Do you know the finest artisan drink maker in Scotland?

Scotland’s known the world over for producing some of the finest drinks to have had, anywhere on the globe.

The Scottish Rural Awards are looking to acknowledge this excellent tradition, through its Artisan Drink category, which is designed to recognise the innovation and development of all beverages.

As with the Artisan Food category, the term ‘artisan’ is characterised by craft, skill and development of the brand ethos; it is these values which will underpin the ultimate success of the company, not simply the number of units sold.

The Artisan Drink category is open to entries from distilleries, breweries and other beverage producers throughout rural Scotland, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

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The judges will be looking for evidence of how each nominee applies the term ‘artisan’ to their ethos, values and products. The judges will be asking the following: Has the nominee worked to preserve or promote traditional production or distilling methods? How has the nominee harnessed these methods to minimise wastage?

What is the brand message of the product and how does this relate to rural Scotland? Has the nominee challenged mass-production in favour of a more traditional approach? Does the nominee show evidence of unique product development?

At the 2018 awards, winners Buck and Birch Ltd were praised for their use of unconventional ingredients. The judges praised their Aelder Elixir liqueur, made using wild Scottish elderberries. It is stocked in establishments such as The Three Chimneys, Scottish Malt Whisky Society and Tom Kitchin’s restaurants.

Landing runner-up spot in the Artisan Drink category was Isle of Harris Distillery, the first legal distillery on the Isle of Harris, which only employs local residents and uses locally sourced seaweed as a botanical.

One of the smallest distilleries in Speyside took home a Highly Commended award, Avva Scottish Gin, who were congratulated for their attention to detail, commitment to small batch distillation and local provenance.

To nominate, click HERE.