The Top World Whiskies, according To The Beverage Testing Institute.
Taiwanese whiskies swept the top awards at the Beverage Testing Institute’s (BTI) recent judging of world whiskies, taking all three of the Platinum Medals awarded. Thirty-eight whiskies were awarded Gold medals, of which 32 were from Taiwan. All of the Taiwanese medallists were from Kavalan or related companies. The other Gold medallists hailed from all over the world. If you are considering what to drink this Christmas, in addition to a Champagne or Prosecco, or maybe a present in our gift section (maybe an Advent calendar), then you should read this.
World whiskies is a catch all phrase that encompasses whiskies produced outside of the major whisky producing countries, although there is no universally accepted definition of the category. To the BTI, however, all whiskies are classified as either North American, Irish, Scotch or rest-of-the-World. The latter category includes Japanese and Canadian whiskies as well as expressions from India, Taiwan, Europe and elsewhere.
The top-ranked World Whisky, scoring 97/100 points, was Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky. The two runner ups, also from Kavalan, each scoring 96/100 points, were Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky and Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky. Capt. A. Caruana are just so so proud to have, in stock, all THREE of these expressions in our shops and online. Given these most recent results they are sure to run out quickly!
Kavalan Amontillado Cask was also rewarded World Best Single Cask and Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2016, which also mentions a number of other spirits that we have on this site, such as Teeling, Old Pulteney, Jura, Cardhu, Nikka, Suntory & Green Spot.
The Kavalan Gold medalists, scoring between 95 and 90 points were: Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Distillery Reserve Madeira Cask Single Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Solist Brandy Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Solist ex Sherry Single Cask Single Strength Malt Whisky, Kavalan Distillery Select No. 2 Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky, King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Concertmaster Vinho Barrique Finish Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Master’s Select Reserve No. 1 Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Distillery Select No. 1 Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Wine Oak Single Malt Whisky, Kavalan Port Oak Single Malt Whisky, and Kavalan Master’s Select Reserve No.2 Single Malt Whisky. And, yet again, we are happy to have a number of these in stock right now.
In the Indian whisky sector, another supremely interesting, Amrut took away 2 Gold medals too.
BTI reviews and scores, on a hundred-point scale, thousands of beverages each year. This activity makes it more like a conventional wines and spirits competition. The Chicago-based organization, however, plays a dual role in the beverage industry. It also functions as a consultancy that, utilises exceptional methodology, proprietary tools, and decades of experience offer research, development, and marketing services that protect large investments, elevate brand reputations, optimize market reception, and engage consumers.
In the beverage industry, this dual role is unprecedented. BTI’s evaluations and advice are closely followed in the drinks industry by both global wine and spirit companies, by recently established craft spirit producers, as well as by consumers around the world.
The 2024 BTI World Whisky judging highlighted some remarkable whiskies and underscored the continuing dominance of Taiwan’s Kavalan whisky. There is much to explore among BTI’s whisky medalists. For a complete listing of all of the medalists see the Beverage Testing Institute website.
For a more in-depth article, please refer to the Forbes’ article here.. by a certain Joseph V Micallef.. and if that is not a Maltese name, we do not know what is! 🙂
