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ALAN CLARK

BENRIACH DISTILLERY COMPANY WINS TEN AWARDS AT INTERNATIONAL WINE AND SPIRITS COMPETITION

THE LARBERT-BASED Benriach Distillery Company is celebrating after winning an impressive ten top awards in the prestigious 2009 International Wine and Spirits Competition.

Founded in 1969, The International Wine and Spirit Competition is the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world’s finest wines, spirits and liqueurs.

IWSC medals and trophies are the most highly regarded in the trade, representing the best of the best in the world of wine and spirits.

The Competition received more than 7000 entries from over 80 countries.

In results published today (July 16), the company entered 10 whiskies from both its BenRiach and GlenDronach brands, and won 10 medals – 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 1 Bronze.

GlenDronach has four expressions and all four won medals including a Gold and Best in Class for its 15 year-old ‘Revival’ while B enRiach won a further six awards including two Silver and Best in Class.

The company’s awards were:

GlenDronach Medals
Gold   Best in Class                GlenDronach 15YO ‘Revival’
Silver  Best in Class                GlenDronach 33YO
Silver                                      GlenDronach 12YO Original (new 2009 version)
Silver                                      GlenDronach 18YO Allardice
 
BenRiach Medals
Silver  Best in Class                 BenRiach ‘Maderensis Fumosus’ 13YO Peated / Madeira Finish
Silver  Best in Class                 BenRiach 16YO
Silver                                      BenRiach 12YO
Silver                                      BenRiach ‘Curiositas’ 10YO Peated
Silver                                      BenRiach ‘Authenticus’ 21YO Peated
Bronze                                   BenRiach 15YO Dark Rum Finish          

The judges’ Tasting Notes for the GlenDronach 15 year old “Revival” commented: “Great concentration of complex aromas on the nose including treacle toffee, chocolate, orange, toasted nuts and vanilla. Great depth in the mouth, with all the nose promised, plus some Demerara sugar, sweet malt and lots of toast. Great balance with firm tightness which is offset to a degree by lots of mellow notes. Long finish has distinct gingery note.”

Managing Director Billy Walker said: “We are absolutely delighted that ten of our expressions have been recognised at such a prestigious competition. The award reflects the incredibly hard work of our team and underscores the outstanding quality of our two brands.”
 
The company has won a number of awards in recent years. In February this year the BenRiach Distillery beat off competition from around the world to win the coveted “Icons of Whisky” award in London.
BenRiach was also “Distillery of the Year” in the 2007 Malt Advocate Magazine Whisky Awards.
 
Whisky Magazine named it the “Best Rare Speyside” (for BenRiach Authenticus 21 Year Old) at its World Whisky Awards, also in 2007.
 
And it won Gold Medal (for BenRiach 16 year old) at the 2006 International Wines and Spirits Competition.
 
Picture shows Alistair Walker with some of the award-winning expressions.

ends                                       16 July 2009

INFORMATION – Alistair Walker, 01324 682220

Visit BenRiach Distillery at http://www.benriachdistillery.co.uk/