Balmaud Distillery is celebrating a landmark achievement after securing two prestigious honours at the 2026 North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards, winning both the Innovation in Agriculture Award and Best Drink Product Award for its Balmaud Scottish Dry Gin.
Based near Turriff, Balmaud is a private, family-owned Highland single-estate whisky distillery founded by the Strachan family, who for three generations have farmed the land and supplied malting barley to the Scotch Whisky industry for more than 60 years. Today, that same home-grown barley sits at the heart of the business's grain-to-glass approach, with production taking place on-site from field to bottle.
The Innovation in Agriculture award recognises Balmaud's transformation from a traditional arable farming business into a premium spirits producer, creating added value from its agricultural output while remaining rooted in its farming heritage. The purpose-built distillery combines traditional craftsmanship with innovative technology, including renewable energy generated from on-site wind turbines, heat recovery systems that reduce energy consumption and closed-loop water recycling technology designed to minimise environmental impact.
The second award recognised Balmaud Scottish Dry Gin, the distillery's debut spirit. Launched in December 2025, the gin has already gained strong traction across Scotland and the UK, with listings in independent retailers and premium hospitality venues. Featuring bright citrus notes balanced with juniper and thyme, the product was developed to showcase the distillery's commitment to provenance, quality, and contemporary Scottish distilling.
The awards are a significant milestone for the 12-strong team, reflecting years of planning, investment, and innovation. With an on-site visitor centre, bottling hall and maltings all in development, Balmaud continues to invest in the future while creating new opportunities for tourism, employment and sustainable food and drink production in the North-east.
Commenting on the achievement, the team described the recognition as a proud moment for everyone involved and a testament to the passion, hard work and vision that have shaped the business so far.
As Balmaud looks ahead to the launch of its first Single Malt Scotch Whisky in Summer 2028 and continued growth in domestic and enter international markets, these latest awards mark another important step in the distillery's journey from farm to globally recognised premium spirit’s brand.
Readers can keep up with the latest developments, product launches and behind-the-scenes insights at balmauddistillery.com and by following Balmaud Distillery on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.