International Whisky Competition

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Logo of the competition International Whiskey Competition article.png
Logo of the competition

The International Whisky Competition is an event that takes place annually in Chicago in which whiskies are blind tasted and rated by a professional tasting panel. The results are used to produce tasting notes for an International Whisky Guide. [1]

Contents

History

The International Whisky Competition was founded in 2009 by Sylvain Allard and Michael Petrucci. In 2016 the results began being used to produce an International Whisky Guide. [2]

Judges

The present panel consists of ten experts. [3] In 2014, Michael Petrucci stepped down from the competition, and in 2015 Sebastien Gavillet took over as head of the tasting panel, restructuring the competition and implemented a new tasting methodology. Starting in 2016, entry samples began being archived for referencing. [4]

Results (2025)

TOP 2025 AWARDS

AwardWinnerDistillery/CompanyScore
Whisky of the YearKavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky [5] Kavalan Distillery97.04
Master Distiller of the YearZerose Yang – Head of R&DKavalan Distillery–
Distillery of the YearKavalan DistilleryTaiwan92.78 (Avg.)
Master Blender of the YearDrew Mayville – Master Blender (Mister Sam)Sazerac96.2
Producer of the YearBacardi–91.45 (Avg.)

[6]

Top 15 Whiskies of 2025

The following whiskies received the highest scores during the 2025 International Whisky Competition. [7]

RankWhiskyScoreDistillery
1Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky [8] 97.04Kavalan Distillery
2A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength (Batch #4)97.01A. Smith Bowman
3Jack Daniel's 12-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 396.50Jack Daniel's
4Hogback Peated Smoke Single Malt Whiskey96.39Hogback
5Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Whiskey - Batch 363396.34Uncle Nearest
6Mister Sam96.20Sazerac
7Whiskey Row Cask Strength96.20Whiskey Row
8Dewar's Double Double 21 Years Old95.94Dewar's
9Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky95.78Kavalan Distillery
10Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B52595.73Heaven Hill
11Kavalan Solist Palo Cortado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky95.68Kavalan Distillery
121792 Full Proof95.64Barton 1792 Distillery
13Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition - Batch 03295.32Uncle Nearest
14Thomas H. Handy95.11Buffalo Trace
15Stagg95.05Buffalo Trace

Scotland

Best Single Malt Scotch

RankWhiskyScore
1stAultmore Oloroso Sherry Cask GTR 25 Years Old95.10
2ndRaasay – Dun Cana94.67
3rdCraigellachie 17 Years Old94.10

Best Single Malt Scotch NAS (No Age Statement)

RankWhiskyScore
1stRaasay – Dun Cana94.67
2ndArdbeg Uigeadail93.74
3rdRaasay – Lightly Peated93.37

Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stArdbeg Ten Years Old91.11
2ndPort Charlotte 1090.22
3rdBenromach 10 Year Old89.98

Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stRoyal Brackla OLOROSO 12 Years Old92.74
2ndAberfeldy 12 Years Old92.15
3rdAultmore Oloroso Sherry Cask GTR 12 Years Old92.06

Best Single Malt Scotch 13–14 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stCraigellachie 13 Years Old89.58

Best Single Malt Scotch 15 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stGlenmorangie The Lasanta 15 Years Old90.57
2ndBenromach 15 Years Old89.23
3rdOld Pulteney 15 Years Old87.63

Best Single Malt Scotch 16–17 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stCraigellachie 17 Years Old94.10
2ndAberfeldy 16 Years Old92.14
3rdAberfeldy Madeira Cask 16 Years Old91.17

Best Single Malt Scotch 18 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stAultmore Madeira Cask GTR 18 Years Old91.39
2ndBruichladdich Eighteen90.34
3rdRoyal Brackla PALO CORTADO 18 Years Old90.02

Best Single Malt Scotch 19–24 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stAultmore Calvados Cask GTR 21 Years Old92.52
2ndCraigellachie 23 Years Old92.39
3rdAberfeldy Madeira Cask 21 Years Old92.36

Best Single Malt Scotch 25 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stAultmore Oloroso Sherry Cask GTR 25 Years Old95.10
2ndArdbeg 25 Years Old93.98
3rdRoyal Brackla Pedro Ximenez 25 Years Old92.37

Best Islay Single Malt

RankWhiskyScore
1stArdbeg 25 Years Old93.98
2ndArdbeg Uigeadail93.74
3rdArdbeg Corryvreckan92.97

Best Highland Single Malt

RankWhiskyScore
1stRoyal Brackla OLOROSO 12 Years Old92.74
2ndRoyal Brackla Pedro Ximenez 25 Years Old92.37
3rdAberfeldy Madeira Cask 21 Years Old92.36

Best Speyside Single Malt

RankWhiskyScore
1stAultmore Oloroso Sherry Cask GTR 25 Years Old95.10
2ndAultmore Calvados Cask GTR 21 Years Old92.52
3rdCraigellachie 23 Years Old92.39

Best Islands Single Malt

RankWhiskyScore
1stRaasay – Dun Cana94.67
2ndRaasay – Lightly Peated92.37
3rdArran Barrel Reserve89.21

Best Blended Scotch

RankWhiskyScore
1stDewar's Double Double 21 Years Old95.94
2ndDewar's Double Double 32 Years Old94.29
3rdDewar's Double Double 37 Years Old93.95

Best Blended Scotch 12 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stImperial Blended Scotch 12 Year-Old88.45
2ndDewar's 12 Years Old88.14
3rdChivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky87.48

Best Blended Scotch 15 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stChivas Regal XV Blended Scotch Whisky88.52
2ndDewar's 15 Years Old87.26

Best Blended Scotch 16–17 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stDewar's 16 Years Old89.66

Best Blended Scotch 18 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stChivas Regal 18 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky89.50
2ndDewar's 18 Years Old87.92

Best Blended Scotch 19–24 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stDewar's Double Double 21 Years Old95.94
2ndDewar's Double Double 20 Years Old93.17
3rdDD21 Year Old Magma Toast Level 1 American Oak92.33

Best Blended Scotch Over 25 Year Old

RankWhiskyScore
1stDewar's Double Double 32 Years Old94.29
2ndDewar's Double Double 37 Years Old93.95
3rdDewar's Double Double 38 Years Old93.73

[9]


Results (2025)

India

Best Indian Whisky (2025)

RankWhiskyDistillery/BrandScore
1stDeVANS Gianchand Indian Single Malt Whisky AdambaraaDeVANS [10] 92.68
2ndGODAWAN Single Malt RICH AND ROUNDED ARTISAN WhiskyGODAWAN88.22
3rdWoodburns Contemporary Indian WhiskyWoodburns88.09

Best Single Malt Indian Whisky (2025)

RankWhiskyDistillery/BrandScore
1stDeVANS Gianchand Indian Single Malt Whisky AdambaraaDeVANS92.68
2ndGODAWAN Single Malt RICH AND ROUNDED ARTISAN WhiskyGODAWAN88.22
3rdGODAWAN Single Malt FRUIT AND SPICE ARTISAN WhiskyGODAWAN87.90

Best Blended Indian Whisky (2025)

RankWhiskyDistillery/BrandScore
1stWoodburns Contemporary Indian WhiskyWoodburns88.09
2ndSeagram's Blenders Pride Four Elements Premium WhiskySeagram's85.33
3rdSterling Reserve Blend 7Sterling Reserve85.02

[11]


References

  1. ↑ "New International Whisky Guide 2016 Will Change The Way You See Whiskey".[ permanent dead link ] WTHR Indiana News Leader. Retrieved March 3, 2016
  2. ↑ Wright, Samuel (2024-06-16). "The Ultimate Guide To The 2024 International Whisky Competition With Samuel Wright". The Whiskey Wash. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  3. ↑ "IWC TASTING PANEL". INTERNATIONAL WHISKY COMPETITION®. 19 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "Looking behind the International Whiskey judging curtain". 6 June 2016. Whiskey Wash. June 6 2016. Retrieved March 1 2017
  5. ↑ "This Single Malt Is the Best Whisky of the Year, According to the 2025 International Whisky Competition". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  6. ↑ "International Whisky Competition 2025 Results". International Whisky Competition®. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  7. ↑ "International Whisky Competition 2025 Results". International Whisky Competition®. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  8. ↑ Ofgang, Erik. "The World's Best Whisky—According To The International Whisky Competition". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  9. ↑ "2025 International Whisky Competition Official Results". International Whisky Competition®. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  10. ↑ Ray, Sanjana (2025-07-15). "This Indian whisky, which costs Rs 3,000, bagged 1st place at the International Whisky Competition 2025; Can you guess which one it is?". GQ India. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
  11. ↑ "International Whisky Competition 2025 Results – India". International Whisky Competition®. Retrieved 2025-08-07.

Books

"World Whisky more, issue 3 – Kindle Edition". Amazon. RosettaBooks. Retrieved 2025-08-07.

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