2011 – Whisky Boys Awards – The Winners

It is the few days between Christmas and New Year and Jim and Nicola have poured a wee dram each and are looking at oaberlour-abunadh-gold-corkur selections and shortlists for our 2011 Whisky Awards.

It is not easy but we have chosen our favourites, hopefully they are yours also, if not let us know what your favourites for 2011 were.

Scotch Single Malt of 2011

Gold Cork – Aberlour A’Bunadh

Silver Cork – Bruichladdich, The Laddie Ten

Bronze Cork – Dalmore 15 Year Old

naked-grouse-gold-cork1

Scotch Blended Scotch Whisky of 2011

Gold Cork – Naked Grouse

Silver Cork – Monkey Shoulder

Bronze Cork – Whyte & Mackay, The Thirteen

Non-Scotch Single Malt Whisky of 2011

Gold Cork – Redbreast 12 Year Old, Cask Strength

Silver Cork – Yamazaki 10 Year Old

Bronze Cork – Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt

redbreast-12-year-old-gold-cork

Non-Scotch Blended Whisky of 2011

Gold Cork – Hibiki 12 Year Old

Silver Cork – Kilbeggan, Distillers Reserve

Bronze Cork – Bushmills, Black Bush

That is our 2011 Whisky Awards and when we both look at the ones that either did not make the shortlist or were a winner you may agree that this is a hard one to call, but here is hoping that 2012 gives us as much satisfaction as 2011 gave us when we enjoyed some fabulous drams.

We have some other awards to give out and these are:-

hibiki-12-year-old-gold-cork

On-line Whisky Shop of 2011

The Whisky Exchange – www.thewhiskyexchange.com

High Street Whisky Shop of 2011

The Good Spirit Co. Bath Street, Glasgow

Distillery of the Year 2011

Isle of Arran Distillery

Whisky Bar of 2011

In the Castlecary House Hotel is The Poachers Lounge & Wee Bar

Whisky Festival of 2011

The Glasgow Whisky Festival, www.glasgowwhiskyfestival.com

These are winners of all the bars, shops, distilleries and festivals that Jim and Nicola visited over 2011, hope that you may have visited these or maybe you will in 2012.

We finish of our awards with the Whisky Man and the Whisky Woman of 2011.

whisky-man-woman-20111Whisky Woman of 2011 – Helen Stewart, UK Brand Manager of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, www.smws.com

Jim and Nicola have met Helen on several occasion over 2011 which included tastings at SMWS Edinburgh and recently at 1 Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow. Helen was also in charge at the SMWS Whisky stands at Whisky Live in Glasgow and at The Glasgow Whisky Festival, we both found that Helen has a fantastic enthusiasm for all things whisky and is always a joy to be in her company.

Whisky Man of 2011 – John Lamond, Author and Lecturer, Keeper of the Quaich and winner of the Master of Malt in 1987, www.johnlamond.com

Jim and his son-in-law Scott have completed successfully John’s two Whisky Trail courses, the basic one and the advanced and enjoyed every Tuesday night learning more and more about Whisky and some very enjoyable tastings.  Some of John’s books include, The Malt Whisky File, The Whisky Connoisseur’s Companion and most recently Le Snob Whisky, and of course we have a signed copy in our tasting cabin.

Jim and Nicola, The Whisky Boys have had a great year of distillery visits, festivals and many tastings and we hope that 2012 can match it, we both also are looking forward to meting old friends again and meeting some new.

This just leaves Jim and Nicola to try and make a timetable of visits to as many distilleries we have yet to see and re-visit some we have visited and loved, so many distilleries and Whiskies so little time, but we shall endeavour to make the best of the spare time we have, to all our readers and friends we have met over 2011 have a great ad prosperous 2012.

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8 Responses

  1. Jaclyn says:

    Thanks for awarding us Distillery of the Year 2011! We’re delighted 🙂

  2. Nicola says:

    Arran certainly caught the eye of the Whisky Boys in 2011 and we have really enjoyed watching your progress this year. Your hospitality, when we visited, was second to none. Well done.

    Heres to 2012…, Nicola

  3. John Lamond says:

    Wow!
    Many thanks for the accolade! Didn’t even know I was shortlisted, it’s been a busy few weeks.
    I will endeavour to keep up the standards in 2012.
    🙂

  4. Nicola says:

    I am sure your standards will be just as high in 2012. See you soon.

    Nicola

  5. Helen@SMWS says:

    Always a pleasure and never a chore!

    Super WOW next to Mr John Lamond…many thanks for this, here’s to many more great drams (and tastings) in 2012

  6. Nicola says:

    @Helen

    Yes! You and John are the WhiskyBoys “Whisky Couple of 2011” – Well done…

    Hope to see you soon

    Nicola

  7. Aw shucks! That SMWS Ardbeg I was pouring down Jim’s throat (ahem) did the trick then! Seriously guys, we REALLY appreciate it. There is no greater honour than that given by your peers.
    Bill

  8. Nicola says:

    @Bill yes that dram was a good one, and Jim certainly enjoyed himself that night.

    Thanks for the comment and hope to you soon

    Nicola

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