Some of the regional winners from the Whisky Magazine Awards Scotland 2023 show off their awards during the ceremony at The Balmoral in Edinburgh
Another stellar year in the world of Scotch whisky has been celebrated with the winners announcement of both the Icons of Whisky and World Whiskies Awards Scotland 2023.
On Thursday 8 December, many of the biggest names in the industry gathered at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, from bartenders to brand ambassadors, visitor attraction managers and master distillers. It was a night of both celebration and reflection.
The title of Distiller of the Year was awarded to Glenfarclas Distillery, while Whyte & Mackay’s Gregg Glass took home the prize of Master Distiller/Master Blender of the Year. There was a great variety to the night’s winners, proving what a range of incredible talent currently operates in the Scottish whisky world.
Glenfarclas Distillery claimed the Distiller of the Year title
The event also saw the announcement of the Round 1 Category Winners for Scotland in the World Whiskies Awards 2023, and the unveiling of two new Scottish inductees to the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame: Distillery advisor Alan Winchester and The Glenturret’s whisky maker Bob Dalgarno.
New Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame inductee Alan Winchester
The event followed
the Icons of Whisky regional Ireland leg, which took place at Dublin’s Iveagh Garden Hotel on 24 November.
Run by the team at
Whisky Magazine, the Icons of Whisky awards aim to celebrate the best and brightest people and places in the sector – not just the distilleries and the teams that work in them, but also the individuals and businesses that work to support and promote them and their products.
The full list of winners and highly commended people and places can be found below as well as at
www.iconsofwhisky.com.
The World Whiskies Awards commend the best whiskies from around the world in categories including Single Malt, Bourbon, Blended, and Single Cask. More information can be found at
www.worldwhiskiesawards.com.
The team from Holyrood Distillery celebrate a win in the Icons of Whisky
Christopher Coates, Editor-at-large of
Whisky Magazine, said: “The Scotch whisky scene is going from strength to strength. This is perhaps most evident in the tourism and hospitality sectors, which have rebounded strongly in the wake of the pandemic. In particular, the Scotch whisky category has doubled down on the quality of its visitor experiences, with an increasing number of highly immersive offerings to suit a diverse range of people — from the ‘whisky curious’ to seasoned enthusiasts. I can’t wait to see how this will continue to evolve in 2023.”
Anita Ujszaszi, awards director, added: “This year’s awards prove once again that the Scotch whisky industry is in a very strong place. I want to say a huge thank you to every producer who entered into this year’s World Whisky Awards as well as our wonderful team of judges who did a tremendous job in choosing between such a range of high quality whisky.”
The Whisky Magazine Awards Scotland 2023 results can be found below: Icons of Whisky Scotland 2023 Winners and Highly Commended
Brand InnovatorWinnerHolyrood Distillery
Highly Commended Lochlea Distillery
CommunicatorWinnerJason Campbell Thomson
Highly CommendedJennifer Robertson
CooperWinnerAndy Moore
CooperageWinnerLoch Lomond Cooperage (Cooperage 021)
Craft ProducerWinnerNc’nean
Highly CommendedHolyrood Distillery
DistillerWinnerGlenfarclas Distillery
Highly Commended Whyte & Mackay
Distillery ManagerWinnerMarc Watson, Holyrood Distillery
Highly CommendedIan Renwick, The Glenturret
Independent BottlerWinnerLady of the Glen
Highly CommendedCask 88
Master Distiller/Master BlenderWinnerGregg Glass, Whyte & Mackay
Highly CommendedStephen Woodcock, Glen Moray
Highly CommendedBrendan McCarron, Distell
Online RetailerWinnerTyndrumWhisky.com
Highly CommendedAbbey Whisky Ltd
PR AgencyWinnerSPEY
Highly CommendedBeeline PR
Scotch Whisky Brand AmbassadorWinnerMark Thomson, William Grant & Sons
Highly CommendedKieran Healey-Ryder, Whyte & Mackay
Single EstateWinnerLochlea Distillery
Highly CommendedBallindalloch Distillery
Single Outlet RetailerWinnerGordon & MacPhail South Street
Highly CommendedThe Green Welly Stop / TyndrumWhisky
Spirits BuyerWinnerCraig Dearden, TyndrumWhisky
Highly CommendedMichael Sharples, Abbey Whisky Ltd.
Sustainable DistilleryWinnerTomatin Distillery
Highly CommendedLochlea Distillery
Visitor Attraction ManagerWinnerColin Hart, The Glenturret
Highly CommendedMatthew Porrit, J&G Grant
Highly CommendedSusan Colville, Benromach Brand Home Manager
Visitor AttractionWinnerJohnnie Walker Princes Street
Highly CommendedThe Glenlivet Distillery
World Whiskies Awards 2023
Category Winners, Round 1, Scotland
New Make & Young SpiritHolyrood x Pilot : NMS 11 - Pilot White Stout Recipe
Blended12 Years & UnderDewar’s – French Smooth 8 Years Old
13 to 20 YearsOld Parr – 18 Years Old
21 Years & OverDewar’s – Double Double 21 Years Old
Blended Limited Release21 Years & OverHankey Bannister – 21 Years Old Partners’ Reserve – Batch 3
No Age StatementWoven – Experience No. 10
Blended Malt12 Years & OverSingle & Single – Cambridge Circus 32 Year Old
No Age StatementArdgowan – Clydebuilt Sailmaker
Grain13 to 20 YearsWhisky of Voodoo – Coven of Resurrection Batch #1
21 Years & OverIvergordon – 21 Years Old
No Age StatementLoch Lomond – Single Grain
Single Cask Single Grain21 Years & OverInvergordon – 32 Years Old
Single Cask Single MaltScotch Campeltown12 Years & UnderGlen Scotia – First Fill PX Sherry Cask 21/943-10
13 to 20 YearsGlen Scotia – First Fill Bourbon Cask 372
21 Years & OverGlen Scotia – Refill American Oak Hogshead Cask 905
Scotch Highlands12 Years & UnderMythical Beasts – 11 Years Old Ardlair
13 to 20 YearsLoch Lomond – Oloroso Hogshead Cask 22/15-8
21 Years & OverSecret Series – Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 30 Years
Scotch Islay12 Years & UnderDS Tayman – Caol Ila Tulip Edition
21 Years & OverVintage Series – Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Rum Barrel
Scotch Speyside12 Years & UnderThe Glenlivet - 12 Years Old Rum & Bourbon Cask - Taiwan Exclusive
13 to 20 YearsStalla Dhu – Linkwood Reserve Cask Strength
21 Years & OverOlympian Series – Hades
No Age StatementStalla Dhu – Glenrothes Late Hour Port Finish Cask Strength
Single MaltScotch Campeltown13 to 20 YearsGlen Scotia – 18 Years Old
No Age StatementGlen Scotia – Double Cask
Scotch Highlands12 Years & UnderLoch Lomond – 12 Years Old
13 to 20 YearsCù Bòcan – 15 Years Old
21 Years & OverThe Glenturret – 30 Years Old
No Age StatementGlenmorangie – Signet
Scotch Islands (Non Islay)12 Years & UnderTobermory – 12 Years Old
13 to 20 YearsHighland Park – 18 Years Old
21 Years & OverTobermory – 23 Years Old
No Age StatementArran Single Malt – Sherry Cask - The Bodega
Scotch Islay12 Years & UnderLaphroaig – 10 Years Old
13 to 20 YearsLagavulin – Islay Jazz Festival 2022
21 Years & OverArdbeg – 25 Years Old
No Age StatementLaphroaig – Quarter Cask
Scotch Lowlands21 Years & OverRosebank – 31 Years Old
Scotch Speyside12 Years & UnderThe Glenlivet – 12 Years Old Rum and Bourbon Cask Selection
13 to 20 YearsThe Glenlivet – 15 Years Old
21 Years & OverThe Glenlivet – Archive 21 Years Old
No Age StatementGlen Moray – Classic
Single Batch Single MaltScotch Islay12 Years & UnderWhisky Voodoo – The Rusty Cauldron Batch #1
13 to 20 YearsArdbeg – Traigh Bhan 19 Years Old Batch No. 4
Scotch Speyside12 Years & UnderSPEY – Trutina 10 Years Old
No Age StatementSPEY – Tenne Cask Strength Batch #4