GreatDrams wins Small Business of 2020 competition and launches exclusive subscription service
GreatDrams has been named a winner in the Lloyds Bank Small Business of 2020 awards, which celebrate small and local businesses across the UK and their inspiring energy and resilience in meeting the challenges of 2020.
Almost 900 businesses up and down the country were nominated by their local communities and 24 winners were picked based on how creatively and quickly they adapted to events since March, and how they went over and above expectations.
Gareth Oakley, Managing Director of Business Banking at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “GreatDrams is creating a premium-quality product in the great tradition of Scottish whisky making.
“But Greg and Kirsty are also using modern technology in a really creative way to create new markets and share the infectious passion they have for whisky. It’s a business with exciting international potential and this award is well deserved.”
With our virtual tastings now being one of the most important and biggest things we do, it made sense to answer customer requests for something special and unique that builds on our range in a very different way, so we put together the GreatDrams Whisky Subscription, delivering bottles only available to subscribers every two months, with options for everyone.
“We have been blown away by the popularity of our virtual whisky tastings – both the public ones and the private ones where we host anything from corporate events to birthdays and even whisky clubs looking to get together virtually for a few drams. I have truly loved how our business has evolved and grown over the last year against the odds – who knew we would quadruple the amount of tastings we are doing… without leaving the house!” – Greg Dillon, co-founder of GreatDrams.
Key details:
- These bottles cannot be bought outside of this subscription; not on our store, not in shops, any surplus is made available to subscribers in case they want to top up their cabinets.
- Each release costs two month’s payments and are dispatched every two months
- You can stop your subscription at any time
- Private virtual tastings take place a week after each release is dispatched to give the post enough time to deliver
Its all very simple:
We utilise our knowledge, experience, skill and network to source members of The GreatDrams Subscription exclusive whisky bottlings from casks of ours that you simply cannot find anywhere else.
Each is selected by Greg & Kirsty for a variety of reasons; interesting flavour profile, unique cask maturation, interesting back story, rare distillery and many more. Our reasoning and journey to selecting each cask will be communicated with each bottle you receive.
Each subscription level includes a virtual whisky tasting for all subscribers every two months.
“Starting at £30 per month for our Bronze package, and topping out at £75 per month for the Gold package, each with a bi-monthly private virtual tasting, there is something for everyone with bottles that are not ever made publicly available making it extra special. Our customers have asked for access to even more exclusive bottlings and over the last few months we have been busy putting together something really cool that we think they will love” – Kirsty Dillon, co-founder of GreatDrams.
GreatDrams has also launched three new single casks too, one full term sherry matured single cask single malt, one 9-month sherry cask finish and one heavily peated Islay.
Tamdhu 8 Year Old sherry cask matured single cask single malt
Tamdhu, now one of the industry’s gems, has had a tumultuous past having been shut for 20 years between 1927 and 1947 as well as being earmarked for decommissioning in 2010 before being sold to its current owners who have built it up again to be an unsung hero of the whisky industry. This release has been matured in a single sherry cask, giving it those lovely winter fruit and spice notes along with notes of apple and honey from the distillery character too.
Benrinnes 9 Year Old, 9 month first fill Oloroso sherry cask finish
A rather meaty whisky this one, with a thick, creamy mouthfeel owing to the wormtubs used in the process increasing the copper contact with the spirit. This was matured initially in a second fill Oloroso sherry cask for over eight years then finished for nine months in a first fill Pedro Ximénez cask to amp up the spiciness and the deep, dark winter fruity notes too.
Islay 7 Year Old single cask single malt
We have always wanted to bottle an Islay whisky, and our awesome customers have been pestering us to do so for a long time… finally it is here! A heavily peated whisky from the mystical island of Islay, matured in First Fill Bourbon Barrel and laden with beautifully balanced, classic Islay peated whisky notes as well as lovely soothing vanilla and citrus fruit notes along with cinnamon and warming spice notes too.
In addition to new releases, GreatDrams will continue to take bookings for private virtual whisky and gin tastings
To get in touch and talk whisky contact info@greatdrams.com or to buy limited edition whisky www.greatdrams.com/whisky-shop
ABOUT GreatDrams
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GreatDrams is all about raising spirits
Award-winning from our first dram, we will introduce whisky drinkers to their next favourite. GreatDrams is a family business bringing great quality, limited edition whiskies and whiskeys to the people, all at a fair price. Never repeating our products, and never compromising on flavour.
We are experts in finding incredible tasting rare casks of whisky.
GreatDrams was launched with the aim to make great whisky more approachable & available.
With eighteen awards under our belts, we have a proven track record for producing great tasting whiskies that are recognised and awarded by both consumer and industry judging panels… that sell out every single time as well, which tells us all we need to know.
Some recent highlights:
2021 – to Feb 2021
Winner of Lloyds Small Business of the Year (national award)
Winner of the People’s Choice Spirits Awards
Liquid Gold Award in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible
2020
Greater Manchester Business of the Year 2020
Gold & Double Gold at the UK Great Taste Awards
Silver at the Independent Bottlers Challenge
Bronze at the Scottish Whisky Awards