A number of Orkney food and drink producers will be proudly displaying Great Taste stars on their products after more local success at the annual awards.
Humes, run by husband-and-wife team Ian and Anthea Hume, claimed a coveted three stars for its Hot Oak Smoked Organic Salmon, the second year in a row the business has taken the top award. Only 218 products were given three stars in 2021, highlighting the quality on offer.
“We’re so pleased to see our hot smoked salmon win three-stars, especially given it’s always such a competitive section,” said Anthea Hume. “We use the finest Orkney-farmed salmon from Cooke Aquaculture and work hard on our smoking process to get things just right. After winning the top award for our mackerel last year we didn’t expect to repeat the feat in 2021, but we’re really looking forward to adding the stars to our salmon packs.”
There was also success for the Orkney Creamery, which scooped a two-star title for its new Voe Oat Stout and Bittersweet Chocolate Orkney Ice Cream, made using beer from the Swannay Brewery. The Creamery also claimed one-star awards for its Honey and Raspberry Gin Orkney Ice Cream, created with Beyla Gin from Orkney Distilling, and its Highland Park Whisky and Marmalade Orkney Ice Cream.
Graham Bichan from the Orkney Creamery said: “We’re delighted that the Great Taste Award judges enjoyed our ice cream. We worked with some of Orkney’s other talented food and drink producers to create the new additions to our range and had hoped to have them on sale in 2020. The pandemic delayed those plans but we’re aiming to have tubs in freezers over the coming weeks and months. We’re excited to see what our customers across the country think of our new flavours.”
The Deerness Distillery claimed two stars for its Orcadian Moon Coffee Liqueur, with one-star titles also going to the Orkney Gin Company for its Sloe and Crow Gin, as well as Aatta, its new London Dry Gin.
Orkney Distilling’s Beyla Gin and its Northwest Passage Expedition both won one-star awards. Stockan's Oatcakes rounded off the local success with one-star awards for its Cheese Oatcakes and Mini Original oatcakes.
Edgar Balfour, project manager with Orkney Food & Drink said: “This is another fantastic haul for Orkney from the Great Taste Awards. These stars showcase just how talented and creative our local producers are and emphasise the quality of the local larder. Many of these businesses have worked so hard in incredibly challenging circumstances over the last eighteen months and this success is just reward.”
The annual Great Taste Awards are judged by a panel of 500 industry experts and attracted more than 14,000 entries this year.
View the listings below to buy directly from our successful producers or find out where you can pick up their products.