Whiskey, a.k.a. the “water of life,” is great in part because you have such a wide variety of proofs and flavors to choose from. Rum finish? Covered. Peaty scotch? You’re there.
You could sample six flavors at a single distillery as I once did—I think, it got fuzzy around drink number four—and feel like you’d just toured the world in search of amber goodness. It’s only natural that Whisky Magazine holds the World Whiskies Awards every year and comes up with something delicious for every category imaginable.
Forbes reports the magazine holds a several stage competition for its Whiskies Awards, and they culminated this year in the 2018 Awards dinner in London on March 22.
About 1,000 brands are in contention at first, then very lucky experts taste until they arrive at a list of the best in several categories. Per Forbes here are the winners, derived from producers all over the world:
World’s Best Rye – 291 Colorado Rye Aspen Stave Finish
World’s Best Grain – Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky
World’s Best Bourbon – 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
World’s Best Blended Malt – Taketsuru 17 Year-Old
World’s Best Blended Limited Release – Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Limited Edition
World’s Best Blended – Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve
World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt – Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Cask
World’s Best Single Malt – Hakushu 25 Year-Old
Now go and stock that home bar.
h/t Forbes