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Inver House Distillers claims 11 medals

Multi-award winner Inver House Distillers, which recently claimed the prestigious title of ‘International Distiller of the Year’, is celebrating yet more success, having collected an astonishing 11 medals at the International Spirits Challenge 2008.

Closely following the distillers’ recent wins of 13 medals at the Scotch Whisky Masters Awards and 15 awards at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, this multitude of successes makes the Airdrie-based company one of Scotland’s most prolific whisky industry award winners of 2008.

The International Spirits Challenge - now in its 13th year - promotes spirits from around the world. Each year, nearly one thousand spirits from across the globe are rigorously judged and tasted by the industry’s leading international spirits experts, many of whom have flown in for the occasion from other countries.

The accolades that Inver House was awarded at the International Spirits Challenge 2008 comprise two coveted Gold medals, three Silver medals and six Bronze medals.

With a reputation for a fresh and innovative approach to Scotch whisky, Inver House Distillers has not only been recognised at the International Spirits Challenge, the International Wine & Sprits Competition and the Scotch Whisky Masters, it also revealed a 107% increase in pre-tax profits in April 2008 and won ‘World’s best Scotch blended whisky’ for its rare Hankey Bannister 40-Years-Old blend at the World Whisky Awards.

The awards that Inver House Distillers was presented with at the International Spirits Challenge 2008 are as follows:

Balblair Vintage 1975 – Gold Medal

Balblair Vintage 1989 – Bronze Medal

Balblair Vintage 1986 – Bronze Medal

Balblair Vintage 1997 – Bronze Medal

Hankey Bannister 40-Year-Old – Gold Medal

Hankey Bannister 21-Year-Old – Silver Medal

Old Pulteney 12-Year-Old – Silver Medal

Old Pulteney 17-Year-Old – Bronze Medal

Speyburn 10-Year-Old – Silver Medal

anCnoc 16-Year-Old – Bronze Medal

anCnoc 12-Year-Old – Bronze Medal

Old Pulteney Single Malt, also known as 'The Genuine Maritime Malt', is produced in Wick at the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland, giving the malt a hint of sea air and a dry, medium-bodied and smooth taste.

Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a super-premium, contemporary Scotch whisky brand, which takes a vintage approach (it is chosen by optimum 'year', in a similar way to wine). The whisky is characterised not only by its striking look, but also by notes of vanilla, warm toffee and fruits.

anCnoc Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the contemporary malt of the arts, having supported many art-orientated venues, festivals and productions. It’s sleek, modern packaging and approachable taste has seen sales rise significantly over the last three years.

Speyburn is a top ten single malt in the U.S and a classic Speyside malt. Situated in the heart of famous Speyside region of the Scottish Highlands, Speyburn is the only distillery to use the fresh spring water of the Granty Burn, a tributary to the River Spey.

Hankey Bannister is Inver House Distillers’ blended malt Scotch whisky. Expert blending of only the finest individual malt whiskies available have resulted in a light, subtle blend - clean, sweet and spicy, giving a full flavour with honeyed tones and a pleasant lasting finish.

Karen Walker, marketing manager at Inver House Distillers, commented: “The International Spirits Challenge is a high-profile and prestigious competition and for us to have been presented with eleven medals is enormously exciting for the team. This competition is judged by a panel of global experts, so our wins are testament both to the passion and enthusiasm of our team and the quality of our brands.”

Further information about the awards is available at International Spirit Challenge