The whisky industry’s finest gathered at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London on Wednesday 20 March for the Whisky Magazine Awards 2024, celebrating the best people, places, and products in the whisky world.
The awards ceremony saw the announcement of the World’s Best whiskies in the World Whiskies Awards and the Icons of Whisky global winners, as well as the induction of three new industry luminaries to the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame.
Whisky Magazine has been presenting the results of its World Whiskies Awards for 24 years (beginning as the Best of the Best competition in 2001). This year’s announcement represents the culmination of a rigorous blind-judging process that saw more than 200 expert judges from around the globe assess more than 1,500 different whiskies from more than 40 countries.
The competition named its World’s Best winners across 23 categories, including single malt, bourbon, blended, rye, pot still, and design. This year’s winners include The English Sherry Cask, which was named World’s Best Single Malt, 1792 12 Years Old, which was awarded the title of World’s Best Bourbon, and Ballantine’s 30 Years Old, which was named Best Blended.
The Icons of Whisky has awarded the industry’s best people, places, and agencies since 2007. The global winners are chosen by an expert panel from a shortlist of regional winners of Icons competitions that identified the shining stars of America, Ireland, Scotland, and the Rest of the World.
Among this year’s 27 winners were Irish Distillers, which took home the title of Distiller of the Year, Balcones Distilling, which was named Craft Producer of the Year, and Glen Moray’s Stephen Woodcock, who claimed the Master Distiller/Master Blender of the Year award.
The London event also saw the induction of three new members of the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame: Russell Anderson of the Macallan Distillery; Ichiro Akuto, founder of Venture Whisky and Chichibu Distillery; and Canadian whisky writer and consultant Davin de Kergommeaux.
On the Icons of Whisky results, Bethany Brown, editor of Whisky Magazine and chair of judges for the Icons of Whisky awards, said: “We had an outstanding crop of entries to all our regional Icons of Whisky competitions this year, making the selection of our global winners a difficult process. However, for us as judges, this is the best kind of challenge; it goes to prove the seemingly inexhaustible innovation, strength, and ingenuity to be found within the global whisky industry.
“I would like to congratulate our winners, but also thank them — and all our Icons of Whisky 2024 entrants — for the work they do each and every day to help the whisky industry thrive.”
Anita Ujszaszi, awards director, said of the World Whiskies Awards: “It has been another fantastic year for the World Whiskies Awards as well as the Icons of Whisky. From the incredible and ever-diversifying range of products entered to the fantastic people we get to work with on our judging panels, it is a privilege to be part of this most amazing industry. This was another incredibly strong year in all the categories and there were worthy winners across the globe, showcasing that this is more than just making a product — it is people dedicating their lives to making something extraordinary.”
Full lists of global winners in the 2024 Icons of Whisky and World Whiskies Awards competitions can be found below. More details on both competitions can be found at worldwhiskiesawards.com.
Icons of Whisky Global Winners 2024
Distiller
Sponsored by Glencairn Crystal Studio
Irish Distillers
Master Distiller/Master Blender
Sponsored by Brindiamo Group
Stephen Woodcock, Glen Moray Distillery
Craft Producer
Sponsored by Oakbank Products
Balcones Distilling
Sustainable Distillery
Ardnamurchan Distillery
Distillery Manager
Heather Tillott, Sullivans Cove Distillery
Visitor Attraction
Callington Mill Distillery
Single Estate
Thy Whisky Distillery
Campaign Innovator
Irish Distillers
Brand Innovator
Sullivans Cove Distillery
Independent Bottler
The Heart Cut
Cooperage
Casknolia
Cooper
Rafa Cabello, Casknolia
American Whiskey Brand Ambassador
Sponsored by McLaren Packaging
Paul Hletko, FEW Spirits
Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador
Sponsored by McLaren Packaging
Brendan Carty, Killowen Distillery
Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador
Sponsored by McLaren Packaging
Seamus Carroll, The Whisky Club
World Whisky Brand Ambassador
Sponsored by McLaren Packaging
Ally Bhana, Sullivans Cove Distillery
Marketing Team
The Team, Jameson Ireland
Production Team
The Team, Jura Distillery
Sales Team
The Team, Sullivans Cove Distillery
Visitor Attraction Team
The Team, Teeling Whiskey Distillery
Sustainability Officer
Melanie Gourley, Westland Distillery
Visitor Attraction Manager
Sponsored by Larkfire
Dee Ford, Angel’s Envy Distillery
Warehouse Manager
Scott Sell, Westland Distillery
Communicator
Barry Chandler, Stories & Sips
Brand & Packaging Design Agency
Sponsored by Blue Box Design
JDO
Digital Agency
Sponsored by Blue Box Design
Northport
PR Agency
Sponsored by Blue Box Design
The Story
World Whiskies Awards Global Winners 2024
World’s Best Single Malt
Sponsored by Rankin Brothers & Sons
The English, Sherry Cask
World’s Best Small Batch Single Malt
Mosgaard, Moscatel Cask
World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt
Glen Scotia, Cask 637 Refill Bourbon Barrel
World’s Best Blended
Sponsored by Blue Box Design
Ballantine’s, 30 Years Old
World’s Best Canadian Blended
Gibson’s Finest, Venerable
World’s Best Blended Limited Release
Three Ships, Master’s Collection 12 Years Old Double Wood Blend
World’s Best Blended Malt
Dewar’s, Double Double 37 Years Old
World’s Best Pot Still
Sponsored by Oakbank Products
Redbreast, 21 Years Old
World’s Best Bourbon
Sponsored by Kentucky Bourbon Festival
1792, 12 Years Old
World’s Best Finished Bourbon
Breckenridge, Port Cask Finish
World’s Best Small Batch Bourbon
Laws Whiskey House, Four Grain Bourbon Cask Strength
World’s Best Single Barrel Bourbon
Four Roses, Single Barrel
World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey
Uncle Nearest, 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey
World’s Best American Style Whiskey
Sponsored by Brindiamo Group
FEW, American Straight Whiskey
World’s Best Grain
Sponsored by Oakbank Products
Bain’s, Founders Collection 15 Years Old
World’s Best Single Cask Single Grain
Sponsored by Brindiamo Group
The Octave Premium, Strathclyde
World’s Best Rye
Sponsored by Oakbank Products
Millstone, Founders Reserve 10 Years Old Rye
World’s Best Single Cask Single Rye
Sponsored by Oakbank Products
Proof and Wood, Tumblin’ Dice Single Barrel Rye
World’s Best Corn
Sponsored by Brindiamo Group
Ironroot Republic, Hubris
World’s Best Wheat
Sponsored by Brindiamo Group
Lone Elm, Single Barrel
World’s Best New Make & Young Spirit
Sponsored by Brindiamo Group
Anohka, This is Not Whisky Heavily Peated Single Malt Spirit
World’s Best Flavoured
Stillhouse, Peanut Butter S’mores Whiskey
World’s Best Design
Sponsored by Hunter Luxury
Shirakawa, 1958
