John O’Groats distillery owners ‘absolutely thrilled’ with success at Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards
The owners of 8 Doors Distillery at John O’Groats were “absolutely thrilled” after being named among the winners at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2024.
Husband and wife Derek and Kerry Campbell, from Thurso, were presented with the Artisan Product of the Year award at the event in Glasgow for their product Five Ways blended liqueur.
The liqueur is said to combine “the rich heritage of blended Scotch whisky with a modern approach and flavours of zesty orange, warming ginger, sweet honey and spice”.
Kerry said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards as Artisan Product of the Year.
“Every batch of Five Ways blended liqueur is handcrafted and bottled in John O’Groats by the team so it’s great to see it and the hard work of the team being recognised with such a prestigious award.
“An added bonus was the wonderful chef Stewart Goldie at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central using Five Ways in the exceptional dessert he created for the event – showcasing Five Ways’ flavour profile and versatility.
“Events like this are so important for businesses in Scotland to band together and showcase our fantastic and vibrant industry and help inspire collaboration and innovation across the sector.”
Hosted by TV personality and chef Simon Rimmer, the ceremony was attended by more than 500 people.
Iain Baxter, chief executive of Scotland Food & Drink, said: “The Excellence Awards truly highlight the breadth and diversity within Scotland’s food and drink sector, showcasing a thriving industry that continues to evolve at an exciting pace.
“The quality of this year’s submissions speaks to the resilience and innovation driving our sector forward and we want to offer our heartfelt congratulations to all of this year’s winners and finalists.”
The awards came after the announcement that the Scottish food and drink sector had reached a record high value, contributing £14.8bn to the Scottish economy.
The awards are organised by Scotland Food & Drink in partnership with headline sponsor Asda.
In November 2023, 8 Doors Distillery was named as Tourism Destination of the Year in the annual Scottish Whisky Awards.
