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Andrew's Tips: Glenfiddich Winners

By Andrew T. Lenz, Jr., Santa Cruz, California, ©2007-2020


The following is a list of winners of Glenfiddich Piping Championship, an invitational event which is considered by many to be the world championship of solo piping. Founded in 1974, the event is held at Blair Castle each fall and is sponsored by William Grant & Sons Ltd. makers of Glenfiddich Whisky. Only ten pipers are invited each year.

To qualify, a piper must win one of the following in the 12 months leading up to competition:

  • the previous Glenfiddich competition
  • the Northern Meeting - Clasp (Piobaireachd)
  • the Argyllshire Gathering - Senior Piobaireachd
  • the Argyllshire Gathering - Former Winners March Strathspey & Reel
  • the Northern Meeting - Former Winners March Strathspey & Reel
  • the Glasgow International Piping Festival (Piping Live!) - Masters Solo
  • Scottish Piping Society of London - Overall Winner
  • Scottish Piping Society of London - Bratach Gorm
  • the Argyllshire Gathering - Gold Medal (Piobaireachd)
  • the Northern Meeting - Gold Medal (Piobaireachd)

To fill out ten spots, runners-up from the above events are selected (with the exception of the two Gold Medal events) starting with the Northern Meeting Clasp. If the runners-up fail to fill the ten spots, the third place finishers are used.

The Glenfiddich Piping Championship includes both a piobaireachd and a march, strathspey & reel (MSR). In the event of a tie, the winner of the piobiareachd is awarded the overall championship.


Glenfiddich Overall Winners
1974 James McIntosh, Dundee
1975 PM John D. Burgess, Alness
1976 PM Angus MacDonald, Scots Guards
1977 Iain MacFadyen, Kyle
1978 Hugh MacCallum, Stirling
1979 Murray Henderson, Eassie
1980 PM Ian Morrison, Queen's Own Highlanders
1981 Iain MacFadyen, Kyle - 2nd Win
1982 PM Angus MacDonald - 2nd Win
1983 PM Gavin Stoddart, RHF
1984 Iain MacFadyen, Kyle - 3rd Win
1985 Murray Henderson, Easie - 2nd Win
1986 Iain MacFadyen, Kyle - 4th Win
1987 Murray Henderson, Eassie - 3rd Win
1988 PM Gavin Stoddart, Army School of Piping - 2nd Win
1989 Murray Henderson, Eassie - 4th Win
1990 William McCallum, Glasgow
1991 PM Alasdair Gillies, Queen's Own Highlanders
1992 Roderick J. MacLeod, Cumbenauld
1993 William McCallum, Glasgow - 2nd Win
1994 William McCallum, Glasgow - 3rd Win
1995 Angus MacColl, Oban
1996 PM Alasdair Gillies, Pittsburgh - 2nd Win
1997 Roderick J. MacLeod, Cumbernauld - 2nd Win
1998 Alasdair Gillies, Pittsburgh - 3rd Win
1999 William McCallum, Glasgow - 4th Win
2000 William McCallum, Glasgow - 5th Win
2001 William McCallum, Glasgow - 6th Win
2002 Roddy MacLeod, Cumbernauld - 3rd Win
2003 Jack Lee, Canada
2004 Willie McCallum, Glasgow - 7th Win
2005 Willie McCallum, Glasgow - 8th Win
2006 Angus MacColl, Benderloch - 2nd Win
2007 Gordon Walker, Galston
2008 Gordon Walker, Galston - 2nd Win
2009 Stuart Liddell, Inveraray
2010 Angus MacColl, Benderloch - 3rd Win
2011 Roddy MacLeod, Cumbernauld - 4rd Win
2012 Iain Speirs, Endinburgh
2013 Iain Speirs, Endinburgh - 2nd Win
2014 Stuart Liddell, Inveraray - 2nd Win
2015 Angus MacColl, Benderloch - 4th Win
2016 Roddy MacLeod, Glasgow - 5th Win
2017 Jack Lee, Canada - 2nd Win
2018 Finlay Johnston, Scotland
2019 Finlay Johnston, Scotland - 2nd Win



Qualifier Note:

Prior to 2010 a different set of qualifiers was used:

  • the previous Glenfiddich competition
  • the Silver Chanter (Piobaireachd)
  • the Argyllshire Gathering - Gold Medal (Piobaireachd)
  • the Argyllshire Gathering - Open Piobaireachd
  • the Argyllshire Gathering - March Strathspey & Reel
  • the Northern Meeting - Gold Medal (Piobaireachd)
  • the Northern Meeting - Clasp (Piobaireachd)
  • the Northern Meeting - March Strathspey & Reel
  • the Bratach Gorm



You may also be interested in the recipients of the Balvenie Medal, an award which is presented each year at the Glenfiddich.

If you have comments or suggestions about this page, please contact me.

This page last updated Sunday, April 26, 2020.
Page first created in August 6, 2007.




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