Independent Bottlers Challenge 2008
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Independent Bottlers Challenge 2008
We showcase the results from this year’s Independent Bottlers’ Challenge
The Judges
JOURNALISTS
Dominic Roskrow
Eddie Ludlow
RETAILERS
Darren Leitch
The Whisky Shop
Chris Goodrum
Gauntleys of Nottingham
OTHERS
Hervey Magnoll
The Fisherman’s Retreat, England
John Clotworthy
Drumchork Lodge,Scotland
Reaching its fourth year, this competition has really set the benchmark for independent bottlers.
The challenge was created to show off the best this sector has to offer.
The independents are widely acknowledged as offering the whisky lover something different from their favourite distillery.
Despite increasing pressure to find and buy casks, this year’s competition has shown that this sector of the market is offering some phenomenal whiskies for the connessiour.
Each company was allowed to enter one whisky for each category, and it was then assessed by three members of the judging panel.
The whiskies were tasted blind, only marked with a category number and ABV, by our dedicated panel of judges, who sampled the 167 whiskies spanning the six main production areas and marked out of 10.
In each category a gold, silver and bronze medal has been awarded for the top scoring whiskies.
In each section a point system was applied to the medal winners and the highest scoring was awarded the section trophy.
A broad spread of companies won medals, and there were five different trophy winners across the six categories, reflecting the diversity and quality in the market place offered by these companies.
This year we decided to honour the independent bottler who scored the most points across all categories with an Icon of Whisky, see page 6 for results.
Campbeltown : Independent Bottler of the Year
IAN MACLEOD DISTILLERS
12 years old and under
Gold - NC2 Springbank - Duncan Taylor and Co.
13-18 years old and under
Gold - 93.31 Glen Scotia 16 Years Old - Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Silver - Berry’s Own Selection Glen Scotia 1992 - Berry Bros. & Rudd
Silver - Scott’s Selection Glen Scotia 1991 - Speyside Distillers
19 years plus
Gold - Chieftain’s Springbank 37 Years Old - Ian Macleod Distillers
Highlands : Independent Bottler of the Year
SPECIALITY DRINKS
12 years old and under
Gold - Chieftain’s Dalmore Maderia Finish - Ian Macleod Distillers
Silver - Smooth Gentleman Wemyss - Vintage Malts
Bronze - 26.56 Clynelish - Scotch Malt Whisky Society
13-18 years old and under
Gold - Royal Brackla 15 Years Old - William Cadenhead
Silver - Glencadam 16 Years Old - Dewar Rattray
Bronze - 125.14 Glenmorangie 13 Years Old - Scotch Malt Whisky Society
19 years plus
Gold - Single Malts of Scotland Clynelish - 35 Years Old SpecialityDrinks
Silver - Berry’s Own Selection Blair Athol 1974 - Berry Bros.& Rudd
Silver - Glenglassaugh 34 Years Old - Dewar Rattray
Islands (non Islay) : Independent Bottler of the Year
WILLIAM CADENHEAD
12 years old and under
Gold - Chieftain’s Ledaig 10 Years Old - Ian Macleod Distillers
Silver - 4.125 Highland Park 8 Years Old - Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Bronze - Cadenhead’s Ledaig 11 Years Old - William Cadenhead
13-18 years old and under
Gold - Cadenhead’s Tobermory 13 Years Old - William Cadenhead
Silver - Private Cellar Tobermory 1995 - Speyside Distillers
Bronze - Highland Park16 Years Old - Dewar Rattray
19 years plus
Gold - Cadenhead’s Highland Park 23 Years Old - William Cadenhead
Silver - Highland Park c2252 1986 - Duncan Taylor and Co
Bronze - Highland Park Cask Strength 1995 - Gordon & MacPhail
Islay : Independent Bottler of the Year
VINTAGE MALT WHISKY COMPANY
12 years old and under
Gold - 33.68 Ardbeg 9 Years Old - Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Silver - NC2 Bowmore 1998 - Duncan Taylor and Co.
Bronze - Chieftain’s Bunnahabhain peated 10 Years Old - Ian Macleod Distillers
13-18 years old and under
Gold - Bowmore 17 Years Old - Dewar Rattray
Silver - Single Malts of Scotland Caol Ila 17 Years Old - Speciality Drinks
Bronze - Coopers Choice Caol Ila 1991 - Vintage Malt Whisky Company
19 years plus
Gold - Finlaggan Old Reserve Single Islay Malt - Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Silver - Elements of Islay - Speciality Drinks
Bronze - Caol Ila Cask Strength 1995 - Gordon & MacPhail
Lowlands : Independent Bottler of the Year
DUNCAN TAYLOR & COMPANY
12 years old and under
Gold - Whisky Galore Auchentoshan 1999 - Duncan Taylor and Co.
Silver - 5.22 Auchentoshan - Scotch Malt Whisky Company
13-18 years old and under
Gold - Berry’s Own Selection Rosebank 1990 - Berry Bros.& Rudd
Silver - Private Cellar Bladnoch 1993 - Speyside Distillers
Bronze - Single Malts of Scotland Rosebank 16 Years Old - Speciality Drinks
19 years plus
Gold - Rarest of the Rare Inverleven 1978 - Duncan Taylor and Co.
Silver - G3.1 Caledonian 29 Years Old - Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Bronze - Berry’s Own Selection St.Magdalene 1982 - Berry Bros.& Rudd
Speyside : Independent Bottler of the Year
GORDON & MACPHAIL
12 years old and under
Gold - 39.65 Linkwood 11 Years Old - Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Silver - Berry’s Own Selection BenRiach 1996 - Berry Bros. & Rudd
Bronze - Milton Duff Cask Strength 1996 - Gordon & MacPhail
13-18 years old and under
Gold - Mortlach 16 Years Old - Dewar Rattray
Silver - Scott’s Selection Mortlach 1990 - Speyside Distillers
Bronze - Berry’s Own Selection Mortlach 1991 - Berry Bros. & Rudd
19 years plus
Gold - Rare Vintage Glenburgie 1964 - Gordon & MacPhail
Silver - 76.58 Mortlach 23 Years Old - Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Silver - Caperdonich 26 Years Old - Dewar Rattray
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