Award Winners: The World's Best Scotch & Whisky
Discover the best Scotch whisky Scotland has to offer with award-winning single malts from legendary distilleries such as Macallan, Glenfiddich, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Dalmore, Highland Park, GlenDronach, and Clynelish. Celebrated for rich sherry casks, bold peat smoke, coastal finesse, and luxurious long-aged expressions, these icons have earned top titles at the World Whisky Awards, San Francisco World Spirits Competition, International Wine & Spirits Competition, and International Spirits Challenge — often hailed among the world’s best whisky and contenders for the best whisky in the world. Explore these acclaimed Scotch whiskies and experience true craftsmanship in every dram.
What makes an award-winning whisky?
Selecting the world’s best scotch is a complex task. Awards highlight whiskies that stand out for aroma, flavour balance, mouthfeel and finish. Panels of expert judges blind-taste entries across styles and age statements, scoring against consistent criteria. That’s how bottles earn medals like Double Gold or category wins. Not hype, just quality in the glass.
Some of the world’s most respected whisky awards
- World Whiskies Awards: annual global judging across categories such as Single Malt, Blended, Grain and Craft.
- International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC): long-running blind tastings with detailed scoring and trophy winners.
- San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC): known for rigorous multi-round panels and coveted Double Golds.
- International Spirits Challenge (ISC): technical judging focused on consistency and excellence.
How the judging works
Entries are tasted blind in flights. Judges assess nose, palate and finish, looking for typicity (does it express its style/region), balance, complexity and integration of cask influence. Scores translate to medals (Bronze to Double Gold) and, at the top, category or “Best in Class” winners.
Choosing the world’s best for you
“Best” can mean very different things: a definitive Islay peat bomb, a sherry-rich Speyside, or a perfectly poised age-statement blend. Use filters to narrow by region, cask type, age or award, then check notes for smoke, sweetness, spice and ABV to match your taste.
Want the full deep-dive on awards, scoring and past champions? Read our guide to the world’s most prestigious whisky awards.
