They take their whisky seriously in Moray.
And now, a blind taste test has whittled down the finalists to just eight contenders for the title King of the Drams in a prestigious competition.
The accolade is being awarded as part of the annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.
Industry experts were given the onerous task of sampling 48 malts from anonymous glasses before choosing their favourites.
Two finalists in all of the four categories will go head-to-head to claim top honours on Speyside.
Members of the public will now have the final say as part of a series of judging sessions during the festival, which runs from April 27 to May 1.
Event chairman James Campbell said: “From the discussions that took place after the judging, I think we were able to dispel the myth that such a thing as a typical Speyside exists.
“The reality is that the whiskies offer something for all palates from rich and fruity to the spicy and peated and to the light and floral.
“But the judges have now had their say and the final decision rests in the hands of the public.”
Last year, hundreds of votes were cast, and these were especially valued by distillers because they came from genuine whisky aficionados.
The finalists in the 12-year-old and under category are the Aberlour and Cragganmore 2004 Distiller’s Edition.
The Glenlivet 18-year-old will go up against the Glenfiddich 15-year-old in the 13 to 20-year-old category.
The Mannochmore 25-year-old special release and the Macallan 30-year-old Sherry Cask are shortlisted in the over-20 category and the Tamdhu Batch Strength 002 and Aberlour A’bunadh will compete for the non-age award.
Festival director Julie Fraser said: “As with any awards scheme, the judging is always performed in a blind test to ensure the results are completely neutral.
“Although the panel may sometimes have an idea about what’s in the glass, they have no way of knowing for sure and I think it’s fair to say a few of them were rather surprised when the identities of the whiskies were finally revealed.”
The winners will be announced at the festival’s closing ceilidh on Sunday, April 30 at Knockando Distillery.