The Irish Whiskey Masters saw a further three gold medals for Atom

A number of Atom Brands’ spirits have been awarded gold and master medals in the recent Whisky Masters awards series.

These wins are just the latest in a series of accolades for Atom Brands!

In total, 15 gold medals and four master medals were presented across the World Whisky Masters, the Irish Whiskey Masters and the Scotch Whisky Masters — all of which are judged by industry experts in a blind tasting.

That Boutique-y Whisky Company were the biggest champions from the Atom portfolio, with The Blended Whisky Company also receiving recognition.

In the World Whisky Masters, whiskies from outside Ireland, Scotland and the US competed, with Atom winning two coveted gold medals; one for That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s English Whisky Co. 8 Year Old in the Single Malt – Premium category, and the other for That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Slyrs 3 Year Old, which won gold in the Single Malt – Super Premium group and was commended by judges for its “full mouthfeel”.

The Irish Whiskey Masters saw a further three gold medals for Atom, with awards going to That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Irish Single Malt #2 12 Year Old, Irish Single Malt #1 13 Year Old and Single Malt Irish Whiskey 8 Year Old, which all won in the Single Malt – Premium category.

The Scotch Whisky Masters was where Atom collected the biggest number of accolades, picking up master medals for That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Port Dundas 25 Year Old (Single Grain – Aged 19?-30 Years), Blended Malt #3 19 Year Old (Blended Malt – Aged 19?-30 Years), and Blended Whisky #1 50 Year Old — Batch 7 (Blended – Aged over 31 years).

The fourth master was awarded to The Blended Whisky Company’s The Lost Distilleries Blend — Batch 10 in the Blended – Ultra Premium category.

The Scotch Whisky haul was completed with a further 10 gold medals across multiple categories for That Boutique-y Whisky Company.

These wins are just the latest in a series of accolades for Atom Brands, having recently been awarded seven gold medals in the International Wine & Spirit Competition and triumphing at the Gin Masters.

Atom Brands takes home three trophies and four golds in the International Spirits Challenge

Atom Brands has been awarded a series of fantastic accolades in The International Spirits Challenge 2018 — one of the most respected and influential spirits competitions in the world.

Their portfolio of brands, including Origin, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, The Blended Whisky Company and The Handmade Cocktail Company picked up a series of medals and trophies, with The Handmade Cocktail Company also being recognised as Pre-Mixed Producer of the Year.

Now in its 23rd year, The International Spirits Challenge receives more than 1,500 entries from nearly 70 countries worldwide, and each product is blind tasted and awarded a score for its aroma, appearance, taste and finish.

In the gin category, where over 2,000 samples were tasted, Origin’s Arezzo gin was awarded a gold medal, and in the Whisky category both That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Blended Whisky #3 23 Year Old and The Blended Whisky Company’s Half-Century Blend – Batch 2 received accolades, with the latter being awarded a trophy – the highest honour available.

“There is no more rigorous test of a liquid’s quality than blind panel tasting, and we’re absolutely delighted to have triumphed in these most prestigious of awards.”

This was the first year for the Pre-Mixed drinks category, which saw Atom Brands’ The Handmade Cocktail Company not only scoop two trophies and two gold medals, but also be named as Pre-Mixed Producer of the Year.

The ISC are firmly in the top tier of awards bodies, and the fact that we’ve scooped three trophies and a category-level award stands testament to the ‘quality first’ approach we take with all our liquids.

There is no more rigorous test of a liquid’s quality than blind panel tasting, and we’re absolutely delighted to have triumphed in these most prestigious of awards.
– Ben Ellefsen: Managing Director at Atom Brands

Sam Simmons and Lora Hemy join Atom Brands

Atom Brands has bolstered its senior management team with the appointment of renowned spirits industry figures Sam Simmons and Lora Hemy as Head of Whisky and Head of Distillation respectively.

That Boutique-y Whisky Company and Ableforth’s maker Atom Brands has invested significantly in category and production expertise with the appointment of Sam Simmons as Head of Whisky and Lora Hemy as Head of Distillation.

Samuel J Simmons, PhD., is a highly respected whisky educator, communicator and Keeper of the Quaich. He joins Atom Brands from William Grant & Sons, where he served as Global Ambassador for The Balvenie single malt Scotch whisky since 2010. Prior to that, Simmons worked at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society and The Whisky Exchange, after establishing himself through his groundbreaking blog, Dr. Whisky.

Simmons, who holds a PhD. in English Literature, now takes up the role of Atom Brands Head of Whisky, where he will work with one of the best teams in the business to oversee the liquid for the company’s existing whisky brands (That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Darkness!, The Blended Whisky Company) as well as developing and creating all future mature liquid.

I have known the Atom guys since they were three nerds sat in a shed,” said Simmons. “To join a company of peers and friends, people who I have watched grow a business from strength to strength in a way that is so admirable, industry-leading and downright cool, there was no decision time needed when Ben invited me onboard.

– Samuel J Simmons

Appointed as Atom Brands head of distillation in late 2017, Lora Hemy has worked as a Head Distiller and consultant at distillery start-ups, including at Welsh distillery Aber Falls. She joins Atom Brands from Halewood Wines and Spirits, where she launched the company’s distilling operations, and previously worked at Whyte & Mackay’s Dalmore single malt whisky distillery.

Hemy, who holds an MSc in Brewing & Distilling from Heriot-Watt University, will oversee all Atom Brands distilling and rectifying operations, across the likes of Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin, That Boutique-y Gin Company and The Handmade Cocktail Company. Lora’s extensive experience in recipe development will also see her contribute heavily to the NPD process.

I am a long time admirer of Atom Brands, and I couldn’t be happier to have joined such a forward-thinking team. Working with amazing products and top talent from across the industry is incredibly exciting and I am enjoying every moment.

– Lora Hemy

I can’t conceive of any two people in the world I’d want in these roles more than Lora and Sam. They both combine absolute relentless drive and enthusiasm for the spirits category with a knowledge base that’s world-class to generate respect and admiration from industry colleagues and customers alike.

These appointments represent an investment for the future, and underline our unyielding commitment to liquid quality without compromise.
– Ben Ellefsen: Atom Brands’ Managing Director

Atom Brands creates and owns award-winning, convention-defying drinks brands including Ableforth’s, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, That Boutique-y Gin Company, Darkness!, The Handmade Cocktail Company, Drinks by the Dram and Bitter Bastards. In 2017, Atom Brands was named UK Gin Producer of the Year by the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).

ATOM BRANDS TRIUMPHS AT SPIRITS MASTERS 2017

Atom Brands has been named The Spirits Masters Grand Master 2017 – a title bestowed upon the most successful drinks company at The Spirits Masters, a year-long series of spirits tasting competitions.

Atom Brands was the top producer at The Spirits Masters 2017 with its brands – including Ableforth’s, That Boutique-y Whisky Company and That Boutique-y Gin Company – demonstrating cross-category excellence throughout the year.

Independent judging panels met on 18 occasions throughout 2017 to taste entries from across spirits categories. Medals were awarded based on Nose, Palate, Finish and Overall Balance, and can only be granted on consensus of the expert panel.

In addition to awarding individual medals, judges at The Spirits Masters – organised by The Spirits Business magazine – also award one Taste Master per category to the spirit or liqueur deemed best in class. From almost 200 entrants, That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Port Ellen 33 Year Old was named Scotch Whisky Taste Master, a highly coveted accolade and a tremendous win for the independent bottler.

Atom Brands was also named Grand Master at both The Gin Masters and The Design & Packaging Masters, taking home the most medals from each competition. Notable highlights included Master medals for That Boutique-y Gin Company’s Spit-Roasted Pineapple Gin and Cherry Gin at The Gin Masters, and a Master medal for That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Invergordon 42 Years Old at The Design & Packaging Masters.

We truly couldn’t be more delighted at this incredible haul from one of the world’s most highly respected blind tasting competitions.

Every single one of our brands carries liquid quality as its most important asset, and we’re simply over the moon that the judges have recognised this in such a spectacular way. The additional award for the efforts we put into packaging those liquids is the final feather in the cap of a simply fantastic year.
– Ben Ellefsen: Atom Brands managing director

The Spirits Masters Grand Master accolade rounds off a year of success for Atom Brands, which saw year-on-year export growth hit over 200%. The company was named UK Gin Producer of the Year 2017 at the recent IWSC Awards Banquet, taking home the London Dry Gin Trophy for That Boutique-y Gin Company’s Hernö Swedish Rose Gin, and the Contemporary Gin Trophy for Bathtub Gin – Navy-Strength. 2017 also saw Atom Brands’ That Boutique-y Whisky Company pick up an International Spirits Challenge Scotch Whisky Trophy for its Invergordon 43 Year Old (Batch 11).