Iain Burnett the Highland Chocolatier is celebrating after winning a hat-trick at the International Chocolate Awards for two of its truffles.

The grand jury in the British National Competition of the International Chocolate Awards awarded gold to the company’s milk chocolate Velvet Truffle – Classic in the milk chocolate truffle category and to its Velvet Truffle Caramel and Liquorice in the white chocolate truffle category.

An additional award was given to the Velvet Truffle Caramel and Liquorice Velvet for getting an exceptional number of points from the judging panel.

Both Velvet Truffles will now compete alongside entries from across the world to win the accolade of the best in the world.

Other top winners in the competition included Åkesson’s Organic in London, Winchester Cocoa Company, Pump Street Bakery Chocolate in Suffolk, Matthieu de Gottal Chocolatier in Nailsworth, Fifth Dimension Chocolates in London, and Chococo in Dorset.

Iain Burnett, the Highland Chocolatier, said: “Many years of work has gone into the Velvet Truffles so it’s fantastic that such a pure ganache – just rare cocoa and a very particular fresh cream without additives – is recognised.”

Based at Grandtully in Perthshire, Iain Burnett has become Scotland’s most awarded chocolatier.