2014 World Whiskies Award winners announced

The World Whiskies Awards took place in London last week, where more than 300 whiskies battled it out during three intensive blind tasting rounds, for the coveted title of ‘2014 World's Best Whiskies’.

Crashing into the single malt category and taking the crow from last year's Scottish winner is the Australian Sullivans Cove French Oak. Japanese whiskies still remained strong in the Blended category, and the venerable Master of Malt 40 Years Old liqueur scooped the Liqueur category again.

Recognising an increase in interest in other world categories, this year Irish Pot still and Canadian competed in their own sectors.

Irish whiskey also featured in the top ranks this year with Teeling Single Grain winning the title of World's Best Grain Whisky.

Judges for Whisky Magazine’s independent editorial panel were drawn from the best drinks journalists and retailers across the world, with industry representatives made up of master blenders, distillers and brand ambassadors in the final round.

The winners of the ‘World Whiskies Awards 2014’ were as follows:  

• World’s Best Single Malt Whisky – Sullivans Cove French Cask
• World’s Best Blended Malt Whisky – The Lost Distilleries Blend
• World's Best Canadian Whisky – Pike Creek 10 Years Old
• World's Best Pot Still Whisky – Redbreast 15 Years Old
• World's Best Rye Whisky – Thomas H. Handy Sazerac
• World’s Best Blended Whisky – Taketsuru 17 Years Old
• World’s Best Grain Whisky – Teeling Single Grain
• World’s Best American – WhiskeyBalcones Brimstone Resurrection
• World’s Best Whisky Liqueur – Master of Malt 40 Years Old
• World's Best Flavoured Whisky – Sons of Liberty Pumpkin Spice

The World Whiskies Awards is the annual selection of the very best whiskies internationally. This year entries were received from Australia, Canada, Corsica, Denmark, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Taiwan and U.S.A.

Categories are based upon the commonly held whisky groupings, which define both the style and the process of whisky and whisky production: single malt, blended, blended malt, grain, American and whisky liqueurs. Organised by Whisky Magazine, this annual competition selects, awards and promotes to consumers and trade the ‘World's Best Whiskies’. 
 
The competition is open to proprietary bottlings only, and is chaired by Rob Allanson, Editor of Whisky Magazine, and exists to inform and educate consumers throughout the world about whisky.
 
Chairman of the judges, Rob Allanson, commented: “The competition featured some eye-opening whiskies and the judging panel had a hard time separating the good from the very good. My congratulations go to the winners, the judges’ exacting standards mean that the winners are truly the greatest whiskies in the world.”

24 March 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor