The Scotch Whisky Masters 2023 results

Jun 16, 2023

This year's Scotch Whisky Masters shows the sheer number of expressions fighting for attention. Our judges offer a guide to the best drops.

Scotch whisky had a stellar year in 2022. Exports of Scotland's native spirit soared to record levels, surpassing £6 billion for the first time.

The Scotch Whisky Masters 2023 returned to Boisdale in Canary Wharf, London, where four panels of judges took on the challenge of awarding Silver, Gold and Master medals to deserving whiskies.

Matt Chambers, whisky writer and co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog, chaired one of the teams. 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.

Karen Taylor, co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog, chaired the second team. 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. 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.

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.

The opening flight, Blended – No Age Statement, was split evenly between four Gold medals and four Silvers. Taking Gold awards in the first round were: Johnnie Walker Blue Label, with its "rich palate with lots of toffee and some stewed fruit"; Black Bottle Smoke & Dagger Blended Scotch Whisky, with "fresh smoke and crisp orchard fruit"; Black Bottle Andean Oak, which offered "lemon oil, vanilla and chocolate Hob Nobs"; and The Sassenach, with its "big chocolatey nose" and "cedar wood and oak" on the palate.

"There were some really well balanced whiskies in this round," noted Kirchel-Sharper. "Very enjoyable blends; and a number of these would work neat, or lengthened in some way."

As the blends moved to age statements, starting with those aged up to 12 years, a Gold was presented to Distell's Black Bottle 10 Years Old. Gorn found flavours of "caramel, butterscotch and a maltiness, with a hint of smoke". A Gold award was also given to Aldi's Highland Black Blended Scotch Whisky, praised for flavours of "fudge and some dried fruit, malt and biscuit towards the end". A Silver medal rounded off the flight.

In the Blended – Aged Between 13 and 18 Years round, Diageo collected two Gold medals, one for "sweet, with warm spice" Johnnie Walker Aged 18 and another for Old Parr 18 Years Old, with its "rustic Calvados-like nose". Stablemate Old Parr 13 Years Old secured a Silver medal.

Wolfcraig 30 Years Old Premium Blend bagged a Gold medal in the following flight, which looked at blended whiskies aged from 19-30 years. Larsson-Bell said: "This had lovely depth on the nose; initial notes of caramel, white pepper and cinnamon. The palate is lovely and rich, with candied almonds and dry, spicy finish."

Blended whiskies were assessed according to whether they deserved their price points, starting with a standard-priced flight (up to £20). Among three Gold medal winners was Loch Lomond Signature Blended Scotch Whisky, enjoyed for its aroma of "cantaloupe melon, apricots" and flavours of "wood, baking spice and a touch of dryness" on the palate. Two Silver medals were also awarded.

The Blended – Super Premium flight (£31-£50) found two more Gold medallists, both from Compass Box: Artist Blend, which had "subtle oak" and was "mellow with lovely balance"; and Glasgow Blend, which had "soft sweetness and lingering smoke".

But it was the Blended – Ultra Premium (£51-plus) where the first Master medals of the day were found. Clydebuilt Sailmaker was found to be worthy of the top award for its "warm oaty nose, rich honey, nutmeg and dry wood". Illankovan said: "This all translated onto the palate with oaky notes and a drying ABV." Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask also secured a Master medal, praised for its "light honey peat, pear and melon" on the nose. The palate brought "a touch of anise and more orchard fruit". A Gold medal was given to Elements of Islay Sherry Cask.

Kiely said: "This was a really strong flight, very enjoyable across the board. You get your money's worth for balance, flavour and complexity in this heat."

The no-age-statement blended malts proved to be seriously strong, resulting in a straight round of Gold medals – eight to be exact. Among the winners were a trio of entries from Wemyss Family Spirits: The Hive, Spice King, and Peat Chimney, the latter of which had a "good balance of savoury spice and a hint of peat spice – great balance".

The Blended Malt – Aged Between 13-18 Years round saw a Silver medal go to The Captain's Daughter by Pendulum Spirits, which finished with "bold nuttiness" after "gentle sweetness and fruit" flavours. And in the Blended Malt – Aged between 13 and 18 Years heat, Johnnie Walker green Label received a Gold medal, with its "warming spice, complexity and skilful balance".

In the Blended Malt – Premium heat, whiskies selling for between £21 and £30 were tasted. Two entrants were deemed deserving of Gold medals: "balanced and complex" Black Hound Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, and Highland Green Blended Malt Scotch Whisky with "floral and ginger hints".

Moving up a price bracket to super-premium (£31-£50), and a Master medal was awarded to Orchard House by Compass Box. This whisky was found to have "elegant aromas, white flower blossom, sweet baking spices", which led to a "soft palate – complex and classy". Three Compass Box whiskies took home Gold medals in this round.

In the ultra-premium round, another Compass Box entry was found to be Gold-worthy: Hedonism. Tasting notes included "fruit cake and spun sugar". Atom Brands’ "balanced and delicious" Butterscotch & Vanilla & Toast & A Generation 30 Years Old also collected Gold in this round.

The tasting then looked at single-grain whiskies, beginning with a premium flight (£26 to £40). Ecosse G 12 Years Old received a Gold medal. Chambers found "plenty of honeycomb and vanilla" on the palate, and described the whiskey as "delicious and uplifting".

A single-cask, single-grain whisky from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society secured a Master medal in the following flight. G9.6 – No Humdrum Conundrum collected the top award for being "complex and full-bodied – great alcohol integration".

With blends, blended malts and single-grain whiskies ticked off, the tasting turned to single malts, beginning with a flight of whiskies from the Highlands and Islands region in Scotland, and aged up to 12 years. Nine Gold and two Silver medals were awarded in this round. Talisker 10 Years Old was one of the Gold medallists, celebrated for its notes of "barbecue smoke, candied orange, citrus and biscuit".

A Master medal was awarded in Single Malt: Highlands & Islands – Aged Between 13-18 Years to Highland Queen Majesty 14 Years Old. Abbott described the whisky as: "Rich, sweet and uncomplicated on the palate with custard and stewed fruit; well-balanced. Minty notes and liquorice hints develop." Three Gold medals and four Silvers were also secured in this round.

In the Single Malt: Highlands & Islands – Aged Between 19-30 Years, a Master medal was given to Talisker 30 Years Old. "Lovely cedar and sandalwood with vanilla, toffee and caramel on the nose," noted Chambers. "Dried fruit and old cigar box on the palate, hint of peach and tropical fruit in the background." Five Gold medals made for a strong round. "This was a very serious category with individual styles that were all very different – it's a great skill to balance time versus wood influence; they belied their age," said Bowman.

Seriously impressive

The Single Malt: Highlands & Islands – No Age Statement proved to be seriously impressive, delivering three Master winners. Arran Quarter Cask The Bothy took home the top accolade for flavours of "peach and apricot jam, cocoa powder, and vanilla custard". Ardgowan Discovery No.4 took home a Master medal for its "gripping wood spice and elegant sweetness", with a "drop of orange oil – so much depth and complexity". Master-winning Arran Sherry Cask The Bodega was hailed for "rich butterscotch, viscous full mouthfeel with wood spice on the finish".

Six Gold medals included Nc’nean Organic Single Malt and Tullibardine 500 Sherry Cask Finish. The flight also produced four Silvers.

"There was a lovely range of whiskies in this category," said Chambers. "It is a fascinating category to shop in for the consumers. Also the Masters show how well high ABVs can be done if done properly."

The standard-priced flight of single malts from the Highlands and Islands produced three Silver medals, including two for Aldi-bottled products.

In the premium heat, a gold medal was won by Loch Lomond Original, while Levenside Special Reserve received a Silver medal.

The Highland and Islands single-cask single-malts presented two more Master-worthy expressions: Fable Crows, and Cask Noir: Ivy in Love – Blair Athol. Fable Crows had tasting notes of "cantaloupe melon on the nose, with a rich palate – textured, round, bold and so delicious", Kiely enthused.

Cask Noir: Ivy in Love – Blair Athol was described as having "such elegance on the palate – resinous, dried fruits, some Christmas cake spice – a whisky you could sit with for hours". A pair of Golds boosted the flight – including one for 19.96 – Stick a Wick in Me and Call Me a Candle!

Roddis was impressed but not surprised by the high standard she enjoyed: "If you’re choosing to bottle a single cask, you’re obviously committed to bottling that cask and for a good reason, so it's almost unsurprising that this was such a strong flight."

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society added another medal to its haul in the Single Malt: Highlands & Islands – Cask Strength heat, winning a Master for "exceptional" 55.85 – Passionate Desire.

The tasting moved from from Highlands and Islands to Campbeltown, where a Gold medal was awarded to "rich, nutty" Glen Scotia 15 Years Old in the single malt 13-18 years category. The judges gave a Silver medal to Glen Scotia Harbour in the Single Malt: Campbeltown – Premium sector.

Another Glen Scotia bottling picked up a Gold medal in the super-premium round: "sweet, rich and oily" Glen Scotia Double Cask. Another no-age-statement whisky showed age is just a number as the competition moved into the Single Malt: Lowland – No Age Statement contingent. Glasgow 1770 The Original secured the top award after the judges enjoyed the whisky's "really fruity" palate with "lots of gummy bears and a balancing creaminess". A Gold medal went to Balcomie, and a Silver was given to Doocot.

Premium Lowland single malt Lochlea ‘Our Barley’ bagged a Silver medal in the next round.

Glasgow Distillery added to its medal collection in the Single Malt: Lowland – Special Edition flight, securing a Gold medal for Glasgow 1770 Red Wine & Ruby Port Cask Finish. "Really full-flavoured and moreish – and a real surprise for the region," noted Larssen-Bell.

Journey to speyside

The competition journeyed to Speyside, where two Silver medals were awarded to Tomintoul Seiridh, and Tomintoul Tlàth.

When looking at single malts from Speyside aged up to 12 years, Benromach Aged 10 Years was awarded a Gold medal, alongside three whiskies that scored Silver. The 10-year-old Benromach offered "a touch of smoke on the nose, and a hint of nuttiness and fruit".

The 13-18 Years round saw two Master-winning products. First, Craigellachie 13 Years Old, described by the judges as "a stunner". Tomintoul 14 Years Old, which collected the other Master, was praised for its "rich but zesty" character. Three Golds and one Silver completed the flight.

Craigellachie continued to impress in the following flight, Single Malt: Speyside – Aged Between 19-30 Years. The distillery's 19-year-old whisky took home the top award for its "rich and sticky palate with stewed-down fruit, and a hint of char hiding at the back", as noted by Abbott. Aultmore 21 Years Old also took a Master medal, for its "well-balanced profile, fresh and fruity flavours". The judges also awarded one Gold and two Silver medals.

The next question was whether Speyside whiskies were worth their price points?

Two were credited for delivering value for money, winning Gold medals in the Single Malt: Speyside – Standard contingent. Spey River Speyside Sherry Cask Finish won Gold for being a "great example of this category with fruit and freshness". Glen Marnoch Speyside Single Malt made a positive impact with "wine elements on the palate and distinct sweetness".

One Gold winner, Wormtub 10 Years Old – Batch 2, and two Silver medallists continued the positive vibes into the premium round. Afterwards, the Single Malt: Speyside – Single Cask contingent raised the bar, delivering a Master medal in the form of Yellow Edition Glen Moray. "Big and rich throughout," said Gorn. "Very creamy, with vanilla and stewed fruits."

Yet more Masters came during the Single Malt: Speyside – Cask Strength round. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society collected both Masters in this flight, one for 44.176 Blueberry Bonanza, with its "rich cherry and deep woodiness" on the nose, leading to "pine and some heady wine notes". The second was awarded to 39.281 – Decadent Dark Chocolate Cheesecake, for having a "little peach eaux-de-vie" on the nose and "buttery, vanilla custard" on the palate. Spey Trutina Cask Strength Batch 4 won Gold.

The next flight looked at special edition single malts from Speyside, where a Gold medal was collected by Spey Fumare Overture. The whisky was described as "sweet, tingly and complex on the palate". "A really well-made and balanced peaty Scotch – great balance," added Prousaefs.

Islay whiskies

Last, but by no means least, Islay whiskies were brought to the fore. A Silver medal went to Glen Marnoch Islay Single Malt in the Single Malt: Islay – Standard flight.

Meanwhile, two Gold medals were awarded in the premium segment. Berry Bros. & Rudd collected a Gold medal for its Berry Bros. Single Malt Islay, with "beach bonfires and rock pools, and earthy notes developing alongside citrus and spice". A Gold award also went to "complex, balanced and moreish" Seaweed & Aeons & Digging & Fire 10 Years Old.

The penultimate flight of the day was Single Malt: Islay – No Age Statement, during which Kilchoman Distillery proved it deserved two Gold medals and one Silver. The Gold awards were given to Kilchoman 100% Islay, and Kilchoman Machir Bay.

The final flight of they day, Single Malt: Islay – Cask Strength, ended with two medals – one Master and one Silver. Both were picked up by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, with the Master delivered to 10.250 – Peat Lover's Night, with its "enticing balance of fruit and peat".

The judges took a break to reset their palates before taking on the task of choosing the ‘best in class’ Master winner of the day. After careful consideration, the panellists were delighted to learn they had voted for Craigellachie 13 to receive the coveted title of Scotch Whisky Taste Master 2023. For the most part, the judges were elated by the standard of entries received in this year's Scotch Whisky Masters. "The standard of medal winners this year was exceptionally high," said Kiely.

"Across all price points, regions and styles, there were noteworthy whiskies that would suit everyone from newcomers to the category to the most discerning of Scotch drinkers. It's no wonder Scotch is on the up – long may it continue."