INTERNATIONAL WHISKY COMPETITION

 2021 International Whisky Competition

Official Results

The International Whisky Competition is one of the world’s numerous whisky competitions and reaches out to the whisky community on various social media channels. Unique medals are designed to promote each of the winning whiskies. Launched in 2010 for whisky consumers, distillers, and people behind the scene making whiskies, the mission was to create a true competition by offering only 3 medals per category, exactly like any other real competition.

The goal is to bring the best whiskies from around the world to be tasted and rated by a professional tasting panel. Unlike other competitions, since 2015, judges are presented with one whisky at a time, to ensure each whisky gets the proper attention. In-depth notes are taken at every step for review ultimately to be compiled by the tasting panel committee.

Whisky of the Year

Ardbeg Uigeadail (95.9 points)

Master Distiller of the Year

Dr. Bill Lumsden

Glenmorangie & Ardbeg Distillery

Golden Barrel Trophy

Ardbeg Distillery (Scotland)

Distillery of the Year

Kavalan Distillery (Taiwan)

Master Blender of the Year

Stephanie Macleod

John Dewar & Sons

TOP 15 Whiskies of 2021

1.    Ardbeg Uigeadail - 95.9 Pts (Islay, Scotland)

2.    Glenmorangie Vintage 1997 - 95.1 Pts (Highland, Scotland)

3.    Dewar's Double Double 32 Year Old - 95 Pts (Scotland)

4.    Kavalan Artist Series: Paul Chiang Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt – 94.6 Pts                     (Taiwan)

5.    King Car 40th Anniversary Selected Wine Cask Matured  Single Malt Whisky – 94 Pts  (Taiwan)

6.    Black Bourbon Society's Maker's Mark Private Selection: Recipe 2. – 93.8 Pts (Kentucky, USA)

7.    Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky – 93.7 Pts (Taiwan)

8.    Dewar's Double Double 21 Year Old – 93.6 Pts (Scotland)

9.    Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old (Batch 2) - 9.4 Pts (Scotland)

10.  Glenmorangie Signet – 93.1 Pts (Highland, Scotland)

11.  Kavalan Solist (Oloroso) Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky – 93 Pts (Taiwan)

12.  Kilchoman Machir Bay – 92.97 Pts (Islay, Scotland)

13.  Ardbeg An Oa – 92.87 Pts (Islay, Scotland)

14.  Aberlour A'Bundah – 92.73 Pts (Speyside, Scotland)

15.  Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 Year Old – 92.67 Pts (Highland, Scotland)

Note: Whiskies that scored under 85 points are not listed, unless requested by the competing distillery.   

The Golden Barrel Trophy

Designed in Switzerland and unveiled at Diageo Archive, the Golden Barrel Trophy represents the pinnacle of excellence in whisky making, showcasing two lions holding a whisky barrel. It is cast in bronze with 24K golden leaves on each side of the barrel. The Golden Barrel will be kept by the winner of the Whisky of the Year until next year’s competition and the name of each winner will be engraved in its marble base to commemorate the history of each annual Whisky of the Year. This year, Ardbeg Distillery gets to keep it, with their winner Ardbeg Uigeadail. 

SCOTLAND

Best Single Malt Scotch

1st Place: Ardbeg Uigeadail - 95.9 Pts
2nd Place: Glenmorangie Vintage 1997 - 95.1 Pts
3rd Place: Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old (Batch 2) - 93.4 Pts

Best Single Malt Scotch NAS (No Age Statement)

1st Place: Ardbeg Uigeadail – 95.9 Pts
2nd Place: Glenmorangie Signet – 93.1 Pts
3rd Place: Kilchoman Machir Bay – 92.97 Pts

Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Year Old and Under

1st Place: Ardbeg Wee Beastie – 91.67 Pts
2nd Place: Ardbeg Ten – 91.17 Pts
3rd Place: Glenmorangie The Original – 89.93 Pts

Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Year Old

1st Place: Glenlivet 12 Year Old – 90.93 Pts
2nd Place: Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or 12 Year Old – 90.53 Pts
3rd Place: Aberlour 12 Year Old – 89.47 Pts

Best Single Malt Scotch 13-14 Year Old

1st Place: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 Year Old – 92.67 Pts
2nd Place: Glenmorangie The Elementa 14 Year Old – 89.77 Pts
3rd Place: The Glenlivet 14 Year Old – 89.07 Pts

Best Single Malt Scotch 15 Year Old

1st Place: Glenmorangie Cadboll Estate Batch No. 2 – 89.67 Pts
2nd Place: The Glenlivet 15 Year Old – 89.5 Pts

Best Single Malt Scotch 16-17 Year Old

1st Place: Aberlour 16 Year Old – 92.33 Pts
2nd Place: Glenmorangie The Tribute 16 Year Old – 92.23 Pts

Best Single Malt Scotch 18 Year Old

1st Place: Glenmorangie 18 Year Old – 92.37 Pts
2nd Place: The Glenlivet 18 Year Old – 92 Pts
3rd Place: Aberlour 18 Year Old – 87.53 Pts

Best Single Malt Scotch 19-25 Year Old

1st Place: Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1997 – 95.1 Pts
2nd Place: Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old (Batch 2) – 93.4 Pts
3rd Place: Glenmorangie 19 Year Old– 90.97 Pts

Best Islay Single Malt
1st Place: Ardbeg Uigeadail - 95.9 Pts
2nd Place: Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old (Batch 2) – 93.4 Pts
3rd Place: Kilchoman Machir Bay – 92.97 Pts

Best Highland Single Malt

1st Place: Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1997 – 95.1 Pts
2nd Place: Glenmorangie Signet – 93.1 Pts
3rd Place: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 Year Old – 92.67 Pts

Best Speyside Single Malt

1st Place: Aberlour A’Bunadh – 92.73 Pts
2nd Place: Aberlour 16 Year Old – 92.33 Pts
3rd Place: The Glenlivet 18 Year Old – 92 Pts

Best Lowland Single Malt

1st : Glasgow 1770 Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Peated – 88.67 Pts

Best Cask Strength Scotch

1st Place: Ardbeg An Oa – 92.87 Pts
2nd Place: Aberlour A’Bunadh – 92.73 Pts
3rd Place: Ardbeg Corryvreckan - 89.67 Pts

Best Peated Scotch

1st Place: Ardbeg Uigeadail – 95.9 Pts
2nd Place: Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Old (Batch 2) – 93.4 Pts
3rd Place: Kilchoman Machir Bay – 92.97 Pts

Best Blended Scotch

1st Place: Dewar’s Double Double 32 Year Old – 95 Pts
2nd Place: Dewar’s Double Double 21 Year Old – 93.6 Pts
3rd Place: Dewar’s Double Double 27 Year Old – 92.37 Pts

Best Blended Scotch 10 Year and Under

1st Place: Dewar’s Portuguese Smooth - 8 Year Old– 90.23 Pts
2nd Place: Dewar’s Japanese Smooth - 8 Year Old – 87.97 Pts
3rd Place: Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth - 8 Year Old - 87.6 Pts

Best Blended Scotch 12-15 Year Old

1st Place: Dewar’s 12 Year Old The Ancestor – 89.6 Pts
2nd Place: Dewar’s 15 Year Old The Monarch – 88.2 Pts
3rd Place: Imperial 12 Year Old Blended Scotch – 86.2 Pts

Best Blended Scotch 16-20 Year Old

1st Place: Dewar’s 18 Year Old The Vintage – 90.4 Pts
2nd Place: Chivas 18 Year Old – 88.3 Pts

Best Blended Scotch 21-24 Year Old

1st Place: Dewar’s Double Double 21 Year Old – 93.6 Pts

Best Blended Scotch 25 Year Old And Over

1st Place: Dewar’s Double Double 32 Year Old – 95 Pts
2nd Place: Dewar’s Double Double 27 Year Old – 92.37 Pts
3rd Place: Dewar’s 25 Year Old The Signature – 90.03 Pts

Best New Scotch Release 2021

1st Place: Ardbeg Scorch 2021 Committee Release – 91.63 Pts
2nd Place: Dewar's Portuguese Smooth - 8 Year Old – 90.23 Pts
3rd Place: Ardbeg Scorch 2021 Limited Edition – 90.13 Pts

USA

Best American Whiskey (All Categories)

1st Place: Black Bourbon Society's Maker's Mark Private Selection: Recipe 2. – 93.8 Pts

2nd Place: Weldon Mills Reserve – 92.1 Pts

3rd Place: Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon – 92.03 Pts

Best Bourbon Whiskey

1st Place: Black Bourbon Society's Maker's

Mark Private Selection: Recipe 2. – 93.8 Pts

2nd Place: Weldon Mills Reserve – 92.1 Pts

3rd Place: Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon – 92.03 Pts

Best Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey (Full Proof)

1st Place: Weldon Mills Reserve – 92.1 Pts

2nd Place: Old Hamer Cask Strength Bourbon – 92 Pts

3rd Place: 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 90.63 Pts

Best Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

1st Place: Old Weller Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 91.17 Pts

2nd Place: John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 91.07 Pts

3rd Place: Old Hamer Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey - 90.63 Pts

Best Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey

1st Place: 1792 Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 88.4 Pts

2nd Place: Early Times Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 88.2 Pts

3rd Place: TX Bottled in Bond Single Barrel Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 85.43 Pts

Best American Rye Whiskey

1st Place: Old Overholt 114 Proof Straight Rye – 90 Pts

2nd Place: Old Overholt Straight Rye – 89.47 Pts

3rd Place: Colonel E.H. Taylor Rye Kentucky Straight Whiskey – 88.63 Pts

Best American Single Malt Whiskey

1st Place: Rogue Single Malt Cabernet Finish - 85.1 Pts

Best Micro Distillery Whiskey

(Under 150,000 bottles)

1st Place: Weldon Mills Reserve – 92.1 Pts

2nd Place: Old Hamer Cask Strength Bourbon – 92 Pts

3rd Place: Sisterdale Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 89.6 Pts

US STATES

Best Indiana Whiskey

1st Place: Old Hamer Cask Strength Bourbon – 92 Pts

2nd Place: Remus – 90.8 Pts

3rd Place: Hugh Hamer Double Oaked 103 –90.07 Pts

Best Kentucky Whiskey

1st Place: Black Bourbon Society's Maker's Mark Private Selection: Recipe 2. – 93.8 Pts

2nd Place: Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon – 92.03 Pts

3rd Place: Thomas S. Moore Chardonnay Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 91.83 Pts

Best Tennessee Whiskey

1st Place: Uncle Nearest 1820 Premium Single Barrel Whiskey - US-21 – 91.07 Pts

2nd Place: Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition – 90.37 Pts

3rd Place: Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey – 90.33 Pts

Best Texas Whiskey

1st Place: TX Texas Stright Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Tawny Port Casks – 90.17 Pts

2nd Place: Sisterdale Stright Bourbon Whiskey  – 89.6 Pts

3rd Place: TX Texas Stright Bourbon Whiskey – 88.37 Pts

Best Virginia Whiskey

1st Place: John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 91.07 Pts

2nd Place: Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 89.2 Pts

JAPAN

Best Japanese Whisky

1st Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi 18 Years – 91.77 Pts

2nd Place: Matsui Single Malt Whisky Matsui Mizunara Cask – 91.17 Pts

3rd Place: The Kyoto Bourbon Barrel – 90.7 Pts

Best Japanese Whisky NAS (No Age Statement)

1st Place: Matsui Single Malt Whisky: Matsui Mizunara Cask – 91.17 Pts

2nd Place: The Kyoto Bourbon Barrel – 90.7 Pts

3rd Place: Matsui Blended Whisky The San-in Bourbon Barrel-90.67 Pts

Best Blended Japanese Whisky

1st Place: The Kyoto Bourbon Barrel – 90.7 Pts

2nd Place: Matsui Blended Whisky The San-in Bourbon Barrel-90.67 Pts

3rd Place: Matsui Blended Whisky The Tottori Bourbon Barrel – 89.63 Pts

Best Pure Malt Japanese Whisky

1st Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi 18 YO – 91.77 Pts

2nd Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi 12 YO – 90.67 Pts

3rd Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi Sherry Cask-87.33 Pts

Best Japanese Whisky 12 Year Old

1st Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi 12 YO– 90.67 Pts

Best Japanese Whisky 18 Year Old

1st Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi 18 Years – 91.77 Pts

INDIA

Best Indian Whisky

1st Place: Mithuna by Paul John Indian Single Malts – 90.7 Pts

2nd : Paul John Nirvana Unpeated Indian Single Malt Whisky – 89.73 Pts

3rd Place: Paul John P.X. Select Cask Indian Single Malt – 89.1 Pts