The 2007 Drammies
Wow.
What an interesting award season THIS has been.
We've had quite a bit of over-exuberance regarding the awards.
And the winners don't even get a cool statuette! Just the knowledge that a world-wide audience of thousands of whisky lovers had the chance to nominate and select the winners.
You've likely read here and in all of the UK papers regarding an unfortunate incident. But never fear, the awards come off untarnished...as do the nominees.
One significant point of order on voting and how votes were counted.
We looked VERY closely at all of the votes - and anything that so much as hinted of impropriety was disregarded.
What was worthy of being disregarded?
Suspicious Volumes from industry domains - I don't want to create a misconception. Industry people were certainly allowed to vote in the awards - there are a lot of industry people who read this site. It was the volume of emails from single domains that created a problem for me. So floods of emails with similar votes from industry domains were disregarded.
Single votes - There were some nominees who let their fans and friends know that they were up for an award. Nothing wrong with that - BUT all votes that came in which consisted of a single vote, for a single product in a single category were disregarded.
Voting in a bloc - You certainly did not have to have an opinion on every category - most people did not. And as stated in #2 above, single votes were disregarded. But if someone submitted votes only in categories in which a single company's products were nominated - and only voted for those products, the votes were disregarded.
Uninformed votes - A couple of votes were disregarded for specific reasons. There was no ill intent in these votes, BUT when a statement was included that said (for example) "I haven't tried any of these products, but like the idea of a "Coffee-flavoured malt", then the vote was disregarded. You get the idea.
The Drammies were created to be, above all, a "People's Choice" award and to try to disregard the influence that the industry has over the spirits writers and periodicals that generally grant the awards that get touted.
These are not awards chosen by a single person (many of the winners weren't the ones *I* voted for), they are not the selections of a closed panel of "experts" and it is definitely NOT meant to be the Special Olympics of Spirit awards (I'm looking at you San Francisco World Spirits competition - where everyone is urged to enter (for a fee) and everyone walks away with a Gold Medal they can stick on their ads and bottles to fool consumers).
No fees here. Only nominations for the more interesting things out there, and awards for (hopefully) the most deserving products.
I've also included some of the more entertaining/insightful quotes that accompanied some of the votes.
So without further ado, your winners...
Before we move on to the winners in the nominated categories
I want to take some time to announce the winner of the special 2007 Drammmie Award for Class.
This goes to Managing Director of a certain Progressive Hebridean Distillery who, like everyone else, submitted his votes. But, in no category in which his distillery or its products were nominated did he vote for them - he instead selected other nominees. As an aside, he did not cast a vote at all in the "Worst Category". To me, that's class.
This year we are doing something different and showing each nominee, along with the percent of votes they received in the category. Keep in mind that all nominees were winners as they had to receive multiple nominations to be included, AND the final nominees were vetted by a panel of knowledgeable "whisky experts".
Best Packaging/ Marketing Campaign
Marketing
counts. This packaging is sure to make someone pick it up. Ad, viral
video, commercial, packaging, publicity stunt. Whatever it was it was
the best.
Winner
Highland Park 18 "Whisky Amnesty" at Glasgow, Whisky Live
28% of the votes
Johnnie Walker "Keep Walking" (Campaign)
23% of the votes
Ardbeg Mor
20% of the votes
Port Charlotte (Packaging)
14% of the votes
Maker's Mark Ambassador program
13% of the votes
The Knot - Viral videos
2% of the votes
Bang for the Buck
You simply can't beat this whisky at this price. You'd probably buy it if it cost more, but for now you'll just load up on it.
Winner
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
37% of the votes
Glenfarclas 105
22% of the votes
Benromach Traditional
11% of the votes
Forty Creek Barrel Select
10% of the votes
Black Bottle 10 year old
10% of the votes
Bulleit Bourbon
10% of the votes
Distiller/Blender/Independent Bottler of the Year
Over
all this distiller/blender did the best job this year. New Products,
moving the industry forward, whatever criteria you choose, these guys
are in the forefront.
Winner
Bruichladdich
49% of the votes
Duncan Taylor
14% of the votes
Single Malts of Scotland
13% of the votes
Benriach
10% of the votes
Dewar Rattray
8% of the votes
Ichiro
6% of the votes
Most Innovative New Product
Was there anything NEW this year that just put everyone else to shame? Someone who moved the bar, tried something different.
Winner
Compass Box Canto Series
58% of the votes
Nikka Single Coffey Malt
22% of the votes
Johnnie Walker Bespoke Blend Experience
21% of the votes
Best New Product (whisky)
The category says it all. This product was introduced (or reached your market) in 2007. And it was simply the best new thing out there.
Winner
Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist
36% of the votes
Glenfarclas Family Casks
30% of the votes
Port Charlotte PC5
20% of the votes.
Compass Box Hedonism Maximus
9% of the votes
Stranahan's Colorado Whisky
4% of the votes
Best New Product (Non-whisky i.e., book, resource, web site, etc)
You
couldn't drink it, but you could read it, view it, use it. This product
was introduced (or reached your market) in 2007. And it was simply the
best new thing out there.
Winner
Dr. Whisky
45% of the votes
The Whisky Channel
22% of the votes
The Legend of Laphroaig
20% of the votes
What Does John Know
13% of the votes
Most under-rated-whisky
This one doesn't get any respect. People don't know about it OR it's just a lot better than people give it credit for.
Winner
Glenfarclas
52% of the votes
Sheep Dip
20% of the votes
Arran 10
15% of the votes
Dalmore Cigar Malt
9% of the votes
Amrut
4% of the votes
Worst Marketing Campaign
Ad, viral video, commercial, packaging, publicity stunt. Whatever it was it was the worst.
"Winner"
Canadian Club (Damn Right Your Dad Drank It)
40% of the votes
Glenmorangie Brand overhaul
24% of the votes
Macallan 55 year old Lalique
20% of the votes
Glenfiddich (Every Year Counts)
8% of the votes
Johnnie Walker Blue - King George V
8% of the votes
