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March 2010 - Jim Murray's World Whisky Awards 2010

Announced and championed within the Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2010, the Liquid Gold Awards has been created to celebrate the highest quality and standard of whisky around the world, which means that only those scoring 94 points or more qualify. Representing only a small number of the 4,000 whiskies featured in the 2010 edition, these Liquid Gold whiskies are in Jim Murray's opinion the elite of our industry; the very best that can be found.

Duncan Taylor has been awarded the following Liquid Gold Awards:

Liquid Gold 96 points Rare Auld, Inverleven 1979
Liquid Gold 96 points Rarest of the Rare, Glenlochy 1980
Liquid Gold 96 points Rare Auld, Port Dundas 1973
Liquid Gold 96 points Rare Auld, Glengarioch 1988
Liquid Gold 95.5 points Rare Auld, Macallan 1988
Liquid Gold 95 points Rarest of the Rare, Glen Mhor 1975
Liquid Gold 95 points Rarest of the Rare, North Port 1981
Liquid Gold 95 points Rare Auld, Knockando 1980
Liquid Gold 95 points Rare Auld, North British 1978
Liquid Gold 95 points Rare Auld, Dallas Dhu 1981
Liquid Gold 95 points Rare Auld, Glen Grant 1970
Liquid Gold 95 points Rare Auld, Macallan 1987
Liquid Gold 95 points Black Bull 30yo Blend
Liquid Gold 95 points Auld Reekie Islay Malt
Liquid Gold 94.5 points Rare Auld, Glen Grant 1972
Liquid Gold 94 points Rare Auld, Caperdonich 1972
Liquid Gold 94 points Rare Auld, Glenugie 1981
Liquid Gold 94 points Rare Auld, Glen Garioch 1988
Liquid Gold 94 points Rare Auld, Dallas Dhu 14yo

To view the award certificates in PDF format, please click here (5M).

A full account of the 2010 World Whisky Awards can be found in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010. And with nearly 4000 tasting notes, including 946 of the very latest releases, the ‘Whisky Bible’ remains the definitive and most up to date guide available.

 

Winter 2009 - SFWC 2009

SFWC09

Black Bull 30yo received the Blended Bottling of the Year and a Bronze overall bottling of the year from the 2009 Scottish Field Whisky Challenge! 

 

December 2009 - Malt Maniacs Awards

A good reason to celebrate!Award

We have scooped the top prize in the annual Malt Maniacs Awards 2009.

This international competition, Pinnacle of The Worlds Spirits Awards, gave Duncan Taylor’s Glen Grant 36yo the overall top whisky – a massive achievement for a small Aberdeenshire-based whisky merchant.

Malt Maniacs are an International group of whisky lovers that represent thousands of whisky clubs throughout the world. The judging panel from over 10 major whisky drinking markets of the world represent the elite of spirit connoisseurs. Thousands of whiskies were blind tasted by eleven experts over the course of the awards, but it was Duncan Taylor that came out tops on the night.

In addition to the overall award, we were also awarded a gold medal again for the Glen Grant 36yo – attracting an unheard of 91 points from the judges and a further three silver medals and two bronze medals were awarded to Duncan Taylor Whiskies. We are all honoured at Duncan Taylor to have won this award from ‘people who know their whiskies’.

 

October 2009 - Jim Murray's World Whisky Awards 2010

North BritishDuncan Taylor & Co have been awarded Jim Murray’s World Whisky Awards 2010 for best Scotch Grain of the Year! The winner of this prestigious award is our Rare Auld Grain bottling of North British 1978, cask Q247, 54.7%alc/vol.

Jim's notes and score are as follows:

Award Icons
To mark the sheer quality and standard of whisky making around the world Jim Murray has created a new Liquid Gold Award for all whiskies scoring 94 points and above. Representing 10% of all the whiskies featured in the ‘2010 Whisky Bible’ they are, says Murray “the elite; the very finest you can find on whisky shelves around the world. Rare and precious they are liquid gold”. Our North British 1978 has also received this award for 2010.

A full account of the 2010 World Whisky Awards can be found in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010. And with nearly 4000 tasting notes, including 946 of the very latest releases, the ‘Whisky Bible’ remains the definitive and most up to date guide available.

 

 

September 2009 - Whisky Magazine Independent Bottlers' Challenge

For the fourth year running, Duncan Taylor & Co have been awarded the Lowland Independent Bottler of the Year award! 2006, 2007, 2008 and now 2009!

These Independed Bottlers' Challenge awards are given by a panel of Industry experts based on blind tastings and therefore pure testament to the quality and consistently high standard of our whiskies. Each company was allowed to enter one whisky for each category which was then given a score out of 10. In each category a gold, silver and bronze medal was awarded for the top scoring whiskies. In each section a point system was applied to the medal winners and the highest scoring was awarded the section trophy.

The awards we won:

Overall Lowland Independent Bottler of the Year
Gold Gold - Lowland, Auchentoshan 1999
Gold Gold - Island, Highland Park 1991
Bronze Bronze - Lowland, Inverleven 1978
Bronze Bronze - Campbeltown, Springbank 1969

 

February 2009 - Young Whisky Ambassador of the Year

IOW MarkIcons of Whisky 2009 - Young Whisky Ambassador of the year awarded to Mark Watt, International Sales Executive for Duncan Taylor, at the Icons of Whisky Dinner on Thursday 26th February 2009 at The Hurlingham Club, London.

Excerpt from Whisky Magazine, Issue 78, page 18
Whisky Magazine decided it was time to honour the upcoming ambassadors who work and travel as hard as their more senior counterparts.

These are the young guns, the life blood of the industry to come, and we decided it was time they were recognised. The criteria was that they had to be under 35 years old.

You could say that Mark has the sort of job others envy as the sales executive for Duncan Taylor. The company distributes whisky across the world from its shop and bottling plant in Huntly. Part of Mark’s job is travelling the world hosting tasting sessions. Pretty much tailor-made for the 28 year old as he was born within the grounds of the Macallan distillery.

He has already visited Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Holland, France, Spain and Sweden and doubtless more counties will follow soon as he raises the profile of Duncan Taylor’s whiskies and the industry in general. With expert knowledge of hundreds of whiskies at his fingertips, Mark fended off stiff competition for this inaugural award.



October 2008 - Whisky Magazine Independent Bottlers Challenge

It's now official - Duncan Taylor is the best Independent Bottler! Last Thursday it was announced, at the Awards Dinner in Glasgow, that we are Whisky Magazine's Icons of Whisky Scotland Independent Bottler of the Year 2009.

The awards are given by a panel of Industry experts based on blind tastings and therefore pure testament to the quality and consistently high standard of our whiskies. Each company was allowed to enter one whisky for each category which was then given a score out of 10. In each category a gold, silver and bronze medal was awarded for the top scoring whiskies. In each section a point system was applied to the medal winners and the highest scoring was awarded the section trophy.

The Independent Bottler who scored the most points across all categories was awarded an Icon of Whisky - Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd!

The awards we won:

Icons of Whisky Icons of Whisky Independent Bottler of the Year 2009
Overall Lowland Independent Bottler of the Year
Gold Gold - Whisky Galore Auchentoshan 1999
Gold Gold - Rarest of the Rare Inverleven 1978
Gold Gold - NC2 Springbank
Silver Silver - Rare Auld Highland Park 1986
Silver Silver - NC2 Bowmore 1998

 

June 2008 - International Wines & Spirit Competition

INDEPENDENCE TROPHY & GOLD BEST IN CLASS - Rare Auld Blended 38yo
SILVER BEST IN CLASS - Cameronbridge 1979
SILVER - Single Malt Speyside: Glenlivet 1970
SILVER - Single Malt Highland: Battle Hill Ben Nevis 8yo

 

Nose: The jackpot!! Well, nearly. Everything here I look for from this distillery at this kind of age: a complex, softly spiced layering to the usual corn field. Busy and gloriously three dimensional.
Taste: What a delivery! Canadian from the top drawer in so many aspects! A real fizz to this as the spices move in and break up any corn mafia that’s thinking about dominating proceedings: the starchy backbone also has light banana-vanillas and weak Demerara sugar to contend with.
Finish: Those soft spices spin on even as the corn oils begin to gain a belated foothold. The vanillas are faultless.
Comment: Golden proof that great grain is a match for anything.
Score: 95 points
October 2007 - International Wines & Spirit Competition

Trophy for Cask Strength Scotch whisky
Duncan Taylor Tomatin 41 years “Single Malt”

 



September 2007 - Whisky Magazine Independent Bottlers' Challenge

 

Overall Lowland Independent Bottler of the Year
Gold Gold - Lowland, Rarest of the Rare Inverleven 1978
Gold Gold - Lowland, NC2 Rosebank 15yo
Gold Gold - Mainland, NC2 Port Springbank 10yo
Silver Silver - Speyside, Rare Auld Caperdonich 1968
Silver Silver - Lowloand, Battlehill Auchentoshan 6 yo
Bronze Bronze - Speyside, Invergordon 1965
Bronze Bronze - Island, Rare Auld Highland Park 1984
Bronze Bronze - Island, NC2 Isle of Arran
Bronze Bronze - Island, NC2 Highland Park

 

June 2007 - International Wine & Spirit Competitions Awards

We entered four whiskies into the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2007. We have entered this competition twice before and this is the second time we have received great acclaim for our superb whiskies! We won 3 Best in Class, 2 Gold medals, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze:

Award: Gold (Best in Class)
Product: Rare Auld Tomatin 41yo Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Total Marks: 91.1

Award: Gold (Best in Class)
Product: Rare Auld Carsebridge 27yo Cask Strength Single Grain Whisky
Total Marks: 91

Award: Silver (Best In Class)
Product: Rare Auld Caperdonich 38yo Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Total Marks: 85.8

Award: Bronze
Product: NC2 Imperial
Total Marks: 78.3

 

May 2007 - Scottish Field Whisky Challenge - All-Time Best Whisky

Great respect from Scottish Field and our judging panel to all those who were brave enough to enter the last competition and congratulations to the whiskies that made the ‘All-Time Best Whisky’ charts (by price band).

The scores and full tasting notes are now online at: http://www.whiskychallenge.com/latestresults/index.htm

The top performers:
Whisky: Caperdonich33yo (Duncan Taylor ‘Lonach’ bottling):
Award: FIRST CLASS (takes 2nd place on all time best £30-£50 charts)

 

September 2006 - Whisky Magazine Independent Bottlers Challenge

Whisky Magazine Independent Bottlers ChallengeFor the second year running, we swept the board in the prestigious Independent Bottlers Challenge organised by Whisky Magazine. We were awarded three Independent Bottler of the Year awards for Highlands, Lowlands and Vatted/Blended Malts categories, seven gold medals, six silver and three bronze. This has well and truly reinforced the company’s standing as the UK’s best Independent Bottler. Euan was delighted and commented. "The focus for the company has been growth outside the UK and our whiskies are attracting expert acclaim in all markets we operate. However, to be rewarded with such appreciation of quality in our home market is phenomenal. Our whiskies are across the board exceptional. We know that but to have it reinforced by the experts is all that much sweeter.”

Panel chairman Dominic Roskrow added. “Duncan Taylor is without doubt one of the most precious jewels in the crown of Scottish whisky. A national treasure and we should try and keep as much of it for ourselves as possible!”

Duncan Taylor Whiskies Awards Category
  OVERALL Independent Bottler of the year Highlands
  OVERALL Independent Bottler of the year Lowlands
  OVERALL Independent Bottler of the year Vatted/blended Malt
  OVERALL Highly Commended Speyside
  OVERALL Highly Commended Blended
  OVERALL Highly Commended Highland (non Speyside)
Duncan Taylor 38 year old blend GOLD Blended 19 years plus
Duncan Taylor Glen Garioch 1988 GOLD Highlands 13 - 18 year olds
Duncan Taylor Macduff 1969 GOLD Highland 19 years plus
Whisky Galore Mortlach 16 year old GOLD Speyside 13 - 18 years old
Auld Reekie 12yo Islay Malt GOLD Vatted/blended Malt 12 years and under
Whisky Galore Rosebank 15 year old GOLD Lowlands 13 - 18 years
Rarest of the Rare Inverleven 1977 GOLD Lowlands 19 years plus
Duncan Taylor 15 year old blend SILVER Blended 13 - 18 years old
Whisky Galore Highland Park 14 year old SILVER Islands (not islay) 13 - 18 years
Lonach Bunnahabhain 1966 SILVER Islay 19 years plus
Battlehill Auchentoshan 6 year old SILVER Lowlands 12 years old and under
Whisky Galore 16 year old blended Malt SILVER Vatted/blended Malt 13 - 18 years old
Lindores Abbey SILVER Vatted/blended Malt 19 years plus
Duncan Taylor Scapa 1977 BRONZE Islands (not islay) 19 years plus
Duncan Taylor Invergordon 1965 BRONZE Mainland 19 years plus
Whisky Galore Highland Park 11 year old BRONZE Islands (not islay) 12 years old and under
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
March 2006 - Collecting Scottish Field awards
Malt Maniacs Award for Invergordon
Duncan Taylor Strathisla 37 year old has been awarded overall winner in the prestigious Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge Award 2005/6 at a ceremony today in Edinburgh’s Old Town.

The Scottish Whisky Heritage Centre was the venue which saw multi-award winners Duncan Taylor & Co. pick up the ‘Overall’ award for the second year running. This is the first in the challenges history, that the same company has consecutively won the overall winner award.

In 2004, the privately owned company also fought off stiff competition from Scotland’s leading whisky distillers and independent bottlers to become the proud supplier of the first ever grain whisky to be awarded the highly coveted title.

Pitted head-to-head in a blind test against some of Scotland’s finest malts, Duncan Taylor’s bottling of Strathisla 1968 impressed the expert judging panel on nose, taste & finish.

Keir Sword of Royal Mile Whiskies and one of judging panel commented. “Very appealing aromas – a cracking winter dram.”

“Very promising nose – Wow! Big taste which lives up to the nose. A perfect after dinner malt. I must remember to get a bottle of this!” added Regis Lemaitre, former Bar Manager of Gleneagles Hotel.

Duncan Taylor’s Caol Ila 12 year old, part of the Whisky Galore range, was also awarded a Gold in the 10 to 14 year old single malt whisky category in the August challenge.

Euan Shand, co-owner of Duncan Taylor commented. "We are of course delighted that our commitment to working only with Scotland’s leading distilleries, using the finest casks available, adopting rigorous cask husbandry and creating ideal warehouse conditions has resulted in even more awards for our whiskies. Duncan Taylor has a reputation for quality that dates back to its inception in 1938 and we are proud to maintain this gold standard for generations to come.”

Archie MacKenzie, Editorial Director of Scottish Field added. “The Scottish Field Awards for Duncan Taylor’s Strathisla and Caol Ila are a testament to Duncan Taylor’s innovation, yet respect for tradition, in this hugely competitive market."

December 2005 - 2 more awards from the Scottish Field
Malt Maniacs Award for Invergordon
Duncan Taylor Strathisla 1968 Single Malt
Malt Maniacs Award for Invergordon
Duncan Taylor Glen Garioch 1988 Single Malt
November 2005 - Malt Maniacs Awards
Malt Maniacs Award for Invergordon
Duncan Taylor Carsebridge 1979 Single Grain
Malt Maniacs Award for Invergordon
Duncan Taylor's Whisky Galore 12yo Caol Ila
September 2005 - Whisky Magazine Independent Bottlers Challenge

We were delighted to scoop yet more awards at the recent Whisky Magazine Independent Bottlers Challenge.

A tough field saw Duncan Taylor win 3 Golds, 3 Silver Medals and a Bronze - another impressive haul adding to the recent victories in the International wine and spirits competitions.

The awards also highlighted Duncan Taylor’s speciality with all gold medals coming in the over 19-year old whiskies.

The three Gold Medallists were DT Carsebridge 1975 (Gold medal, Mainland - Non Speyside – 19 years plus). This is yet more evidence if any further evidence was required that single grain whisky is growing in popularity and that, if grain is left to mature in quality casks, then it truly is outstanding whisky. Our DT Benriach 1967 that was so highly praised at several whisky fairs this year (particularly in Limburg) was another Gold Medal winner this time in the Speyside over 19-year old category – it is a truly stunning whisky. Our third Gold medal came in the Lowland category again in the over 19-year old section with the Rarest of the Rare Collection 1978 Inverleven - a stunningly soft and creamy whisky.

Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge
July 2005 - International Wine & Spirit Competitions Awards

Duncan Taylor were delighted to receive 4 IWSC awards. The International Wine and Spirits Competition is one of the most highly regarded Wine and Spirits Competition in the world and competition was of the highest standard with many of the most famous whisky brands in the world taking part.

Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ ChallengeDuncan Taylor were awarded two Gold medals, one for the ever successfull Invergordon 1965 (Single Grain Cask Strength - 40 YO) and one for the MacDuff 1969 Sherry Cask (Single Malt - Highland - Cask Strength 30-35 YO). Not only did both whiskies win Gold medals they were also awarded Best in class meaning that they were the best whiskies in their category.

Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ ChallengeTo add to this Duncan Taylor also had success with two silver medals one for Duncan Taylor's Auld Blended 35yo (Scotch Whisky - Deluxe Blend - 30-35 YO Award) and a further Silver for the long lost Rarest of The Rare Mosstowie 1975 (Single Malt - Speyside - 27-29 YO).

These successes clearly show the recognition that the quality of the whiskies deserve and adds to the companies previous victories in the Scottish Field Merchants Challenge.
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge

July 2005 - Another award from the Scottish Field

Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ ChallengeIt has just been announced that DT have won the Scottish Fields Merchants challenge for 3rd consecutive time.

This months challenge was open to single malts aged 10 to 15 years old and as usual the whisky industry entered their elite. Duncan Taylor's whisky galore Caol ila 12 year old was the run away winner out scoring all of the other 42 entries by at least 2 percent.

The competition included Glenfarclas 15yo, Balvenie 15yo, Highland Park 15yo and Ardbeg Uigeadail.

"Fresh sea breeze, smoky, damp timber, citrus traces and vanilla. Water releases hay and grass, softness and creaminess, apricots and mints. Smoky, fresh and very pleasing!" Regis Lemaitre - Gleneagles Hotel.

This victory is the third on the trot following success for the Strathisla 1967 in the over 26yo category and the 1965 Invergordon's overall victory.
February 2005 - 2 awards from the Scottish Field
Scottish Field Whisky Merchants' Challenge We are delighted to announce our Scottish Field Whisky Merchants’ Challenge 2005 Overall Gold Medal Win with the Duncan Taylor INVERGORDON 1965 38-year-old Single Grain Whisky! Amongst the 144 whiskies blindtasted and scored, our Invergordon won the best award any whisky company would have dreamt of! This award is even more impressive because our Invergordon was the only Single Grain whisky amongst all the Single Malts!

Duncan Taylor Strathisla 1967 was awarded the bronze medal in the over £50 category.

Scottish Field Whisky Merchants' Challenge 2005
December 2004 - Malt Maniacs Award for Invergordon
Duncan Taylor's Invergordon 38yoGentle Giant Award

(Best un-peated, un-sherried and un-finished bottling): Invergordon 38yo 1965/2004 (51.6%, Duncan Taylor, Cask #15537, 254 Bottles).

Who would have ever thought a 'simple' grain whisky could beat dozens and dozens of single malts?
Malt Maniacs Award for Invergordon
April 2004 - Grampian Food & Drink Innovation Awards
Nathalie Desmedt Export Assistant
Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd recieved another award at the 2004 Grampian Food & Drink Innovation Awards.

The Duncan Taylor Cask Strength Collection was given a Highly Commended
award.

Left: Nathalie Desmedt Export Assistant and newest member of the DTC team with the certificate.
May 2003 - Scottish Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2003

Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd received the highest accolade for their "Duncan Taylor Collection of Rare Auld Single Malt & Single Grain Scotch Whiskies" coming top in the drinks section for quality, presentation and marketing. Euan Shand Director said "To get this top award against stiff competition and to be recognised for our achievements I think is testament to the quality of not only the product but to the workforce of Duncan Taylor & Co who are all individually committed to providing service and products second to none."

dtc managing directors - alan gordon and euan shand
Alan Gordon Director, Kirsty McLeod Sales Manager and Euan C Shand Director at the award ceremony.

April 2003 - Grampian Food & Drink Innovation Awards

dtc managing directors - alan gordon and euan shand

Success for Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd in the prestigious "Grampian Food & Drink Innovation Awards". The company received 2 Gold Awards for Product Innovation and Export Innovation for our Range of Cask Strength Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch Whiskies. The judges stated that they were hugely impressed with the quality of the product, the innovative design and the marketing of the product.

certificates and trophies

The Duncan Taylor Cask Strength Range has also gone through to the final of the"Scottish Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2003" hosted by Scottish Enterprise and The Royal and Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland.

Grampian Food & Drink Innovation Awards Grampian Food & Drink Innovation Awards 2003