The Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky Per The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Forbes Lifestyle Spirits The Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky, According To The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Joseph V Micallef Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the world Following May 24, 2023, 09:00am EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Some of the finalists for best Single Malt Scotch whisky from the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits . .

. [+] Competition Photos courtesy Katelyn Tucker Photography 2022/The Tasting Alliance Scotch whisky, in general, and single malt Scotch whisky, in particular, have always figured prominently in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). The 2023 SFWSC, however, featured a record number of entries in the Scotch whisky category and the largest number of Gold and Double Gold Scotch whisky medalists in the competition’s history.

Eleven single malt Scotch whiskies are finalists across five age statements and producer categories for the Best in Show Scotch Single Malt Whisky and the Best in Category. The winners will be announced at the Top Shelf Awards Gala and Grand Tasting on June 16 and 17 at Resorts World in Las Vegas. Tickets for the event are available at the Top Shelf website or through ReserveBar.

Eighty single malt whiskies won Double Gold, and 44 won Gold medals. Additionally, nine blended Scotch whiskies won Double Gold medals, 15 won Gold medals, two grain whiskies won Double Gold, and three grain whiskies won Gold Medals. Founded in 2000, the SFWSC is the oldest competition in North America and the largest spirits judging in the world.

Sixty-five judges from around the world evaluated approximately 5,500 spirits over three days in April 2023. The competition is organized by the Tasting Alliance, an organization founded by Anthony Dias Blue. In addition to the SFWSC, the Tasting Alliance also organizes spirit competitions in New York and Singapore, wine competitions in San Francisco and New York, and competitions for beer and RTDs.

MORE FOR YOU This Record Breaking Dutch Startup Just Made Cultivated Meat In 8 Days The Best Blended Scotch Whiskies, According To The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Food-As-Medicine Company VitaBowl Raises $3 Million To Change The Game Of Health Care Smokehead Sherry Cask Blast Photo, courtesy Ian MacLeod & Co. The three finalists for the Best in Show, Single Malt Whisky, No Age Statement are The GlenDronach, Portwood Single Malt Scotch, 46% ABV; Smokehead, Sherry Cask Blast Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 48% ABV and Old Pulteney, Huddart Single Malt Scotch, 46% ABV. Once a little-known brand, The Glendronach has achieved growing recognition for its outstanding single malts- the result of a substantially increased marketing budget from new owner Brown Forman, who has owned the distillery since 2016, and the deft hand of Master Blender Rachel Barrie, who was appointed to that post in 2017.

The SFWSC Judging Panel described The Glendronach Portwood as showing: Dried fruits, along with slightly herbal notes and a hint of spice on the nose. Sweet and creamy on the palate with herbal and fruity notes, a hint of anise/licorice and a bit of cinnamon. Long sweet fruity finish with a touch of pepperiness.

Smokehead Sherry Cask Blast is a blend of different Islay malts that have been initially matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-Sherry butts that are then finished in Oloroso Sherry butts for several additional months. Produced by Ian MacLeod & Company, the whisky is a veritable “Sherry bomb. ” The company describes the Smokehead Sherry Cask Blast as “a peaty Islay single malt that has well and truly earned its name.

Blasted by rich, sweet, and spicy Spanish Sherry casks, it has emerged as a fiery, explosive, heavy-hitting dram. ” The SFWSC Judging Panel described the Smokehead Sherry Cask Blast as featuring: Smoky/peaty aromas with a pronounced dried fruit/Sherry, some earthiness, and a touch of medicinal notes on the nose. There are also a lot of red fruit notes in the background.

Sweet on the palate with candied, medicinal/phenolic notes accompanied by dried fruit flavors, a touch of almond/marzipan, and a bit of cinnamon. Long, semisweet finish with a smoky/peaty note and some lingering fruity flavors. Old Pulteney is the northernmost Scotch whisky distillery on the Scotch mainland.

Its seaside location has given its whiskies a distinctive briny/marine tang that nicely complements its traditional fruitiness. The SFWSC Judging Panel described the Old Pulteney Huddart Whisky as expressing: Fruity, with mild earthy notes, spicy with a bit of vanilla, a hint of butterscotch, and a slightly briny/marine character. Sweet, creamy, and viscous with fruity tropical notes, a hint of cinnamon, and a touch of pepperiness.

Long sweet fruity finish with a persistent chili pepperiness. The Double Gold winners in the Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, No Age Statement category from Islay & The Islands are Ardbeg Uigeadail; Ardbeg Heavy Vapors, General Release; Ardbeg Hypernova; Arran, Single Malt Quarter Cask, “The Bothy”; Arran, Single Malt Quarter Cask, “The Bodega”; Scarabus, Batch Strength Single Malt Scotch and Talisker, Dark Storm Single Malt Scotch. From the Highlands, the Double Gold medalists are Cù Bòcan, Signature; Loch Lomond Classic; Loch Lomond, Open Special Edition 2023; and Nc’nean, Organic Single Malt.

The Double Gold medalists from Speyside are Tomintoul, Cigar Malt; Tamnavulin, Double Cask and Tamnavulin Sherry Cask. Glen Scotia, Victoriana, Single Malt Scotch Whisky Photo, courtesy Glen Scotia The sole Double Gold medalist from Campbeltown was Glen Scotia, Victoriana. Glen Scotia has been a perennial winner in international spirit competitions of late.

The Victoriana expression, a single malt whisky crafted in the style that predominated during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria, has been a particular standout. The Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years and Under category finalists are Old Pulteney, 12 YO, 40% ABV and Glen Scotia, 10 YO Cask Strength, 55. 3% ABV.

The SFWSC Judging Panel described the Old Pulteney 12 YO as featuring: Orchard fruit, particularly apple, with some spice and vanilla notes on the nose. Sweet and fruity on the palate with prominent apple notes. Long, sweet, slightly drying, fruity finish.

While the SFWSC panel described the Glen Scotia 10 YO Cask Strength as expressing: Floral, tropical fruits, herbal, cooked cereal, vanilla, and brown sugar notes on the nose. Sweet and drying on the palate featuring tropical fruits, spice notes, and a bit of pepperiness. Long, sweet, dried fruit finish, along with some herbaceous notes and pepperiness.

The nine Double Gold medalists in the Distillers Single Malt Whisky 12 Years and Under Category are Aberfeldy, 12 YO; anCnoc, 12 YO; Balblair, 12 YO; Canmore, 12 YO; Glengoyne, 10 YO; Loch Lomond, 12 YO Inchmurrin; Loch Lomond, 12 YO Inchmoan; Loch Lomond, 8 YO Madeira Wood Finish and The Glendronach, Original 12 YO. Four single malt Scotch whiskies from Speyside also took Double Gold medals: Benriach, The Twelve; Benriach, The Smoky Twelve; Benromach, 10 YO; and The Singleton of Glendullan, 12 YO. The Double Gold medalists from Islay and the Islands are Ardbeg, 8 YO; Scarabus, 10 YO; Arran, 10 YO; Highland Park, 12 YO; and Lagavulin, 8 YO.

The Distiller’s Single Malt 13 to 19 Years category finalists are Benriach 16 YO, 43% ABV, and Craigellachie 17 YO Single Cask, 46% ABV. Benriach is another Scotch whisky distillery whose prominence has risen thanks to the marketing muscle of Brown Forman and the blending expertise of Rachel Barrie. Over the last several years, it has emerged as a consistent winner in international spirit competitions.

The SFWSC Judging Panel described the Benriach as showing: Fruity, with slight herbal and cereal notes, hints of caramel, some vanilla and a bit of waxiness and old leather on the nose. Sweet, fruity, and slightly drying on the palate with a slight bitter note and seasoned oak aroma. Long, sweet fruity finish with a touch of seasoned wood.

An outstanding and nicely balanced dram. Craigallachie is one of the key component malts in Dewar’s blended Scotch whisky. Under Master Distiller Stephanie Macleod’s, however, it is gaining a reputation as an outstanding Speyside single malt.

The SFWSC Judging Panel described Craigallachie, 17 YO, as exhibiting: Fruity notes with seasoned oak and a bit of spice on the nose. Sweet and fruity with some tropical and stone fruit notes on the palate, a touch of anise/licorice, and spicy notes. Long, sweet fruity finish with a hint of anise and a little pepperiness.

Some of the finalists for Best in Category, Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the 2023 San Francisco . . .

[+] World Spirits Competition Photo, courtesy Katelyn Tucker Photography/The Tasting Alliance The six Double Gold medalists in the Distiller’s Single Malt 13-19 Years category from Speyside are Aberlour, 18 YO; Benromach, 15 YO; Mortlach, 16 YO; Speyburn, 18 YO; Tamdhu, 18 YO and The Singleton of Glendullan, 15 YO. There are three Double Gold medalists from Islay and the Islands, Talisker, 18 YO; Lagavulin, 16 YO; and Highland Park, 18 YO. The six Double Gold medalists from the Highlands are Glen Scotia, 15 YO; Cù Bòcan, 15 YO; Tomatin, 18 YO; Loch Lomond, 18 YO Inchmurrin; The Glendronach, Revival 15 YO; and The Glendronach, Allardice 18 YO.

Tomatin, 36 YO, Single Malt Scotch Whisky Photo, courtesy Tomatin The two finalists in the Best Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch 20 Years and Older are Tomatin Highland Single Malt, 36 YO, 45. 1% ABV, and Talisker, 30 YO, 49. 6% ABV.

Founded in the late 19 century, Tomatin was once one of Scotland’s largest Scotch whisky distilleries. Owned, since 1986, by two Japanese companies, Takara Shuzo, and Okura & Co, the distillery has kept a relatively low profile and is not well known among American whisky enthusiasts. That’s a pity because it makes an outstanding single malt Scotch whisky and is worth discovering.

The SFWSC Judging Panel described Tomatin 36 YO as featuring: Fruity, featuring apple notes, waxy and leather notes, and a bit of vanilla on the nose. Sweet, fruity, and creamy with pronounced apple notes, some cinnamon, and a touch of clove on the palate. Long, sweet, fruity finish.

This is an incredibly complex, nuanced whisky that offers up incredible smoothness and layers of flavors. Without a doubt, one of the world’s great Scotch whiskies. The SFWSC Judging Panel, on the other hand, described the Talisker 30 YO as exhibiting: Peaty, smoky, earthy aromas with stone fruit and tropical fruit notes on the nose.

Drying on the palate, with pronounced earth/peaty notes, a bit of smoke, licorice/anise and tropical fruit flavors. Peppery, with a long sweet, fruity finish. There are 12 Double Gold medalists in the Best Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch 20 Years and Older.

From Campbeltown, they are Glen Scotia 21 YO and Glen Scotia 25 YO. The latter has been a perennial winner in international spirit competitions and was crowned World’s Best Scotch Whisky at the SFWSC judging several years ago. From the Highlands, Tomatin, 30 YO; Glengoyne, 21 YO; Loch Lomond, Open Course Collection 2023; and The Glendronach, Parliament, 21 YO also took Double Gold medals.

Ardbeg 25 YO and Highland Park 21 YO also took Double Gold medals. From Speyside, the Double Gold medals were almost a clean sweep for Benriach. The distillery won Double Golds for Benriach 21 YO, Benriach 25 YO, and Benriach 30 YO.

Also winning a Gold Medal was Benromach, 21 YO. If you haven’t tried these 12 Single Malt whiskies, you really should. They are among the finest single malt Scotch whiskies that Scotland has ever produced.

The two finalists in the Best Independent Merchant Single Malt are both from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society: Cask No 4. 346 Savory and Sweet, 62. 9% ABV, and Cask No.

95. 72 Beach Bum Meets Courting Mechanic, 63. 3% ABV.

Although the Scotch Malt Whisky Society does not officially disclose the source of its proprietary bottlings, the distilleries that correspond to the numerical designation on their bottlings are widely known. Distillery No 4 is Highland Park, while Distillery No. 95 is Auchroisk.

The SFWSC Judging panel described the 4. 346/Highland Park, Savory and Sweet as exhibiting: Creamy caramel and vanilla on the nose, with some tropical fruits and slightly spicy and herbal notes. Sweet, candied, dried fruits on the palate with a pronounced pepperiness, cinnamon spice, and a bit of clove, anise, and licorice notes.

Long, sweet, dried fruit finish with a persistent pepperiness. While the 95. 72/Auchroisk Beach Bum Meets Courting Mechanic was described by the SFWSC Judging Panel as featuring: Floral, fruity, and slightly minerally on the nose.

Sweet on the palate, slightly drying, and spicy. Long sweet fruity finish with lingering cinnamon notes. The 2023 SFWSC judging showcased an outstanding array of superlative single malt Scotch whiskies.

Proof positive that the quality of Scotland’s golden elixir continues to advance from strength to strength. Surely, we are living in a golden age of Scotch whisky quality! A complete listing of all the medal winners at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition is available on the Tasting Alliance website. Sláinte Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn .

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