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Society makes it three-in-a-row with Independent Bottler of the Year award

Society makes it three-in-a-row with Independent Bottler of the Year award
9 December 2019

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has claimed its third consecutive title of Independent Bottler of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s Independent Bottlers’ Challenge (IBC) competition

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What better way to approach the end of the year than with further recognition for the consistently outstanding quality of our whiskies, by picking up our third consecutive title of Independent Bottler of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s Independent Bottlers’ Challenge (IBC) competition.

The award makes it an unprecedented three-in-a-row for the top award, and an incredible seventh time we’ve picked up the accolade in the past 10 years.

The Society also won the regional awards for Independent Bottler of the Year for Lowlands, Islay, Speyside and American whiskies.

Our partner bars also picked up several accolades, with Campbeltown’s Ardshiel Hotel winning Hotel Bar of the Year and Dornoch Castle being named Highly-commended, while our Glasgow partner bar the Bon Accord won Bar of the Year.


SMWS staff receive the IBC Independent Bottler of the Year award

The Spirits Team from the SMWS collecting the Independent Bottler of the Year award for 2019.


“What a fantastic achievement for the Society, which we’re delighted to share with all our members,” said SMWS spirits director Kai Ivalo. “Winning the overall title of Independent Bottler of the Year for the third time in a row is a huge endorsement for our ever-more creative approach to the whiskies we are able to offer our members, whether they are single cask bottlings, whiskies that we’ve additionally matured, or our experimental range of blended malt bottlings.

“We’re currently offering a wider range of whiskies than ever before, and this accolade demonstrates that we’re serving our membership well – and giving more and more whisky lovers good reason to join our ‘All Together Unique’ Society. Prospective members can look forward to even more amazing offerings in 2020, so it’s the perfect time to sign up and share our love for amazing whisky and good company.”

This Society’s latest award as Independent Bottler of the Year for 2019 comes on the back of a hugely impressive year of accolades, with a ‘best in show’ win in the recent Luxury Masters award as well as the Scotch Whisky Masters, along with top awards in the International Wine and Spirits Competition, the International Spirits Challenge, the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.



SMWS INDEPENDENT BOTTLER OF THE YEAR: THE WINNING BOTTLES


CAMPBELTOWN
12 Years & Under: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 93.119: Charcoal in a honeypot
12 Years & Under: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 93.111: Sea through the smoke
12 Years & Under: Bronze medal winner
Cask No. 93.108: Earthy and masculine


ISLAY
Winner, Independent Bottler of the Year

12 Years & Under: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 33.138: A thigh-slapping dram
12 Years & Under: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 10.162: Big wave sofa
12 Years & Under: Bronze medal winner
Cask No. 10.181: Feast of St Columba
13 to 20 Years: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 29.260: A visceral elemental experience
21 Years & Over: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 29.258: Remembrance of fruits past
21 Years & Over: Bronze medal winner
Cask No. 53.308: Let the Tempest tout an’ blaw!


HIGHLANDS
12 Years & Under: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 96.31: Poised and balanced
12 Years & Under: Bronze medal winner
Cask No. 123.31: Death by florist
21 Years & Over: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 77.51: Flower shower
21 Years & Over: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 66.145: Flambe away


ISLANDS (NON-ISLAY)
13 to 20 Years: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 4.249: The mermaid’s marmalade


LOWLAND
Winner, Independent Bottler of the Year

12 Years & Under: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 136.2: Paradise in a paradis
13 to 20 Years: Gold gold medal
Cask No. 5.71: Elbow patches and saucy librarians
21 Years & Over: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 50.109: Mangroves and marshmallows
21 Years & Over: Silver medal winner
Cask No 97.22: Emerald-masked triple thrill


SPEYSIDE
Winner, Independent Bottler of the Year

12 Years & Under: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 35.247: In a tabanco in Jerez
13 to 20 Years: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 46.84: Velvety complexity
13 to 20 Years: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 37.128: Big bold and boisterous
21 Years & Over: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 1.212: Beeswax on barrels
21 Years & Over: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 9.169: Enthralling and enchanting


IRISH
13 to 20 Years: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 51.11: Irish danger juice
13 to 20 Years: Bronze medal winner
Cask No. 51.13: Fifty shades of lemon


GRAIN
21 Years & Over: Gold medal winner
Cask No. G1.18: Pyjamas for the soul
21 Years & Over: Bronze medal winner
Cask No. G7.15: Mind-altering hugs


NON-SCOTCH
No Age Statement: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 139.2: A tropical affair
No Age Statement: Bronze medal winner
Cask No. 139.1: Chomping on a herbal cigar
12 Years & Under: Bronze medal winner
Cask No. 140.1: Cornography


AMERICAN
Winner, Independent Bottler of the Year

12 Years & Under: Gold medal winner
Cask No. 140.2: Shotgun whirligig
12 Years & Under: Silver medal winner
Cask No. 140.3: Nik nak woody



Access to the Society’s award-winning whiskies is just one reason why we’re the world’s leading whisky club – it’s also a place where whisky lovers can come together to share their passion for single cask, single malt.
To find out more and to join the SMWS, visit www.smws.hk/whisky-club-membership