Uig Lodge Smoked Salmon, from the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides is celebrating today after winning a prestigious Great Taste Award.

The company has been presented with a Gold Great Taste Award for its Oak Smoked Salmon.

Regarded as the industry Oscars, The Guild of Fine Food’s annual Great Taste Awards are the UK’s largest independent evaluation of fine food and drink.

Each year, almost 4,500 foods are blind-tasted by up to three separate teams of experts before the awards are made. Since May there have been nearly two weeks of tasting by over 400 independent judges and Gold Awards have been given out for excellence in taste, texture and flavour.

Bob Farrand of the Guild of Fine Food, said: “These awards have been running for 14 years now and are a recognized mark of excellence that consumers can trust and rely on.

“The winning products have been through a thorough judging process and we are able to assure consumers that the Great Taste logo, which all award winners can use, signifies genuine, proven fine food.  It’s not just a supermarket premium marketing slogan that bears almost no relation to the quality of the food in the packet.

“The Great Taste Awards reflect what is happening in the fine food halls, delicatessens and farm shops throughout the UK and during judging we tasted some fantastic gourmet delicacies from all over the world.”

Situated on the most north westerly point of Scotland, Uig Lodge has long been renowned for its fly fishing and over the last twenty years has earned a reputation for producing some of the finest smoked salmon in the British Isles.  To meet the increasing demands from London hotels and restaurants, the business has now opened a London base in New Covent Garden which it shares with Murray’s Fresh Fish.

Dickon Green, of Uig Lodge Smoked Salmon, said: ‘ this award represents an excellent achievement and serves as a great testament to the skill and dedication of all those connected with the smokery.  We believe that our smoked salmon is amongst some of the finest in Scotland and so it is great to get this recognition from the British food industry.’