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Originally founded in 2001 as the Whisky Magazine ‘Best of the Best’ competition and now part of the World Drinks Awards, the World Whiskies Awards commends the best whiskies in 22 taste categories, and a number of Scottish drams have made the cut this year.
The Whisky Magazine Awards also reveal the World’s Best Single Malt, Distiller of the Year, and Hall of Fame inductees for 2024.
The awards ceremony took place in London this month, and a number of Scottish whiskies took home awards in categories such as World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt and Best Scotch Blended Malt.
The World Whiskies Awards named its World’s Best winners across 23 categories, including single malt, bourbon, blended, rye, pot still, and design.
This year’s winners include The English Sherry Cask, which was named World’s Best Single Malt, 1792 12 Years Old, which was awarded the title of World’s Best Bourbon, and Ballantine’s 30 Years Old, which was named Best Blended.
Among this year’s 27 winners were Irish Distillers, which took home the title of Distiller of the Year, Balcones Distilling, which was named Craft Producer of the Year, and Glen Moray’s Stephen Woodcock, who claimed the Master Distiller/Master Blender of the Year award.
Stephen Woodcock said of his award: “I was extremely proud to have been given this honour in the Scottish Icons of Whisky round, but winning the global award was most unexpected and also very rewarding.
"I’m part of a really dedicated and expert team who put their all into the whiskies we release to the market for our drinkers to enjoy, and I’m so proud of them and of the brilliant brands I get to work with.”
On the Icons of Whisky results, Bethany Brown, editor of Whisky Magazine and chair of judges for the Icons of Whisky awards, said: “We had an outstanding crop of entries to all our regional Icons of Whisky competitions this year, making the selection of our global winners a difficult process.
“However, for us as judges, this is the best kind of challenge; it goes to prove the seemingly inexhaustible innovation, strength, and ingenuity to be found within the global whisky industry.
“I would like to congratulate our winners, but also thank them — and all our Icons of Whisky 2024 entrants — for the work they do each and every day to help the whisky industry thrive.”
Best Scotch Campbeltown Single Malt
Best Scotch Highlands Single Malt
Glencadam, Reserva PX Cask Finish
Best Scotch Islands (non Islay) Single Malt
Best Scotch Islay Single Malt
Best Scotch Lowlands Single Malt
Best Scotch Speyside Single Malt
Stephen Woodcock said: The double win for Glen Moray’s Phoenix Rising is also a huge accolade for our team.
"We take risks at the Distillery, experimenting with unusual casks and new flavours to honour a tradition that stretches back to the start of distilling at Glen Moray in 1897.
"We’re very pleased that the judges and wider industry have recognised the quality and superb taste of the finished whisky, and our congratulations go out to all our fellow nominees and winners in the 2024 awards.”
Best Scotch Lowlands Small Batch Single Malt
Best Scotch Speyside Small Batch Single Malt
That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Speyside 12 Years Old
Best Scotch Islay Small Batch Single Malt
That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Islay 8 Years Old
World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt and Best Scotch Campbeltown Single Cask Single Malt
Glen Scotia, Cask 637 Refill Bourbon Barrel
Best Scotch Highlands Single Cask Single Malt
Loch Lomond, Cask 57 Refill American Oak Hogshead
Best Scotch Islay Single Cask Single Malt
Best Scotch Lowlands Single Cask Single Malt
Malts Of Scotland, Auchentoshan 2000 MoS 22040
Best Scotch Speyside Single Cask Single Malt
Stalla Dhu, Benriach 12 Years Old Rum Wood
World’s Best Single Cask Single Grain and Best Scotch Single Cask Single Grain
The Octave Premium, Strathclyde
Best Scotch New Make & Young Spirit
The Borders Distillery, WS:00 New Make Spirit
Best Scotch Blended Malt
Dewar's, Double Double 37 Years Old
Best Scotch Blended Limited Release
Dewar's, Double Double 21 Years Old Mizunara
Find out more about the awards and winners at the World Whiskies Awards website.
