I World Whisky Awards 2023 sono stati annunciati da Whisky Magazine il 30 marzo 2023, a Londra.
La cerimonia presso la Merchant Taylor’s Hall di giovedì ha visto l’annuncio dei vincitori del World Whiskeys Awards e dei vincitori nazionali e mondiali delle Icons of Whisky, oltre a tre nuovi candidati alla Hall of Fame.
Whisky Magazine da 23 anni organizza i suoi World Whisky Awards, la competizione di whisky più grande e rispettata al mondo. L’annuncio di quest’anno rappresenta il culmine di un rigoroso processo di valutazione alla cieca che ha visto più di 200 giudici esperti di tutto il mondo valutare più di 1.400 whisky diversi provenienti da più di 40 paesi.
I World Whisky Awards hanno nominato i vincitori del mondo in 23 categorie di whisky, tra cui single malt, bourbon, blended, rye, pot still e design. I vincitori di quest’anno includono M&H Elements Sherry Cask, da Israele, che è stato nominato Miglior Single Malt del Mondo, e The Representative Bourbon , che ha ricevuto il titolo di Miglior Bourbon del Mondo.
Scozia sempre meno espressiva, gioca in difesa ormai da anni; si deve “accontentare” di due Single Cask.
Ecco l’elenco completo dei vincitori dei World Whisky Awards 2023.
World Whisky Awards 2023
I premiati
WORLD’S BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY
Best American Whisky
Storm King Distilling Co.
Side Gig Whiskey
UNITED STATES
“A well-balanced whiskey with a nose of corn, freshly cut grass and nuts. The palate is clean, with notes of oak, honey, chocolate, and an earthiness with a touch of spice. The finish is long, but mellow, with a lovely hint of mint.”
WORLD’S BEST BLENDED
Best American Blended
Breckenridge Distillery
High Proof Bourbon Whiskey
UNITED STATES
“A well-bodied whisky with a great combination of sherry, oak, and spice. Sweet and powerful, yet smooth, with a lingering and slightly peppery finish of butterscotch.”
WORLD’S BEST BLENDED LIMITED RELEASE
Best Japanese Blended Limited Release
Ichiro’s Malt & Grain
Blended Japanese Whisky2023
JAPAN
WORLD’S BEST BLENDED MALT
Best Japanese Blended Malt
Taketsuru
Pure Malt
JAPAN
WORLD’S BEST BOURBON
Best Non Kentucky Bourbon
The Representative
Small Batch Bourbon
UNITED STATES
“A delightful nose of candied orange peel, oak, caramel, and dark fruit leads to a soft palate of roasted nuts, crème brulée, cinnamon, spiced wood, and dried fruit. Nicely balanced with good complexity, and a lingering sweetness on the finish.”
WORLD’S BEST CANADIAN BLENDED
Best Canadian Blended
Gibson’s Finest
Venerable
CANADA
WORLD’S BEST CORN
Best Australian Corn
Upshot
Red Corn Whiskey
AUSTRALIA
“The nose is sweet and popcorn-led with marzipan, apples and glacé cherries. The palate softens further, with toffee, vanilla, butterscotch, and even foam bananas. Gently warming, the finish brings in anise and hints of brine for almost endless complexity.”
WORLD’S BEST FINISHED BOURBON
Best Non Kentucky Finished Bourbon
Ironroot Republic
Apotheosis
UNITED STATES
“Aromas of grape, crème brulee, and dark fruit lead to a palate of fig cookies, cinnamon, and caramel. Hints of grappa develop and bright notes of vanilla and honey shine through with lovely integration of oak.”
WORLD’S BEST FLAVOURED WHISKY
Best Irish Flavoured Whisky
Tullamore D.E.W.
Honey
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
“Lively on the nose with new oak, raspberries and cinnamon, with a palate rich with cereals, caramel and pecan nuts. There’s a subtle vegetal quality along with sweet spices, which lead into a medium-length finish.”
WORLD’S BEST GRAIN
Best Korean Grain
Hwayo
X. Premium
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
“A fruity nose with blackcurrant, tinned peaches and citrus peel is grounded with toasted grains and wet varnish. The palate is rich and rounded with desiccated coconut, buttery caramel and brown sugar. Blackcurrant lingers on the finish.”
WORLD’S BEST NEW MAKE & YOUNG SPIRIT
Best Japanese New Make & Young Spirit
Niigata Kameda
Newpot Peated
JAPAN
WORLD’S BEST POT STILL
Best Canadian Pot Still
Macaloney’s Island Distillery
Kildara Signature Selection
CANADA
WORLD’S BEST RYE
Best Dutch Rye
Millstone
100 Rye
NETHERLANDS
“Buttered popcorn, green banana and liquorice open up a vibrant nose, before rye bread, aniseed and floral spices come through on the oily palate. Spices are present throughout, especially in the medium-length finish.”
WORLD’S BEST SINGLE BARREL BOURBON
Best Non Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon
Tumblin’ Dice
Single Barrel
UNITED STATES
“A balanced nose with fruit salad, light suryp, cocktails fruits and pears. The palate has corn sweetness, some oak and tropical fruits like pineapple, guava and coconut shine through. The finish highlights the oak and features a coconut character.”
WORLD’S BEST SINGLE CASK SINGLE GRAIN
Best Scotch Single Cask Single Grain
Rare Auld Grain
Invergordon 32 Years Old
SCOTLAND
“On the nose, there are notes of green bananas and honeyed stone fruits. Moving on to the palate, there’s a subtle hint of mint together with a note of peach. An orange note appears into the slow building finish.”
WORLD’S BEST SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT
Best Scotch Campbeltown Single Cask Single Malt
Glen Scotia
First Fill Bourbon Cask No .372
SCOTLAND
“The briny and maritime nose brings notes of a rich sea spray together with hints of toffee and coconut. The palate brings in extra layers of sweetness with notes of pain au raisin, vanilla sponge cake and buttered fruit loaf. More brine together with hints of pine wood develop into the lingering finish.”
WORLD’S BEST SINGLE CASK SINGLE RYE
Best Danish Single Cask Single Rye
Stauning Whisky
Rye Maple Syrup Single Cask No. 517
DENMARK
“Grassy, apple-forward and spicy, almost menthol notes hint at rye qualities, while raisins and currants become more prominent on the palate. The finish is warming with fresh ginger in with a grounding earthiness.”
WORLD’S BEST SINGLE MALT
Best Israeli Single Malt
M&H
Elements Sherry Cask
ISRAEL
“Fruity aromas of citrus zest and white peach with a dash of wood varnish. Sweet to the taste with a weighty mouthfeel, this whisky has flavours of golden syrup, vanilla, tropical fruit and iced tea, before a finish of oak tannins with hints of anise and lemon peel.”
WORLD’S BEST SMALL BATCH BOURBON
Best Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon
Elijah Craig
Barrel Proof C922
UNITED STATES
“A soft, yet rich nose of vanilla, caramel, brown sugar and sweet corn on the nose. The palate holds hints of leather and menthol in combination with the vanilla and caramel. The finish lingers with burned sugar and is surprisingly easy to sip at the higher abv.”
WORLD’S BEST SMALL BATCH SINGLE MALT
Best Irish Small Batch Single Malt
JJ Corry Irish Whiskey
The Flintlock No. 3
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
“Complex fruit aromas of pear, nectarine, and apple are joined by hints of leather and gingerbread. The palate is dry and warming, with apple and oak flavours accompanied by spiced caramel, almond, baking spice, and dark chocolate. The finish is well-rounded with lingering spice and candied apple notes. ”
WORLD’S BEST TENNESSEE WHISKEY
Best Tennessee Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s
Bonded
UNITED STATES
“The nose is fresh and fruity with notes of apples and bananas. A bright and herbal palate holds creamy and sweet aromas of honey and meringue that leans into a finish featuring a brown sugar sweetness.”
WORLD’S BEST WHEAT
Best American Wheat
Lone Elm
4 Years Old Single Barrel
UNITED STATES
“A sweet nose that holds maple syrup, apricot and toasted peanut oil. The palate is rich and heavy with cherries, molasses, soy sauce and soft gingerbread alongside toasted oak. The flavours linger through a long and intense finish.”
