The quest to determine the top whisky in the world has been ongoing for centuries, with various competitions and awards ceremonies trying to identify the ultimate victor. This desire to crown a winner has led to the proliferation of awards across the globe. While this fosters healthy competition, it has also created a sense of saturation in the market, making it challenging for consumers to distinguish between the truly exceptional and the mere imposters. To address this issue, the International Whisky Competition (IWC) was established fifteen years ago.
Unlike other whisky competitions, the IWC follows a distinct approach to evaluating spirits. With a focus solely on whiskies, the competition presents three medals for each category: gold, silver, and bronze. The panel of judges, comprising esteemed whisky experts, partakes in a double blind-taste testing process, wherein they are unaware of the categories to which the entries belong. This methodology allows for a comprehensive evaluation of all types of whiskies, such as peated scotches, Irish whiskies, and bourbons, without any bias towards specific genres. Each spirit undergoes scrutiny based on fifteen criteria, culminating in a final score out of 100 points.
Reflecting the burgeoning popularity of American whisky and bourbon, the IWC recently divided its tastings for the first time, conducting judging sessions in Kentucky and Scotland. The competition prides itself on its rigorous standards, aiming to sift through the mediocrity and highlight only the exceptional whiskies. This stringent selection process resulted in only 102 whiskies worldwide achieving a score of 90 points or higher, with 35 of them being American whiskies. Therefore, for bourbon enthusiasts seeking the finest bourbons that have undergone thorough scrutiny, the IWC is the ultimate authority.
Among the esteemed medal winners in the bourbon categories, George T. Stagg emerged as the undisputed champion. With an impressive score of 94.98 points, George T. Stagg claimed the top position in both the Best American Whiskey (All Categories) and Best Bourbon Whiskey classifications. Following closely behind were NOCO Distillery’s Founders Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon and W. L. Weller Antique 107, securing the second and third positions, respectively.
The International Whisky Competition stands as a beacon of excellence in the whisky industry, serving as a definitive platform for recognizing the top whiskies worldwide. With its meticulous judging process and unwavering commitment to quality, the IWC continues to uphold the legacy of exceptional whiskies, with George T. Stagg reigning supreme as the pinnacle of bourbon excellence.
Napsat komentář