker pulls of a big smile as the BenRiach Distillery Company is celebrating their win of ten top awards in the prestigious 2009 International Wine and Spirits Competition this week.
In results published today this Thursday, the company entered 10 whiskies from both its BenRiach and GlenDronach brands, and won 10 medals – 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 1 Bronze.
GlenDronach has four expressions and all four won medals including a Gold and Best in Class for its 15 year-old ‘Revival’ while BenRiach won a further six awards including two Silver and Best in Class.
BenRiach and GlenDronach scotch single malts awards were:
GlenDronach Medals
Gold Best in Class GlenDronach 15YO ‘Revival’
Silver Best in Class GlenDronach 33YO
Silver GlenDronach 12YO Original (new 2009 version)
Silver GlenDronach 18YO Allardice
BenRiach Medals
Silver Best in Class BenRiach ‘Maderensis Fumosus’ 13YO Peated / Madeira Finish
Silver Best in Class BenRiach 16YO
Silver BenRiach 12YO
Silver BenRiach ‘Curiositas’ 10YO Peated
Silver BenRiach ‘Authenticus’ 21YO Peated
Bronze BenRiach 15YO Dark Rum Finish
The judges’ Tasting Notes for the GlenDronach 15 year old “Revival” commented: “Great concentration of complex aromas on the nose including treacle toffee, chocolate, orange, toasted nuts and vanilla. Great depth in the mouth, with all the nose promised, plus some Demerara sugar, sweet malt and lots of toast. Great balance with firm tightness which is offset to a degree by lots of mellow notes. Long finish has distinct gingery note.”
Managing Director Billy Walker said: “We are absolutely delighted that ten of our expressions have been recognised at such a prestigious competition. The award reflects the incredibly hard work of our team and underscores the outstanding quality of our two brands.”
The company has won a number of awards in recent years. In February this year the BenRiach Distillery beat off competition from around the world to win the coveted “Icons of Whisky” award in London.
BenRiach was also “Distillery of the Year” in the 2007 Malt Advocate Magazine Whisky Awards.
Whisky Magazine named it the “Best Rare Speyside” (for BenRiach Authenticus 21 Year Old) at its World Whisky Awards, also in 2007.
And it won Gold Medal (for BenRiach 16 year old) at the 2006 International Wines and Spirits Competition.
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Cooley Distillery, Irelands only independent Irish whiskey distillery, has won a record 9 Gold Medals at the 2008 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC).
This was the first time that an Irish whiskey distiller managed to collect 9 IWSC Gold Medals, including 8 “Best in Class”. IWSC medals, awarded on a strict points system, are the most prestigious honours bestowed to the drinks industry as they recognise the elite in the world of wine and spirits.
Cooley’s golden run continues from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition where the Louth based distiller won 6 double gold medals earlier this year.
“2008 has been our most successful year to date. Winning 21 Gold Medals, between the IWSC and San Francisco World Spirits Competition, in the year of our 21st birthday, shows how our distillery and our whiskey has truly come of age” said Jack Teeling, Marketing Director for Cooley Distillery.
Cooley Distillery has collected more Awards over the last twelve years than any other Irish whiskey distillery with over 140 International Awards to its name.
List of Gold Medals at the 2008 IWSC
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Kilbeggan 15 Year Old Blended Irish Whiskey
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Peated Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Sherry Finish Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 15 Year Old Single Cask Single Malt
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Greenore 8 Year Old Single Grain
Gold Medal & Best in Class, Lockes 8 Year Old Single Malt
Gold Medal, Lockes Blended Irish Whiskey
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Kevin Erskine, the writer behind The Scotch blog announced the winners of the 2007 Drammies today.
The Scotch blog, always ‘tongue in cheek’ delivers a competition to match that reputation. The Drammies isn’t for the brands that pay up the big cash it’s for the brands of the peoples (even though they of course match sometimes).
As Kevin puts it: “The Drammies were created to be, above all, a “People’s Choice” award and to try to disregard the influence that the industry has over the spirits writers and periodicals that generally grant the awards that get touted.”
Among the Winners my personal favorites are:
Distiller/Blender/Independent Bottler of the Year – Bruichladdich.
These guys does hell of a work when it comes to deliver a great product. The fact that they’re Islay and still manages to not get caught in the fire…or shall we say the smoke after the fire…shows that they got a style of their own. My closet is filled with 3 bottles from the links series, a The XVII and another The Fifteen.
Most Innovative New Product – Compass Box Canto Series
Oh how I love the Canto. Apart from that I’ve had 7 different Compass Box’es flown over. (They are hard to get hold of in Sweden). Among the other ones the Peat Monster and Hedonism (Nailed best new product) are my personal favorites.
Best New Product (Non-whisky i.e., book, resource, web site, etc) – Dr Whisky
Congratulations Dr Whisky! You deserve it. Damn your site rocks. I wish I had the time and ehh…body to do what you do.
The one I don’t agree with among the winners is the ‘Glenmorangie Brand overhaul’. At first I did though. Then I bought The Original, a bottle of Lasanta and a Nectar Do’r at Heathrow a couple of weeks ago. And even though I’ve only popped the Nectar I must say my point of view turned 180° (funny…they’re the agency behind the rebranding) after sipping some of that juice.
Visit The Scotch Blog for all the information!
Thanks for a great competition Kevin!
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If you speak Dutch, then why not head over to the homepage of the Belgian Whiskyfestival and place your vote.
The BWA2008 have the following categories.
- Whiskypionier
- Whisky Ambassador of the Year
- Whisky Club of the Year
- Whisky Shop of the Year
- Whisky Bar/Restaurant of the Year
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