A Scotch whisky distiller was all smiles after winning a host of medals at international competitions.
Isle of Arran Distillers won a Double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its 10-year-old Single Malt, then collected four silver medals at the International Spirits Challenge 2018.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one of the most influential and respected events in the industry.
The rigorous judging process puts an emphasis on the integrity of the whisky, whilst the blind tasting guarantees that every entry is judged fairly and given equal consideration. Recognition from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is a universally recognised indicator of exceptional quality and craftsmanship that is trusted by trade and consumers.
The winning dram – the 10-year-old Single Malt – is the classic expression of Arran. The initial rush of rich vanilla sweetness gives way to a touch of cinnamon that adds a spicy edge to the soft and sweet texture. The citrus notes have rounded with age and reveal new depths of character against a background of sweet oak.
Euan Mitchell, managing director of Isle of Arran Distillers, said: ‘We’re proud to be flying the flag for Scotland on the international stage by claiming the Double Gold award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Our 10-year-old Single Malt, which many consider to be the flagship whisky for the island, is among esteemed company receiving this prestigious accolade. It is incredibly rewarding for the whole team to know our whisky is being enjoyed all over the world.
‘We’ve got a wonderful team in place here that is bursting with innovation and passion for the products we produce. Being recognised like this by our peers gives us even more drive and determination to continue experimenting with whisky and growing the business.’
The 10-year-old Single Malt was also one of four runners-up for the Isle of Arran Distillers at the International Spirits Challenge 2018. The Lochranza Reserve, The Bothy Quarter Cask Batch 3 and the 18-year-old Single Malt also claimed silver medals. The four whiskies passed a blind tasting by a renowned expert panel of specialist judges to beat strong competition to amass a haul of accolades.
Now in its 23rd year, the International Spirits Challenge is one of the premier events that promotes outstanding spirits from across the globe.
The competition is founded on a demanding and independent judging process, which encourages the high calibre of spirits and designs entered into the competition each year. Receiving more than 1,600 entries from nearly 70 countries worldwide, the International Spirits Challenge is a truly global competition.
International Spirits Challenge organiser, Justin Smith, said: ‘This year has seen more entries than ever before, with producers entering a diverse mix of spirits from across the globe who are looking to benchmark their spirit at the very highest level.’
These accolades for the Isle of Arran Distillers is the latest in a long list of highlights for the business. They have recently announced that they welcomed a record number of visitors to their Lochranza distillery, with almost 110,000 people making the trip in 2017.
The whisky-maker is gearing up to open their second distillery on the island. Lagg, which is in the south of Arran, is due to open in spring 2019 and will specialise in a new heavily-peated whisky.
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