Best Whiskies of the Year
Whiskies from across the globe poured into the New York International Spirits Competition—over 600 entries in total. Blind-tasted and evaluated by our panel of trade buyer judges, these results reveal the top performers in every category and price tier
Whiskies of the Year
Glenmorangie Signet Reserve
Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels
Balcones Texas ‘1’ Single Malt
Ardbeg Ten Years Old
Highland Park 15 Year Old
Garrison Brothers Guadalupe
The Glenrothes 18
Brother’s Bond Bourbon Cask Strength Straight Bourbon
Glendalough 7yo Irish Single Malt Mizunara Finish
Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Crown Royal Aged 31 Years
Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey
Evan Williams Master Blend
GLEN MORAY 15 YO
SirDavis American Whisky
Southern Star Double Rye
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B524
Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength Rye Whiskey
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Carribean Rum Cask Finish Single Malt Whiskey
Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 12 year
Individual Winners
Now in its 16th year, the New York International Spirits Competition has once again brought together the world’s finest whiskeys—over 600 in total. Our expert trade buyer judges blind-tasted each entry to spotlight the most outstanding spirits in their class. From timeless Scotch to inventive American bourbon, see which bottles rose to the top in every major category.
Top 20 International Whiskies
Stauning Rye Whisky – 96
23rd Street Distillery Australian Single Malt Whisky – 96
Glendalough 7yo Irish Single Malt Mizunara Finish – 96
Onikishi Sakura – 95
Indri Trini Single Malt Indian Whisky – 95
Stauning Rye Whisky Sherry Cask Finish – 95
Nestville Distillery Whisky Blended 12yo 40% – 94
23rd Street Distillery Australian Whisky – 95
Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey – 95
Kinsale Spirits Wild Atlantic Way IPA – 95
The Cardrona The Falcon – 95
The Busker Irish Whiskey Single Malt – 95
Indri Dru Single Malt Indian Whisky – 93
Onikishi – 93
Nestville Distillery Whisky Single Malt Single Cask 45% – 92
Two Stacks The First Cut – 95
Member’s Mark Pot Still Irish Whiskey – 95
Glendalough Single Cask Burgundy Finish – 94
Kinsale Spirits Wild Atlantic Way Rechar – 93
Two Stacks Single Grain Double Barrel – 91
Top 20 Bourbons
Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Traditional Barrel Series Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey – 96
Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels – 96
Elijah Craig – 96
Garrison Brothers Cowboy 2024 – 96
George Dickel Bourbon – 96
Brother’s Bond Bourbon Cask Strength Straight Bourbon – 96
Widow Jane Black Opal – 96
Four Roses Bourbon – 96
Redemption Ancients 18YO Bourbon – 96
1845 Distilling Co Preemption Texas Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey – 96
Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea Voyage 31 Bourbon Whiskey – 96
15 STARS Triple Cask II – 96
King’s Family Distillery Wheated Bourbon – 96
Augusta Distillery Buckner’s 17 Yr – 96
Bib & Tucker Small Batch 6 YO Bourbon Whiskey – 96
Chicken Cock Whiskey Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 96
FEW Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Whiskey – 96
Seelbach’s Private Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon 15-Year Batch 001 122 proof – 96
Square 6 Wheated Bourbon – 96
Larrikin Single Barrel Rye – 96
Top 10 Canadian Whiskies
Pendleton Original – 96
Crown Royal Aged 31 Years – 96
Crown Royal Reserve Aged 12 Years – 96
Bearface Wilderness Series 3 Wild Air – 95
Larrikin Decade Rye Cognac Finish – 95
Signal Hill – 95
Crown Royal Aged 18 Years – 95
Crown Royal Deluxe – 95
Pendleton Midnight – 93
Signal Hill Founders Select Overproof – 93
Top 20 Single Malt Scotch
Ardbeg Ten Years Old – 96
Glenmorangie Signet Reserve – 96
Highland Park 15 Year Old – 96
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Carribean Rum Cask Finish Single Malt Whiskey – 96
Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky – 96
The Glenrothes 18 – 96
Bruichladdich Eighteen – 96
Glenmorangie The Infinita 18 Years Old – 96
Ardbeg Uigeadail – 96
GLEN MORAY 15 YO -96
The Glenrothes 25 -95
Glengoyne 12-year-old – 94
Glenmorangie Signet – 96
Lagavulin 16 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – 95
Glenmorangie Lasanta – 95
GLEN MORAY 18 YO – 95
Port Charlotte 10 – 95
Ardbeg Wee Beastie – 94
Tamdhu 12-year-old – 95
Highland Park 12 Year Old – 95
Top 20 American Straight Rye Whiskey
Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks – 96
Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength Rye Whiskey – 96
SirDavis American Whisky – 96
Tumblin’ Dice Small Batch, Barrel Proof Straight Rye Whiskey – 96
Southern Star Double Rye – 96
Redemption Barrel Proof Rye – 95
George Dickel X Leopold Bros Collaboration Blend – 94
Balcones Texas Rye BiB – 95
Oaklore North Carolina Straight Rye Whiskey – 95
FEW Straight Rye Whiskey – 94
Angel’s Envy Cellar Collection Series Vol. 5 Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in French Oak Extra Añejo Tequila Barrels-95
Chuckanut Bay Rye – 95
Redemption High Rye – 95
George Dickel Rye – 95
Widow Jane Paradigm Rye Whiskey – 95
Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Rye Whiskey – 94
Lionheart Whiskey Single Barrel Rye Whiskey – 95
Rare Character Limited Release Rye Batch 2 2025 – 95
Roaming Man 10 Year Edition – 95
Jefferson’s Rye Whiskey – 93
Top 20 American Single Malt
Balcones Texas ‘1’ Single Malt – 96
Southern Star American Single Malt – 96
Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 12 year – 96
Tenmile Distillery Revolutionary Series #32 American Single Malt Whisky – 96
Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 10 year – 96
Bird Creek Whiskey Small Batch Baronesse/Full Pint – 96
Virginia Distillery Co. Cabernet Cask Select – 96
Balcones Cataleja Vol. 2 – 96
Minden Mill American Single Malt Whiskey – 95
Bear Fight Kentucky Reserve – 95
Blue Ridge Distilling Company Defiant One – 95
Spirit Hound Palo Cortado Finished American Single Malt – 95
Tenmile Distillery Little Rest Classic IV American Single Malt Whisky – 95
Bird Creek Whiskey Cask Strength Baronesse – 95
Wood’s High Mountain Distillery Dawn Patrol Colorado Single Malt Whiskey – 95
Warfield Organic American Whiskey – 95
Stranahan’s Original – 95
Rock Valley Spirits Applewood Smoked Single Malt Whiskey – 95
Balcones Lineage – 93
Virginia Distillery Co. Blue Ridge Select – 93
Scotland
Highlands 12 Year of the Year
Highland Park 12 Year
Highlands 14 Year of the Year
Oban 14 Year
Highlands 15 Year of the Year
Highland Park 15 Year
Highland 18 Year of the Year
Glenmorangie 18 Year
Islay Distillery of the Year
Lagavulin
Islay 5 Year Distillery of the Year
Ardbeg
Islay 10 Year Distillery of the Year
Ardbeg
Islay 11 Year Distillery of the Year
Lagavulin
Islay 16 year Whiskey of the Year
Lagavulin 16 Year
Islay 18 Year Whiskey of the Year
Bruichladdich 18 Year
Islay Gin of the Year
The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
14 Year Highlands Scotch of the Year
Oban 14
Speyside 12 Year of the Year
Tamdhu 12 Year
Speyside 15 Year of the Year
Glen Moray 15 Year
Speyside 18 Year of the Year
The Glenrothes 18 Year
Speyside 25 Year of the Year
The Glenrothes 25 Year
Best Blended Scotch
Cutty Sark Prohibition 96
Cutty Sark Original 94
D’YAVOL Inception – 94
Cutty Sark 12 Year 93
D’YAVOL Vortex 93
Single Malt Scotch NAS (No Age Statement)
Ardbeg Uigeadail 96
Glenmorangie Signet 96
Glenmorangie Signet Reserve 96
Ardbeg Corryvreckan 95
Smokehead Original 95
Bruichladdich Classic Laddie 93
Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve 93
Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Year Old and Under
Ardbeg Wee Beastie 94
Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve 93
Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Year Old
Ardbeg 10 Year Old 96
Port Charlotte 10 Year Old 95
Best Single Malt Scotch 11 Year Old
Lagavulin Offerman Edition Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Single Malt Whiskey – 96
Lagavulin Sweet Peat Single Malt Scotch – 95
Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Year Old
Glenmorangie Lasanta – 95
Glenmorangie The Original 12 Year Old – 95
Highland Park 12 Year Old – 95
Tamdhu 12 Year Old 95
Glen Moray 12 Year Old – 94
Glengoyne 12 Year Old – 94
Best Single Malt Scotch 13-14 Year Old
Oban 14 Year Old – 96
Best Single Malt Scotch 15 Year Old
Glen Moray 15 Year Old – 96
Highland Park 15 Year Old – 96
Oban 15 Year Cask Strength Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whiskey – 95
The Glenrothes 15 Year Old – 94
Best Single Malt Scotch 16 Year Old
Lagavulin 16 Year Old – 95
Lagavulin Distillers Edition – 95
Best Single Malt Scotch 18 Year Old
Bruichladdich 18 Year Old – 96
Glenmorange The Infinita 18 Year Old – 96
Glenrothes 18 Year Old – 96
Glen Moray 18 Year Old – 95
Best Single Malt Scotch 25 Year Old
‘The Glenrothes 25 Year Old 95
Best Straight Bourbon Up to 10 Year
15 Stars Triple Cask II 96
Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks 96
Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels 96
Brother’s Bond Bourbon Cask Strength Straight Bourbon 96
Chicken Cock Kentucky Straight Bourbon 96
Elijah Craig 96
Evan Williams Master Blend 96
Few Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Whiskey 96
Four Roses Bourbon 96
Heaven Hill Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey 96
George Dickel Bourbon 96
Jefferson Ocean Aged At Sea Voyage 31 Bourbon Whiskey 96
Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon 96
Peg Leg Porker Spirits Straight Bourbon Whiskey 96
Preemption Texas Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey 96
Preemption Reverence Texas Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey 96
Square 6 Wheated Bourbon 96
15 Stars Private Stock 95
15 Stars Three Ports
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bottled-In-Bond 95
Brother’s Bond Bourbon 95
Conviction Bourbon Double Oak 1929 95
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 2016 95
Few Straight Bourbon Whiskey 95
Florida Straight Bourbon Single Barrel Bourbon 95
Good Trouble North Star 95
Headframe Spirits Neversweat Bottled in Bond 95
Henry McKenna 95
I Bourbon 95
Jefferson Marian McLain Bourbon Whiskey 95
Jefferson Reserve Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey 95
Litchfield Distillery Straight Bourbon 95
Milk Street Distillery Murder Bourbon 95
Old Elk 9 Year Old Straight Bourbon 95
Pendleton 1910 Bourbon 95
Preemption Reverence Texas Straight Whiskey 95
Preemption reverence Texas Straight Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey 95
Rainfire Bourbon Whiskey 95
Redemption Bourbon 95
Seelbach’s Private Reserve 8 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Batch 001 95
Silk Velvet Whiskey Single Barrel 95
Square 6 High-Rye Bourbon 95
Tumblin Dice Single Barrel Double Oak , Straight Bourbon 96
Widow Jane 10 Year Bourbon 95
Widow Jane Decadence Bourbon
Best Straight Bourbon 11-20 Years
Augusta Distillery Buckner’s 17 Year 96
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B524 96
Seelbach’s Private Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon 15 Year Batch 001 96
Widow Jane Black Opal 96
Widow Jane Lucky 13 Bourbon 96
Widow Jane The Vaults Bourbon 96
Elijah Craig 18 Year Bourbon 95
Augusta Distillery Old Route 8 93
Best Flavored Bourbon
Untold Spirits Edmond’s Honor 95
Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company Larrikin Bourbon Rosewater 93
The Free Spirits Company The Spirit of Bourbon 93
Jim Beam Pineapple 91
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Celebrating Excellence in Whisky Craftsmanship
This year’s New York International Spirits Competition brought together the best in whiskey from around the world. Every bottle was evaluated blindly by industry insiders to guarantee fairness and credibility. The results? A showcase of the most outstanding whiskies of 2025—representing creativity, quality, and unmatched craft. View the winners and taste the future of whiskey.
Contact Information
New York International Spirits Competition
C/O Adam Levy
E: info@nyispiritscompetition.com