Edrington malt portfolio celebrates IWSC success

The Edrington Group, producers of The Macallan and Highland Park, are celebrating an impressive haul of four Gold Best in Class awards for its premium single malt brands, at this year’s International Wine and Spirit Competition.

Highland Park picked up three Gold Best in Class awards for its 18 year old, 25 year old and Earl Magnus 15 year old expressions whilst The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 year old brought the top honours at the world renowned competition to four.

Both brands achieved further recognition across their product ranges with three Gold awards for the travel retail exclusives Highland Park 1994 and 1990 Vintages plus The Macallan Fine Oak 15 year old.

Ken Grier, Director of Malts at Edrington said: “Once again we have made a real mark at the IWSC with an impressive 15 gold and silver medals. This demonstrates that our single malt whiskies continue to be world class and showcases the commitment of our people to strive for the very best within our premium authentic portfolio. This is a highly competitive and rigorous competition and I’m delighted that we’ve maintained strong results and presence in 2010.”

A panel of judges from consumer and trade organisations sampled a large range of Scotch whisky products. The whiskies, like all of the spirits and wines in the event, were blind tasted in groups divided by variety, region and vintage and awarded points accordingly.

Judges credited the Highland Park 18 year old with a ‘rich, deep flavoured mouth where creamy caramel and toffee work well with the peat and sweet malt’, whilst their praise for the Highland Park 25 year was expressed as, ‘the nose has just about everything! Excellent structure, beautiful whisky. An absolute class act’. The 15 year old Earl Magnus was described as ‘rich and full in the mouth with layers of flavour and hints of caramel, smoke and peat joining all the nose had to offer.’

The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 year old captured the judges’ imagination and palate, describing it as; ‘a very complex and satisfying dram, a complete joy.’

Full results:
Gold Best in Class
Highland Park 18 year old
Highland Park 25 year old
Highland Park Earl Magnus 15 year old
The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 year old

Gold
Highland Park 1994 Vintage
Highland Park 1990 Vintage
The Macallan Fine Oak 15 year old

Silver Best in Class
Highland Park Hjarta 12 year old

Silver
Highland Park 1998 Vintage
Highland Park 12 year old
The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 year old
The Macallan Fine Oak 10 year old
The Macallan Fine Oak 21 year old
The Macallan 1824 Collection Select Oak
The Macallan 1824 Collection Whisky Maker's Edition

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