Who gets your vote?

Published on 28/10/2006 00:23

AS interest mounts in making St Andrew's Day both a public holiday and a focal point for celebrating all that is great about Scotland, The Scotsman has once again joined forces with Glenfiddich, the Scottish family-owned single malt Scotch whisky, to give you the chance to vote in this year's Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards.

Over the years the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards have grown in stature. The award is now one of the country's most sought-after accolades - made all the more important by the fact that the winners are selected not by an elite few, but by the people of Scotland. Last year's award recipients included violinist Nicola Benedetti, tennis ace Andrew Murray, Gleneagles chef Andrew Fairlie and renowned Scots author Ian Rankin, who clinched the Top Scot accolade. The 2006 results will be announced at a glittering ceremony held at Edinburgh's Prestonfield and broadcast to the nation.

For the past four weeks, four individuals have been profiled in each of the following categories: Business, Theatre, Sport, Art, Food, Music, Screen and Writing. Our judging panel nominated the candidates, but it's been over to you, the public, to choose the winners.

In this, the final week, you can vote for the Top Scot Award, an open category in which you can nominate the Scot from any walk of life whom you believe has made the greatest impact in furthering Scotland's reputation for excellence at home or abroad this year.

Judges

The judging panel for the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards 2006 includes Lee Randall (assistant editor, magazines and arts, The Scotsman), Sally Gordon (Glenfiddich), Derrick Thomson (STV), Peter Irvine (Unique Events), Fiona Bradley (Fruitmarket Gallery), Ken Miller (sportscotland), Celia Stevenson (Scottish Screen), Ian Rankin (novelist), Stuart Nisbet (Unique Events) and correspondents from The Scotsman.

How to vote

Call or text the telephone hotline or text number listed next to the nominee of your choice, or vote online at www.glenfiddich.com/spirit

Win a Glenfiddich whisky collection and masterclass in your home, or rounds of golf at Turnberry and bottles of Glenfiddich

Vote in this year's Glenfiddich Spirit Of Scotland Awards and you will be given the opportunity to be entered into a draw to win one of a selection of incredible prizes, all linked to elements of Scotland's rich culture.

Your Own Whisky Masterclass plus a fabulous Glenfiddich whisky collection

The star prize is the "money can't buy" opportunity to have one of Glenfiddich's whisky experts host a masterclass in your home for you and up to nine guests. Glenfiddich is one of Scotland's few remaining independent distilleries and it remains true to traditional whisky-making techniques - still employing its own coopers and coppersmith, for example. The Glenfiddich ambassador will spend an evening introducing the connoisseur's art of nosing and tasting single malts as you and your friends sample five elegant whiskies from the Glenfiddich range.

And that's not all. The winner will also receive the perfect start to their whisky collection - bottles of Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 Year Old, Ancient Reserve 18 Year Old, Solera Reserve 15 Year Old, Caoran Reserve 12 Year Old and Special Reserve 12 Year Old. These whiskies are all multi-award-winning. At this year's International Wine & Spirit Competition - the industry's leading awards event - Glenfiddich Gran Reserva, Ancient Reserve and Caoran Reserve all won gold medals, while Solera Reserve and Special Reserve scooped silver.

Golf at Turnberry plus personalised bottles of Glenfiddich

Five runners-up will receive a round of golf at Turnberry for four people, playing on the globally-acclaimed Ailsa course, plus a personalised bottle of Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Year Old. Fifteen further runners-up will be sent personalised bottles of Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Year Old, the world's favourite single malt.

These award-winning whiskies are just part of the impressive Glenfiddich range now available. More information on the range is available by visiting www.glenfiddich.com and for more details of golf at Turnberry, go to www.turnberry.co.uk

St Andrew's night celebration

The Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards were established in 1998 to recognise those who lead the way in their chosen fields. This year's event will once again feature the very best of Scottish talent and includes sports stars, writers, actors, chefs, business people, artists and musicians. The Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards ceremony will be held at Prestonfield in Edinburgh - one of Scotland's most extravagantly sumptuous hotels, specialising in providing the ultimate in Scottish hospitality to guests. It is the perfect location to celebrate the achievement of those who have made Scotland proud this year.

Watch STV on St Andrew's night to see Prestonfield in all its glory and witness the winners, chosen by the Scottish public, collect their awards.

Glenfiddich is proud to be an integral part of the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards.

Terms & conditions

1 Prizes are as stated and there is no cash alternative or otherwise. 2 All entrants into the prize draw must be 18 or over. 3 Calls cost 25p from BT landlines. Texts cost 25p plus usual network costs. 4 No purchase necessary. 5 Winners will be selected at random from all voters who submit their details. 6 Voting lines close at midday on 5 November. 7 Employees of William Grant & Sons Ltd and The Scotsman Publications Ltd are ineligible to enter the prize draw. 8 Normal Scotsman rules apply.

Top Scot Award ... and all the nominees

The top Scot award

"Top Scot" is the most sought-after accolade in the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards. Previous winners have included Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson, author JK Rowling and singer Sharleen Spiteri. Potential winners this year include David Tennant, star of Doctor Who; composer Craig Armstrong, who recently won a Grammy for his score for Ray; and entrepreneur Tom Hunter, who joined forces with former US president Bill Clinton to launch the Clinton-Hunter Development Initiative aimed at combating poverty.

Having taken the Scotland football team from obscurity to a win against France, manager Walter Smith must have a chance. And chef Gordon Ramsay has had another good year as he builds his media and culinary careers. Figures less in the public eye include artistic director Ashley Page, who has breathed new life into Scottish Ballet, and Alison Watt, artist in residence at the National Gallery in London.

Possible nominees

David Tennant

Craig Armstrong

Tom Hunter

To vote for your Top Scot call: 0901 111 1443 or

vote online at www.glenfiddich.com/spirit

BUSINESS

Jim Spowart

Entrepreneur

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 1 TO 83010

Martin Gilbert

Aberdeen Asset

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 2 TO 83010

Mary Dickson

First ScotRail

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 3 TO 83010

Donald Maciver

Gael Software

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 4 TO 83010

THEATRE

Gregory Burke

Playwright

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 5 TO 83010

Vicky Featherstone

Artistic director

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 6 TO 83010

Brian McMaster

Festival director

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 7 TO 83010

David MacLennan

Writer, producer

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 8 TO 83010

SPORT

Wheelchair curling team

All Scottish GB team

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 9 TO 83010

Richie Ramsay

Golfer

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 10 TO 83010

Andrew Murray

Tennis player

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 11 TO 83010

Swimming team

Commonwealth stars

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 12 TO 83010

ART

Claire Barclay

Installation artist

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 13 TO 83010

David Mach

Sculptor

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 14 TO 83010

Francis McKee

Director, writer

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 15 TO 83010

Douglas Gordon

Video artist

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 16 TO 83010

FOOD

Really Garlicky Co

Farmers

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 17 TO 83010

Martin Wishart

Chef

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 18 TO 83010

Alan Tomkins

Entrepreneur

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 19 TO 83010

Pillars of Hercules

Organic farmers

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot20 TO 83010

MUSIC

The Fratellis

Pop group

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 21 TO 83010

Paulo Nutini

Singer

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 22 TO 83010

Garry Walker

Conductor

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot 23 TO 83010

Donald Shaw

Accordionist

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot24 TO 83010

SCREEN

Gordon Ramsay

Television chef

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot25 TO 83010

Kelly Macdonald

Actress

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot26 TO 83010

Janet McBain

Archivist

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot27 TO 83010

Paul McGuigan

Film director

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot28 TO 83010

WRITING

James Robertson

Poet and editor

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot29 TO 83010

Andrew O'Hagan

Author

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot30 TO 83010

Ali Smith

Novelist

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot31 TO 83010

Alan Spence

Playwright and poet

phone: [phone]

TEXT: scot32 TO 83010