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It’s that time of year again. The time where Scotland Magazine recognises the very best of all things Scottish with our prestigious Icons of Scotland awards.

This is the fifth year of the annual awards, but this time we’ve chosen to do things a little differently. In previous years the Icons would culminate in a glitzy presentation as part of America’s Tartan Week celebrations in New York.

And for the past four years, the Icons of Scotland awards have focused on individuals and groups that have “served as ambassadors showcasing the artistic and cultural wealth of Scotland.” All that has changed. We’ve gone right back to basics by choosing to focus on Scotland’s iconic places and products. These are the things that really make this country special, and this is what Scotland Magazine is all about. It is these venues that deserve a little bit of recognition.

It was a difficult task. There are so many wonderful places in Scotland. Just how do you choose? We tried to do it in the most fair and democratic way possible.

To start with we emailed several thousand of our readers asking them to put forward their nominations in 25 listed categories. The response was overwhelming.

These names were then entered onto a shortlist and judged by eight members of Scotland Magazine’s editorial panel.

Each nomination was given one, two or three points. The points were totted up, and the product or place that received the most was declared winner. The runner-up was given a highly commended award, as in many cases there were only one or two points seperating them from the winner.

So here are the results. We think we’ve assembled a fantastic array of the true Icons of Scotland. You can find a full list of winners and nominations on our website.

Don’t be dissappointed if you weren’t asked for your contribution this year.We’ll be doing the sixth Icons of Scotland next year and if you’d like to be involved simply log onto our website www.scotlandmag.com, click on ‘contact’ and enter your details to join our mailing list. If the readers of Scotland Magazine can’t decide on the best of Scotland, then who can?

BEST REGIONAL EXPERIENCE

TOWN

Winner: Tobermory, Mull.

Highly Commended:
Kirkwall, Orkney

Also nominated:
Biggar, Lanarkshire
Haddington, East Lothian
Pitlochry
Leith

CITY

Winner: Glasgow.

Highly Commended:
Edinburgh

Also nominated:
Aberdeen
Inverness
Dundee

AREA

Winner: Skye.

Highly Commended:
The Trossachs

Also nominated:
Fort William (Outdoor Capital UK)
Caledonian Forest, Dumfriesshire
Crieff and Strathearn

BEST RETAIL EXPERIENCE

CITY

Winner: Glasgow.

Highly Commended:
Edinburgh

Also nominated:
Stirling
Leith

INDIVIDUAL SHOP

Winner: Valvona & Crolla, Edingburgh.

Highly Commended:
House of Bruar, Perthshire

Also nominated:
Jenners, Edinburgh
Tiso Glasgow Outdoor Experience,
Anta, Edinburgh

SHOPPING CENTRE

Winner: Princess Square, Glasgow.

Highly Commended:
Rose Street, Edinburgh

Also nominated:
The Old Station, Strathpeffer
Royal Mile, Edinburgh

BEST INDOOR ATTRACTION

MUSEUM

Winner: Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow.

Highly Commended:
Clydebuilt: The Scottish Maritime Museum, Glasgow.

Also nominated:
Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum
Museum of Transport, Glasgow
National Museum of Rural Life

GALLERY

Winner: The National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Highly Commended:
Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh

Also nominated:
The Burrel Collection, Pollok House, Glasgow
The Royal Gallery, Holyrood

THEATRE

Winner: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh.

Highly Commended:
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Pitlochry

Also nominated:
National Theatre of Scotland

DISTILLERY VISITOR CENTRE

Winner: Glenfiddich, Dufftown, Banfshire.

Highly Commended:
Dewar's World of Whisky, Aberfeldy, Perthshire

Also nominated:
Auchentoshan
Ardbeg
Glengoyne

VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Winner: The Scottish Parliment, Edinburgh.

Highly Commended:
Scotch Whisky Experience, Edinburgh

Also nominated:
Glasgow Science Centre
Our Dynamic Earth
Mary King’s Close

BEST OUTDOOR ATTRACTION

GOLF COURSE

Winner: The Old Course, St Andrews.

Highly Commended:
The Westin Turnberry, Ayrshire

Also nominated:
Archerfield
Crieff Golf Club

TOUR

Winner: Hebridean Wildlife Tours.

Highly Commended:
Isle of Mull Wildlife Expeditions, Mull

Also nominated:
Pure Dead Brilliant Tours
The Hebridean Princess
Rock Hopper

GARDEN

Winner: The Queen Mother's Garden, The Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh.

Highly Commended:
Little Sparta, Dunsyre, Lanarkshire

Also nominated:
Crarae Gardens, Peebles
Scone Castle Gardem

WILDLIFE CENTRE

Winner: Loch Garten Osprey Centre, Boat of Garten.

Highly Commended:
Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh

Also nominated:
Deep Sea World
Seabird Centre
Macduff Marine Aquarium

OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE

Winner: West Highland Railway.

Highly Commended:
Queen's View, Loch Tummel

Also nominated:
Falkirk Wheel
Loch Lomond

BEST HISTORIC ATTRACTION

CASTLE

Winner: Eilean Donan, Kyle of Lochalsh.

Highly Commended:
Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh

Also nominated:
Fingask Castle, Perth
Dunottar Castle
Inverary Castle

HOUSE

Winner: Bowhill and Buccleuch Estates, Selkirk.

Highly Commended:
John Knox House, Edinburgh

Also nominated:
Scone Palace, Perth
Newhailes
Palace of Holyrood House

ABBEY / CATHEDRAL

Winner: Iona Abbey, Iona.

Highly Commended:
St Magnus' Cathedral, Kirkwall

Also nominated:
Melrose Abbey
Jedburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

Winner: Skara Brae, Orkney.

Highly Commended:
Calanais, Lewis

Also nominated:
Clava Cairns
Broch of Mousa
Rudh an Dunain

OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE

Winner: Italian Chapel, Orkney.

Highly Commended:
Inchmahome Priory, Lake of Menteith

Also nominated:
Rosslyn Chapel
Stirling Old Town Jail

MADE IN SCOTLAND

DRINK

Winner: Isle of Arran Distillery, Arran.

Highly Commended:
Caledonian Brewery, Edinburgh

Also nominated:
Irn Bru
Hendricks Gin
Glenfiddich
The Glenlivet

FOOD

Winner: Inverawe Smokehouse, Argyll.

Highly Commended:
Caledonian Connoisseurs, Kelso

Also nominated:
Lady Clair Macdonald Mail Order, Isle of Skye
Campbells Bakery
Tobermory Chocolate Factory

JEWELLERY

Winner: Graham Stewart Silversmith, Dunblane.

Highly Commended:
Malcolm Appleby, Grandtully, Aberfeldy

Also nominated:
Ortak, Skye
David Milne, Drumoak

CLOTHING

Winner: Belinda Robertson Cashmere, Edinburgh.

Highly Commended:
Harris Tweed Textiles, Harris

Also nominated:
Geoffrey Tailor Kilts, Edinburgh
Hawick Cashmere