Presentation of the Whisky of the Year award: L-R Kerry Johnstone, Scottish Field; Raymond Davidson, Glencairn Glass, award sponsor; judge Julie Trevisan Hunter; Liz Macdonald, Adelphi; and Richard Bath, editor, Scottish Field (Photo: Roy Summers)
The cream of the Scotch whisky industry battled it out in the 11th Scottish Field Whisky Challenge in Edinburgh last week.
Date:
Thu, 10 Nov 2011
Source:
Scottish Field
The results were announced at a glittering awards ceremony at No.12 Picardy Place, where major industry players were hoped to triumph in what are recognised as one of the fairest, well-respected and prestigious annual whisky awards.
Forty of Scotland’s top whiskies – 30 nominated by six merchant judges (Mark Connelly, Ewen Mackintosh, Darren Leitch, Robin Russell, Mike Lord and Duncan Ralph) plus the winners from last year and a few chosen by Scottish Field – went head-to-head in this year’s challenge, eight in each of the five categories: under £35, £35-80, over £80, blends and independent bottlings.
The nominees were then blind tasted by 10 judges – the six merchant judges plus Regis Lemaitre, Tatsuya Minagawa, Julie Trevisan Hunter and Charles MacLean – with only four whiskies from each of the five categories making it to the second round (although this year 23 whiskies actually reached this stage due to tied scores).
The second tasting was more in depth, with the judges being asked to score each whisky from 1 (should never have been bottled) to 10 (whisky heaven), and write brief tasting notes.
Scores were then counted and verified, with average scores being used to work out bronze, silver and gold awards in each category. The results of the gold award winners were then analysed to work out the Scottish Field Whisky of the Year 2011.
The results were:
Under £35:
- Gold, Old Pulteney 12yo
- Silver, Glen Garioch Founders Reserve
- Bronze, Dalmore 12yo
£35-£80:
- Gold, Lagavullin Distillery Edition
- Silver, GlenDronach 18yol
- Bronze, Mortlach 16yo Flora & Fauna
Over £80:
- Gold, Glenglassaugh Manager’s Legacy
- Silver, Glengoyne 21yo
- Bronze, Benromach 30yo
Blends:
- Gold, Whyte & Mackay Luxury 19 and Black Bull 12yo
- Silver, Monkey Shoulder
Independent Bottling:
- Gold, Adelphi Dailuaine 27 years
- Silver, Miltonduff 1969
- Bronze Mortlach 18yo sherry Douglas Laing
The overall winner and Scottish Field magazine’s Whisky of the Year is Adelphi Dailuaine 27 years.
Find out more about the Scottish Field Whisky Challenge.
More whisky news from Scotland.