Celebrating Scotland’s Great Taste: Our Members’ Success at the 2026 Great Taste Awards 

The accreditation scheme run by the Guild of Fine Food, and widely regarded as one of the most respected food and drink awards in the world, announced its Great Taste award winners on the 28, July 2026.  

This year’s results were the biggest in the awards history with over 15,000 products entered from 3,919 companies across 116 countries, including nine countries entering for the first time. Of those, only a small fraction earned the coveted 3-star rating, reserved for products judges deem truly “exquisite and extraordinary”. 

Scottish producers achieved an impressive 380 award-winning products in total, including 249 1-star awards, 96 2-star awards, and 21 3-star awards, representing the incredible quality on display throughout our food and drink community. 

To put this in context, across all entries this year, 28.5% of products received a 1-star award (judged “simply delicious”), 10.61% received 2-star (“outstanding”), and just 2.03% earned the elusive 3-star rating (“exquisite and extraordinary”).

How does judging work? 

Over 105 days, more than 800 industry experts from chefs to product developers took part in blind judging cross panels in London, Dorset, Ireland and Italy. Every product is presented to judges stripped of branding and packaging and is only given a rating once the judges decide unanimous agreement. Taste comes first, then appearance, aroma, texture and mouthfeel, with each product judged purely on its own merit rather than against competitors in its category. 

It's worth noting for members entering next year, that every entrant regardless of if they win an award or not receive feedback from judges. This feedback can be useful for helping refine recipe's and understanding how your product lands with the people who matter. 

Celebrating Our Members 

West, Central and Dumfries & Galloway 

We’re extremely proud of all the hard work put out by our producers and pleased to announce the results from the West, Central and D&G region, where members picked up an outstanding haul of stars and awards this year.

Islay Spirits – 3-star award for The Original Islay Rum – Barrel Aged 46% vol 

Equi’s Ice Cream – Blackcurrant and Cassis Sorbet, Liquorice and Mascarpone gelato, Pistachio Swirl Ice Cream, Creme Brulee Ice Cream, Strawberry Dairy Ice Cream, Amaretto Bakewell Ice Cream

North Star Spirits – Campbelltown Connections, Highland Connections 

William Bros Brewing Co. - Ceilidh Premium Lager 

Angels Dare Cocktails – Garden Fling, Cheeky Wee Kiss 

MacSween (MacSween Allan) - Breakfast Black Pudding, Vegetarian Haggis in a Hurry, Traditional Haggis, Delicious Everyday Haggis 

Graham’s The Family Dairy – Silver Top Milk, Organic Whole Milk, Graham’s Slightly Salted Butter 

Schoolyard Kitchen - Blackcurrant Conserve With Deanston Malt Whisky, Seville Orange Marmalade 

St. James Smokehouse – Scotch Reserve Scottish Smoked Salmon with Champagne Orange, Scotch Reserve Smoked Salmon, Scotch Reserve Smoked Salmon with Annandale ‘Man o Sword’ Single Malt Whisky & Honey, Scotch Reserve Gravadlax Style with a Honey, Mustard & Dill Sauce, Scotch Reserve Pure Royal Filet

Seaweed Farming Scotland – Seaweed Butter, Wakame Seeds & Berries Trail Mix, Wakame Sea Salt 

The Biggar Gin Company – Biggar White Lady Cocktail, Elderflower and Raspberry Gimlet 

Golden Casket – Buchanan's Dark Chocolate Fondant Ginger Creams 

Castle MacLellan – Chicken Liver Parfait 

Hebridean Food Group – Chicken Parmigiana Soup, Roast Chicken & Creme Fraiche, Haddock Chowder, Crab & Chorizo Chowder 

Lazy Day Foods – Mini Vic the Vegan Caterpillar Cake  

Rowan Glen – Greek Style Yogurt with a Layer of Honey Sauce, Luxury Rich and Creamy Raspberry and Blackberry Yogurt 

Spirits of Virtue – Seven Giants Blanoc 

True Origin – Grape & Pear Balsamic Reduction, Peach & Ginger Jam, Plain Cashews, Sliced Jalapenos, Sweetly Spiced Cashew Nut Butter, Sweetly Spices Cashews

Wee Knob of Butter – Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Butter, Garlic & Herb Butter, Spicy Harissa Butter, Wee Knob of Butter Sea Salt 

The Highlands and Islands region also had plenty to celebrate this year with members across the isles and mainland picking up Great Taste recognition for everything from spirits to baked goods.

Deerness Distillery – Orcadian Moon 

Eviedale Bakehouse – Rosemary Sourdough Beremeal Crackers, Seeded Sourdough Beremal Crackers, Sourdough Beremeal Crackers 

Island Bakery Organics – Oat Crumbles, Traditional Farmhouse Cheddar Biscuits

Orkney Gin Company - Mirrie Dancer Gin 

Shore – Seaweed Crisps – Sweet Siracha, Seaweed Chips – Peking Duck, Seaweed Crisps – Lightly Salted, Seaweed Chips – Salt & Balsamic 

The Golden Slipper Brewery - Sea Buckthorn & Turmeric Kombucha, Nanling Mountains Kombucha

East of Scotland similarly thrived in the great taste awards this year gathering a large number of awards with many succeeded a top score of 3-star 

Praveen Kumar - South Indian Garlic Chicken

The Edinburgh Butter Company - Salted Cultured Butter

east PIZZAS - Sourdough Pizza Dough, Sourdough Pizza Bases, Topped Pepperoni Pizza

Belhaven Smokehouse - Cure Cold Smoked Salmon, Lammermuir Smoked Cheddar, Classic Hot Smoked Salmon, Belhaven Smoked Goat's Cheese, Belhaven Smoked Butter

Brose Oats - Brose Original Gluten Free Scottish Oat Milk

Eden Valley Prawns  - Eden Valley King Prawns

The Drinks Bakery - Drinks Biscuits: Mature Cheddar & Smoked Chilli, Lancashire Cheese & Spring Onion

Vault City Brewing - Strawberry Sundae, Alcohol Free Peach Cobbler Sour Beer, Raspberry Sour Beer

Findlaters Fine Foods - Chicken Liver Pate Finished with Brandy & Port, Findlaters Duck Liver Pate with Poached Plum

Wild & Wonder - Rosehip Spritz Liqueur, Silvertear Vintage Birch Vodka

Yester Farm Dairies  - Natural Cottage Cheese, Luxury Soft Cheese 

Shortbread House of Edinburgh - All Butter Sweet Oatie Biscuit, Cheese Sables with Cumin, Truly Handmade All Butter Original Recipe Shortbread, Truly Handmade Heather Honey and Oats Biscuits, Cheese Sables with Nigella Seed and Chive, Cheese Sables with Fennel and Chilli

71 Brewing - Luminous Days, Rhubarb Soda, Ginger Beer

Shibui Tea - Scottish Breakfast Tea, Vanilla Rose, Chun Mee Organic, Lemongrass & Ginger, Gardener's Grey, Chocolate & Ginger

MOWI - Scottish Smoked Salmon Slices, Scottish Salmon Fillets

Nairns Oatcakes - Nairn's Rough Oatcakes, Nairn's Organic Super Seeded Oatcakes, Nairn's Stem Ginger Oatcakes, Nairn's Coconut & Chia Oat Biscuit, Nairn's Gluten Free Caramelised Biscuit Moments

Highland Boundary - Gorse Wild Botanical Syrup, Scots Pine Mugolio

Giacopazzi’s Wholesale Ice Cream - Mascarpone, Mango & Hot Honey, Vegan Mango, Whisky & Marmalade, Dark Chocolate & Cherry Sorbet, Strawberry Yogurt

Macsween Allan Food Group - Breakfast Black Pudding, Vegetarian Haggis in a Hurry, Traditional Haggis, Delicious Everyday Haggis, 

Tayport Distillery - Raspberry Liqueur, Strawberry Liqueur

St Andrews Brewing Co - St Andrews Brewing Company Lager, Yippie IPA

Brodies Melrose - Segafredo Selezione Maestro Forte, Segafredo Selezione Maestro Mondo, Brodies Ginger Delights Chocolates

Whitebox Drinks - Classic Cosmo, Mai Tai, Squeezy's Margarita

Jarvis Pickle - Handcrafted Chicken Leek and Tarragon Pie, Handcrafted Butter Chicken Curry Pie, Plantbased Mushroom, Chestnut and Truffle Oil Pie

Little Birdie Foods - Pure Camomile Tea, Dark Hot Chocolate, Orange & Dark Hot Chocolate, Highland Roast, Tartan Coffee

Eyes on the Golden Fork 

Congratulations to those products selected to go to a further round of judging for the Golden Fork Awards with the winners announced in London on 15th September, alongside the Great Taste 2026 Supreme Champion. 

Proudly, the Golden Fork award for Scotland is sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink and this year's nominees include: 

• Slow Sauce – Oat shoyu 

• Sour Power Vinegars – Sicilian Blood Orange & Warm Spices Alcohol Free Aperitif 

• Yester Farm Daries – Luxury Soft Cheese