Today’s announcement of the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) 2015 spirits results reveals value products have triumphed once again this year, as supermarket spirit entries come out with some of the top medals from the competition including a prestigious Scotch Trophy.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky was voted by judges as the winner of the Single Malt Scotch Whisky Trophy with no age statement.
Eight of the competition’s Gold and Gold Outstanding accolades awarded went to supermarket own labels competing in the same arena as big name brands. The awards are a real tribute to the spirits which have all undergone the IWSC’s rigorous judging process which includes a double blind tasting from the spirit industry’s top palates.
Shopper’s baskets up their creds, as top winning spirits are now as accessible as bread and milk. Vodkas from value supermarkets Asda, Morrison’s, Spar and Lidl won coveted Gold awards for their own label liquids:
· Morrison’s Signature Vodka 70cl, Gold RRP £14.99
· Spar Imperial Vodka 70cl, Gold RRP £11.35
· Lidl Rachmaninoff Vodka Triple Distilled 70cl, Gold RRP £9.99
· Asda Triple Distilled Vodka 70cl , Gold RRP £11.00
Tesco scooped two Gold and one Gold Outstanding for their liqueurs:
· Tesco Finest Crème de Pêches 50cl, Gold Outstanding, RRP £9.00
· Tesco Finest Triple Sec, 50cl, Gold, RRP £9.00
· Tesco Finest Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur 70cl, Gold, RRP £12.00
List of main category trophy winners:
• Blended Scotch Whisky - Ballantine's 30 from Chivas Brothers
• Bourbon Trophy - Blanton's Gold Edition Bourbon Whiskey from Blanton Distilling Company
• Cask Strength Scotch Whisky - Ardbeg Uigeadail from The Glenmorangie Company
• Contemporary Style Gin - Hernö Juniper Cask Gin from Hernö Gin AB
• Gin & Tonic Trophy - Napue Gin from Kyro Distillery
• London Dry Gin Trophy - Carlton Club London Distilled Gin from London & Scottish International Ltd
• Packaging Trophy - Brown Spirits from Timorous Beastie
Douglas Laing & Co Ltd
• Rum Trophy - El Dorado Rum 12YO from Demerara Distillers
• Single Malt Scotch Whisky 15 Years & Under - Bowmore Tempest Single Malt Scotch Whisky Islay 10 YO from Beam Suntory
• Single Malt Scotch Whisky over 15 Years - Glenfiddich Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 21YO from William Grant & Sons Distillers Ltd
• Single Malt Scotch Whisky Trophy no age stated - Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky form Whyte & Mackay Distillers Ltd
• Vodka Trophy - Ogilvy Scottish Potato Vodka from Ogilvy Spirits
• Worldwide whiskey Trophy - Three Ships Single Malt Whiskey 10YO from Distell Ltd
