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Oak time out chair8/23/2023 Resting at 46% ABV, this single malt Scotch was initially matured in a mixture of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks, after which 50% of the ‘blend’ was then finished in first-fill Sherry casks, and the rest in first-fill Bourbon. The Single Malt: Highlands & Islands – No Age Statement round proved to be seriously impressive, delivering three Master medals, one of which went to Arran Sherry Cask The Bodega, which was hailed for “rich butterscotch, viscous full mouthfeel with wood spice on the finish”.Īrran’s master distiller worked with producers in in some of ‘the most prestigious’ Sherry bodegas in Jerez, Spain to select the best quality casks to be filled with the spirit.Ĭraigellachie 13 Years Old was described by the judges as “a stunner”, so it’s no surprise that as well as a Master medal, they also chose this whisky as the ‘best in class’ winner of the day, subsequently awarding it the coveted title of Scotch Whisky Taste Master 2023. The liquid from each distillery was then aged in a variety of Compass Box casks including water-rinsed, first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels, oloroso Sherry-seasoned butts, and French oak custom barrels. The expression is made from stocks of spirit purchased from distilleries known for their fruit-forward flavour. This expression is matured in first-fill and refill Bourbon barrels, and is bottled at 54.5% ABV, which is said to fully demonstrate the whisky’s Islay-based personality.Ĭompass Box released this fruit-forward malt whisky, described as a first for the company, in 2021, and our judges enjoyed its elegant aromas of white flower blossom and sweet baking spices so much at this year’s tasting they gave it a Master medal. We’re kicking off our list in the Blended – Ultra Premium segment of our 2023 blind tasting, and a Master medal went straight to the producers at Elements of Islay for its Bourbon Cask expression, which was praised for its “light honey peat, pear and melon” on the nose, and a palate that brought “a touch of anise and more orchard fruit”. Keep reading to find out which 10 whiskies stood out to our judges and took home the biggest accolades of the day. Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business, and chair of The Global Spirits Masters Competitions, chaired the final group, which consisted of: Caroline Roddis, freelance writer Malika Kirchel-Sharper, Boisdale bar manager and Vicky Ilankovan, editor-in-chief at Sated Online, and project marketing manager at Equal Measures UK. A third group was led by Billy Abbott, ambassador at The Whisky Exchange, who was joined by: Anne Jones, Waitrose, drinks expert and Nick Larsson-Bell, senior buyer – spirits and beer at Harvey Nichols. She was accompanied by: Alan Uresti, head of mixology at Annabel’s in London Evan Prousaefs, bar manager at London’s Sexy Fish and Ruchira Neotia, of Neo Margarita. Karen Taylor, co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog, chaired the second team. ![]() ![]() His fellow judges included: Tobias Gorn, co-founder and senior partner of the International Drinks Specialists and Dr Winnie Bowman, Cape wine master, wine and spirits judge and writer. ![]() Matt Chambers, whisky writer and co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog, chaired one of the teams. The annual blind-tasting competition returned to Boisdale in Canary Wharf, London, in May, where four panels of judges took on the challenge of awarding Silver, Gold and Master medals to deserving whiskies. The Scotch Whisky Masters 2023 saw entries from all corners of Scotland To make it easier to work out which drams you should focus your attention on, we’ve rounded up 10 bottles that stood out in The Scotch Whisky Masters 2023.
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