Whisky Focus - William Grant & Sons Makes It A Double At The IWSC Awards 2018

Last night, independent family distillers William Grant & Sons made it a double when they picked up the 2018 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) awards for Distiller of the Year award and Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year.

The IWSC awards are well known for setting the international benchmark for quality and recognising excellence in wines and spirits worldwide and these two latest awards follows a fantastic run of success builds on previous years where William Grant & Sons was awarded Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year (2016), Distiller of the Year (2016 & 2013) and International Spirits Producer of the Year (2014 & 2013).

Simon Hunt, Chief Executive of William Grant & Sons says: "Receiving this level of recognition from the IWSC is a real honour and a testament to our teams’ continued innovation and dedication to delivering excellence across our portfolio."

These awards are in addition to three IWSC trophies presented to the company earlier this year for its Glenfiddich Finest Solera, The Balvenie Thirty and Tullamore D.E.W. 18 Year Old, and more than 70 medals recognising quality across the William Grant & Sons portfolio.

The competition follows a rigorous judging process with more than 400 global experts judging products over a seven month period.

Adam Lechmere, general manager for the IWSC, said: "With a raft of IWSC medals at the highest level, William Grant & Sons continue to impress the IWSC judges with the consistent excellence of their many and varied products. From much-loved household names like Glenfiddich to bourbons, ryes, tequilas and many others, they bestride the world of international spirits.

"For well over a century they have been investing and growing, especially in the younger and more esoteric brands which are crucial to maintaining their market position. We are proud to recognise and reward such dedication to excellence."

Now in its 49th year, the IWSC’s relentless pursuit of excellence underpins every aspect of the competition today. Entries are received from nearly 90 countries worldwide where each sample is judged according to its class. With nearly 50 years of heritage, an IWSC award is recognised internationally by consumers as a badge of quality.

On top of the prestigious IWSC 2018 Distiller of the Year award and Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year awards the company's extensive portfolio of whisky, gin and rum and more also impressed the judges at this years competition, the list of 2018 winners are below:

IWSC 2018 Trophy Winners

• Tullamore DEW 18 Year Old, Worldwide Whiskey Trophy 2018
• Glenfiddich Finest Solera, Single Malt Whisky No Age Stated
• The Balvenie Thirty, Single Malt Scotch Whisky Over 15 Year Old

IWSC 2018 Gold Medal Winners

1. Drambuie
2. Gibson’s Finest Venerable 18 Year Old
3. Glenfiddich 40 Year Old
4. Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask 19 Year Old
5. Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Madeira Cask Finish
6. Glenfiddich Aged 15 Year Old
7. Glenfiddich Aged 18 Year Old
8. Glenfiddich Bourbon Barrel Reserve 14 Year Old
9. Glenfiddich Cask Collection Reserve Cask
10. Glenfiddich Experimental Series Winter Storm
11. Glenfiddich Vino Formosa Cask Finish 26 Year Old
12. Grant's 12 Year Old
13. Monkey Shoulder
14. The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 Year Old
15. The Balvenie Forty
16. The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill Aged 12 Year Old
17. The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill Sherry Cask Aged 15 Year Old

IWSC 2018 Silver Medal Winners

1. Ailsa Bay
2. Gibson’s Bold 8 Year Old
3. Gibson’s Finest Rare 12 Year Old
4. Gibson’s Finest Sterling
5. Glenfiddich 30 Year Old
6. Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Red Wine Cask Finish
7. Glenfiddich Aged 12 Year Old
8. Glenfiddich Aged 21 Year Old
9. Glenfiddich Aged 25 Year Old
10. Glenfiddich Cask Collection Vintage Cask
11. Glenfiddich Cask Selection Select Cask
12. Glenfiddich Distillery Edition 15 Year Old
13. Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Year Old
14. Glenfiddich IPA Experiment
15. Glenfiddich Project XX
16. Grant's Ale Cask
17. Grant's Family Reserve
18. Grant's Rare 18 Year Old
19. Grant's Smoky
20. House of Hazelwood 18 Year Old
21. House of Hazelwood 21 Year Old
22. House of Hazelwood 25 Year Old
23. Hudson Baby Bourbon
24. Hudson Manhattan Rye
25. Hudson Maple Cask Rye Whiskey
26. Ladyburn
27. Milagro Anejo
28. Milagro Reposado
29. Milagro Silver Tequila
30. Milagro Special Reserve Anejo
31. Reyka
32. Sailor Jerry
33. Smokey Monkey
34. Solerno Blood Orange
35. The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask
36. The Balvenie 21 Year Old Madeira Cask
37. The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old
38. The Balvenie Peated Triple Cask 14 Year Old
39. The Balvenie Portwood 21 Year Old
40. The Balvenie Traditional Oak 25 Year Old
41. The Balvenie Triple Cask 12 Year Old
42. The Balvenie Triple Cask 16 Year Old
43. The Balvenie Triple Cask 25 Year Old
44. The Girvan Patent Still Single Grain Scotch Whisky 28 Year Old
45. The Girvan Patent Still Single Grain Scotch Whisky 30 Year Old
46. Three Barrels VSOP Brandy
47. Tullamore Dew 12 Year Old Special Reserve
48. Tullamore Dew 14 Year Old
49. Tullamore Dew 15 Year Old
50. Tullamore Dew Cider Cask
51. Tullamore DEW
52. Tullamore Dew Phoenix
53. Tullamore DEW XO Rum Cask Finish

IWSC 2018 Bronze Medal Winners

1. Clan Macgregor
2. Discarded
3. Hudson Four Grain Bourbon
4. Milagro Special Reserve Reposado
5. Milagro Special Reserve Silver

If you want to explore William Grants extensive portfolio you will find most of the whiskies and other spirits mentioned above available from specialist online retailers such as The Whisky Exchange, The Whisky Shop and Master of Malt but for now it is only available in Tesco.
 

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