Gold, Silver and Three Merits at Spirits Selection 2026

We've got some exciting news we want to share with you. Five of our whiskies have been recognised at Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2026: one Gold, one Silver and three Merits.

This year's competition took place in Madeira, Portugal from 16 to 18 October. 106 judges from 38 countries tasted 2,300 spirits from 70 countries, and only the top 30% of entries were awarded a medal. It's one of the strictest judging processes in the spirits world, which is exactly why this one means so much to us.

For a small team that picks every cask and fills, labels and packs every bottle by hand in our Glasgow warehouse, there was a fair bit of cheering when the results came in.

‍Gold: Whisky of Voodoo Smoking Curse

Whisky of Vodoo, ‍Smoking Curse,  8 year old Ardmore, vatting of 1st fill Cognac Barriques & 2nd fill Laphroaig Barrels, 52.8% ABV

The judges described "a very expressive nose with elegant fruity, vegetal, malty and herbaceous notes, along with hints of peat" and "lovely aromatic complexity." On the palate they found it "rich and deep, with well-integrated alcohol," while "spices add a pleasant touch to the finish, supported by a lovely bitterness and freshness." Their verdict: "Remarkable length. An elegant overall impression."

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Silver: WhiskyHeroes Captain Shug & The Second Sight

Captain Shug & The Second Sight, 13 year old Teaninich, finished in a 1st fill Amontillado Sherry Hogshead, 51.9% ABV

The judges picked out aromas of nuts and caramel, and a palate that was "powerful and smooth, with notes of nuts and vanilla." They also noted that "the alcohol is well integrated into a round and harmonious whole."

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Three CMB Merits

Three more bottlings came agonisingly close to a medal and each earned a CMB Merit:

• Cask Masters, 14 Year Old Auchroisk, Ffinished in a 1st fill Saint-Estèphe Barrique, 50.5% ABV
• Whisky of Voodoo Coven of the Red Veil, 14 Year Old Cameronbridge and North British, vatting of 1st fill St. Emilion Grand Cru Wine & Jerez casks, 58.3% ABV
• WhiskyHeroes Malt Marauder, 11 Year Old Glen Moray, finished in a 1st fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, 53.3% ABV

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The Merit goes to spirits that only just missed the top 30%. It's not a medal, but it is a guarantee of remarkable quality, validated by a jury of international experts. We'll take that with a big smile. A huge thank you to the judges for their time and their thoughtful notes. And to everyone who has ever poured a dram of ours, shared it with a friend or told us what they thought. The full results are on the Spirits Selection website.

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