The 2007 Drammies - Categories

Holy Crap!

Has it been a year since we did The 2006 Scotch Blog Drammies???

Last year in mid-November I announced the categories - and asked for your nominations.

The response was over-whelming and the industry loved having a series of awards that was chosen by the public.

I did not allow ANYONE from the industry to self-nominate. And of course, we'll continue that trend this year.

First a recap of the 2006 categories:

Best Packaging	Most Innovative New Product	Innovator of the Year
Bang for the Buck	Distillery of the Year	Best Distillery Tour
Most over-rated Whisky	Most under-rated Whisky	Best New Product

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For 2007 we will make it even more of a "People's Choice" - and solicit  New Categories from you:

THESE are the categories that are staying:

• Best Packaging
• Bang for the Buck
• Distillery of the Year
• Most Innovative New Product
• Best New Product

I want YOU to tell me if we should keep THESE categories:

• Innovator of the Year
• Best Distillery Tour
• Most over-rated Whisky
• Most under-rated Whisky

Finally let me know if there are any NEW categories you'd like to see:

• Your suggestions here

Email me your votes on keeping categories and your suggestions for new categories

I'll announce the categories for the 2007 awards on or about December 1st and start soliciting nominees at that point.

In case you forgot here are last year's winners.

Comments

[Japanese whisky]

Most underrated whisky sounds a useful category to me.

[Mike Coulter]

Kevin how about a category for something like 'Best/Worst Marketing/PR idea'

I'm thinking of things like the Highland Park 'Amnesty' at Glasgow Whisky Fest.

And conversely Canadian Club's dubious 'Dad' campaign for starters.

(I think your readers can work out for themselves which of the two examples is the good and which the bad to my rheumy old eyes;-)

[Ian Buxton]

How about "Greatest Bullsh*t Factor"? Not that I would dare nominate anyone....

[Kim Hoag]

"Best Packaging" depresses me. I'd rather focus on what's inside.

Most over-rated Whisky
Most under-rated Whisky

I vote to keep these two. I'm interested in what others know that I might not.

[Kevin Erskine]

I disagree.

Packaging, Marketing, Advertising.

All part of the equations...

[Lee]

Of all the categories listed, I find the packaging to be the least exciting. It's a nice plus to get a whisky with nice packaging but honestly I care much more abou what's inside.

I'd like to see a category on best QPR (quality price ratio, aka best bang for the buck) or something along those lines.

[Ryan]

I think under-rated whisky is a much more interesting category than over-rated. But that is probably only because I expect over-rated whiskies to be the same old over hyped brands, while under-rated whisky could be some new release that slipped under everyones radar, and should change yearly.

[Karl]

Yeah, I think the "Most over-rated Whisky" category can be cut. It is just going to be Johnnie Walker Blue "winning" it year after year. At least, I can't imagine a $200 whisky being much less interesting.