Exclusive! Malt Advocate Whisky Awards: the Runners-Up
November 5th, 2007Here’s some very valuable information you can only get here! I posted up the Annual Malt Advocate Whisky Award winners this past Tuesday, which were announced at the 10th Annual WhiskyFest New York that same night. It’s public knowledge now. But what were the whiskies that almost won? They are pretty impressive too! Well, here they are. If, for whatever reason, you can’t find an award winner to buy, look for one of these whiskies:
Best Buy of the Year
Winner: Black Bottle Original
Runner-Up: Elijah Craig 12 year old
Comment: Bourbon remains the best value in whiskey. Elijah Craig 12 yr. is proof.
American Whiskey of the Year
Winner: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon (2007 Edition)
Runners-Up: Wild Turkey American Spirit 15 yr. old, Parker’s Heritage Collection (122.6 proof)
Comment: These two runners-up are both fantastic bourbons
Canadian Whisky of the Year
Winner: Crown Royal Cask No. 16
Runner-up: Crown Royal Special Reserve
Comment: Special Reserve is a tough one to beat, but Cask No. 16 did! Forty Creek is gaining.
Irish Whiskey of the Year
Winner: Redbreast 12 year old
Runners-Up: Bushmills 21 yr. old and Jameson 18 yr. old
Comment: If Redbreast 15 yr. old was available in the U.S., it would have trumped the 12 yr. old
Scotch Blended Whisky of the Year
Winner: Chivas 18 yr. old
Runners-Up: Dewar’s Signature, various bottlings from Compass Box
Comment: The well-established Chivas 18 yr. old is better than the new 25 yr. old. Compass Box is a perennial contender and you should check out some of his creative blends.
Scotch Malt Whisky of the Year
Winner: The Macallan 1976 Vintage (Cask #11354)
Runner-up: The Glenlivet Cellar Collection 1969 Vintage
Comment: The Cellar Collection 1969 was a very close runner-up. A really great whisky!
World Whisky of the Year
Winner: Suntory Yamazaki 18 yr. old
Runner-up: Penderyn (Wales)
Comment: This is a new and emerging category. There aren’t a lot of whiskies available in the U.S. from countries outside of North America, Scotland, and Ireland. More Japanese whiskies please!
There are also some good whiskeys that are just being released and, as a result, were not eligible for this year’s awards program, like Buffalo Trace’s 2007 Antique Collection. They’ll be considered for for next year’s awards program as they spill over into 2008.
