The results are in for the 2021 International Whisky Competition, highlighting the best whiskies from all around the world. Hosted in Estes Park, Colorado, a panel of spirits professionals blind tasted every single entrant before scoring based on a 100-point scale system. In the end, it was Scotland’s Ardbeg Uigeadail being named the world’s best whisky for 2021, racking up an impressive 95.9 points.
In terms of overall rankings, Scotland grabbed the top 3 spots with the Glenmorangie Vintage 1997 in second place (95.1 points), followed by Dewar’s Double Double 32 Year Old in third (95 points). Overall, Scotland took 11 of the top 15 places, while Taiwan and its indisputably top distillery Kavalan grabbed three of the top 15 positions. Despite the location of the awards, only one American distillery had whisk(e)y ranked in the top 15, Black Bourbon Society’s Maker’s Mark Private Selection: Recipe 2.
Check out the full 2021 International Whisky Competition list of winners below:
2021 International Whisky Competition – Top 15
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 Whisky – 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)
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 Place: 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 The 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 The 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 Years – 91.77 Pts
2nd Place: Matsui Single Malt Whisky The Matsui Mizunara Cask – 91.17 Pts
3rd Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi 12 Years – 90.67 Pts
Best Japanese Whisky 12 Year Old
1st Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi 12 Years – 90.67 Pts
Best Japanese Whisky 18 Year Old
1st Place: Matsui Pure Malt Whisky The Kurayoshi 18 Years – 91.77 Pts
CANADA
Best Canadian Whisky
1st Place: Alberta Premium Cask Strength – 90.67 Pts
2nd Place: Alberta Premium 20 Year Old – 89.8 Pts
3rd Place: Canadian Club 43 Year Old – 89.03 Pts
Best Canadian Blended Whisky
1st Place: Canadian Club 43 Year Old – 89.03 Pts
2nd Place: High River Canadian Whisky – 87.7 Pts
3rd Place: Canadian Club Classic 12 Year Old – 87.43 Pts
Best Canadian Rye Whisky
1st Place: Alberta Premium Cask Strength – 90.67 Pts
2nd Place: Alberta Premium 20 Year Old – 89.8 Pts
3rd Place: Canadian Club 100% Rye – 87.83 Pts
IRELAND
Best Irish Whiskey
1st Place: Paddy Irish Whiskey – 88.53 Pts
2nd Place: Michael Collins Irish Whiskey – 88.27 Pts
3rd Place: Grace O’Malley Blended Irish Whiskey – 87.4 Pts
WORLD
Best World Whisky*
1st Place: Kavalan Artist Series: Paul Chiang Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky – 94.6 Pts
2nd Place: Kavalan King Car 40th Anniversary Selected Wine Cask Matured Single Malt Whisky – 94 Pts
3rd Place: Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky – 93.7 Pts
* All countries not represented in the above categories.
Best Australian Whisky
1st Place: Morris Muscat Barrel Australian Single Malt Whisky – 90.3 Pts
2nd Place: Morris Signature Australian Single Malt Whisky – 89.17 Pts
Best Austrian Whisky
1st Place: GLATZL GOLD Haiminger BIO-Whiskey – 85.33 Pts
Best English Whisky
1st Place: Cotswolds Hearts & Crafts Sauternes Cask Single Malt Whisky – 89.27 Pts
2nd Place: Cotswolds Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky – 88.2 Pts
Best Indian Whisky
1st Place: Mithuna by Paul John Indian Single Malts – 90.7 Pts
2nd Place: 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
Best Malaysian Whisky
1st Place: Timah Double Peated Blended Whiskey – 89.9 Pts
Best Myanmar Whisky
1st Place: Grand Royal – Special Reserve – 85.6 Pts
OTHER WHISKIES
Best Flavored Whiskey
1st Place: Glacier Distilling Trapline Rock and Rye Whiskey
2nd Place: Canadian Club Apple
3rd Place: Southern Comfort
Check out the 2021 International Whisky Competition official website for more information.
