Speyside’s top whiskies revealed at Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards

Celebrating the best whiskies from Speyside as chosen by whisky enthusiasts from around the world, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards unveiled their 2020/2021 winners at a ceremony that saw the Glenfarclas 25YO coming out on top as the overall favourite Speyside malt.

Attended by industry representatives and specialist retailers, the ceremony took place at the Station Hotel in Rothes, hosted by event sponsor, Forsyths. Alongside announcing the winners, the judges also took part in a blind tasting to select the finalists for the Spirit of Speyside Awards 2022. The presentation was streamed via Facebook to allow whisky lovers from around the world to join the celebrations.

Using a combination of in-person and virtual sessions, over 1,600 votes were cast across 15 panels and three new venues across the globe were added to the tasting mix. With sessions from New Brunswick, Canada to Mumbai, India and from Dublin, Ireland to Cologne, Germany, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards are the only industry awards in the world to give consumers the final say when it comes to recognising the best Speyside whiskies.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards 2020/2021 winners included:

12YO & Under

Gold Award – Aberlour 10YO

Silver Award – Cardhu 12YO

13YO – 20YO

Gold Award – Glenallachie 15YO

Silver Award – Benromach 15YO

21YO & Over

Gold Award – Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23YO

Silver Award – Glenfarclas 25YO

Non-Age Statement

Gold Award – Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition

Silver Award – Cardhu Amber Rock

To identify the finalists for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards 2022, the independent judging panel carried out a rigorous blind tasting of entries from 50 qualifying Speyside distilleries, before scoring each whisky on its character and flavour. 

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards 2022 finalists includes:

12YO & Under

Benriach 12YO

Benromach 10YO 

13YO to 20YO

Glenlivet 15YO

Aberlour 16YO 

21YO & Over

Aultmore 21YO

Balvenie 21YO 

Non-Age Statement

Aberlour A’bunadh

Tamnavulin Spanish Grenache Cask Edition

These whiskies will now go forward to be tasted and judged by whisky drinkers and enthusiasts around the world over the coming months. The final winners will be announced at the Spirit of Speyside’s Gala Dinner on 27^th April 2022, which also marks the beginning of the 2022 Whisky Festival.

George McNeil, chairman designate at The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, said:

“It’s the first time I’ve been involved in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards and it’s been great to see our judging panels in awe of the standard of whisky produced here in Speyside by our local craftsmen and women.

“Every year we see more and more people from around the world get involved in the final tasting to have their say in which Speyside Malt takes home the gold.That’s what makes The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards truly an award like no other – it’s the real whisky experts, whisky consumers from around the world, voting for the final winners of Speyside’s best whiskies.”

For further information on The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards or to find out how to host a voting session in 2022, visit www.spiritofspeyside.com.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards 2020/2021

12YO & Under

Gold Award –  Aberlour 10YO

Silver Award  – Cardhu 12YO

13YO – 20YO

Gold Award – Glenallachie 15YO

Silver Award – Benromach 15YO

21YO & Over

Gold Award  – Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23YO

Silver Award – Glenfarclas 25YO

Non-Age Statement

Gold Award – Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition

Silver Award – Cardhu Amber Rock

Overall Winner – Glenfarclas 25YO

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards 2022 Finalists

 12YO & Under

Benriach 12YO

Benromach 10YO

13YO to 20YO

Glenlivet 15YO

Aberlour 16YO

21YO & Over

Aultmore 21YO

Balvenie 21YO

Non-Age Statement

Aberlour A’bunadh

Tamnavulin Spanish Grenache Cask Edition

About the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards is an awards like no other. The judging process takes place in two stages. The first round is a blind nosing and tasting of Speyside’s finest malts by selected judges.

Following this, two whiskies from each of the four categories are  shortlisted to go forward for the Roving Whisky Awards Judging  and Tasting, when visitors and locals can cast their vote during the Festival and many tasting and voting sessions take place all over the world. The Spirit  of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards are the only whisky  awards where the real experts – whisky consumers – have the final vote, and with over 1000 people from many different countries expected to vote in the coming six months we will arrive at a true “ people’s choice” for this year’s Best Speyside Whiskies. 

About the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

First launched in 1999, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival’s annual celebration of Scotland’s national drink has developed into one of the largest events of its kind anywhere in the world. The Festival is a mecca for the curious beginner and the whisky connoisseur alike. Over the past 20 years, festival events have taken place throughout Speyside, the biggest whisky producing region in Scotland, located in the Moray area in the North-East of the county between Aberdeen and Inverness.

Over the years, the Festival has developed close links with many Speyside businesses and communities who help to fund the festival. It is a true team effort to deliver an ever-improving range of events and services to make the Festival a truly unforgettable experience.

The company is limited by guarantee, it runs the festival with a voluntary board of directors drawn from key areas of the whisky industry along with other local businesses and tourism organisations.

For further information please visit:

Website:  www.spiritofspeyside.com

Facebook: WhiskyFestival

Instagram: spirit_speyside

Twitter:  spirit_speyside