Ve De Di Wins Best New Make & Young Spirit 2025 at World Whiskies Awards
The World Whiskies Awards 2025 has named Ve De Di’s Pale Ale Mash Spirit as the Best New Make & Young Spirit, marking Vietnam’s first major win in this category. Judges were impressed by its layered character and brewing-inspired mashbill, showcasing how new distillers can achieve standout results without barrel aging.
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Key Takeaways
Vietnam’s Ve De Di claims Gold with a complex unaged spirit crafted from a pale ale mash.
The U.S. and Ireland took Silver and Bronze, reflecting innovation across new-make traditions.
The 2025 results signal growing recognition for young and unaged spirits in global whisky competitions.
Best New Make & Young Spirit 2025 – Ve De Di “Pale Ale Mash” (Vietnam)
Ve De Di’s winning expression is distilled from a craft pale ale mash, highlighting the crossover between brewing and distillation techniques. The spirit delivers unusual complexity for an unaged product, with savory and floral aromas, layered cereal tones, and a long, balanced finish. This win establishes Ve De Di as a bold new name in young spirits.
Aroma | Smoked cheese, crunchy cornflakes, floral freshness |
|---|---|
Palate | Digestive biscuits, appley new-make notes, crushed barley |
Finish | Long, combining fruity and savory elements with controlled heat |
Chattanooga Whiskey “Silver” – Silver Medal
Chattanooga Whiskey’s unaged spirit, known as “Silver,” impressed judges with its soft, grain-forward profile and clean finish. Distilled from a high-malt mash, it delivered a rounded mouthfeel rarely seen in white dog expressions. This result highlights how U.S. distillers are refining their new make spirits into intentional, stand-alone products.
Aroma | Sweet corn porridge, malt sugar, hint of cherry |
|---|---|
Palate | Vanilla, cereal grain, light pepper |
Finish | Clean with a touch of sweetness |
Glendalough Poitín – Bronze Medal
Ireland’s Glendalough earned Bronze with a traditional poitín crafted from malted barley and sugar beet. Triple-distilled, it showcased both heritage and finesse. Judges noted the spirit’s botanical hint and warm barley finish as strengths, affirming that poitín, one of the oldest Irish spirits, remains competitive on a global stage.
Aroma | Malty cereal, green apple, slight earthiness |
|---|---|
Palate | Sweet barley sugar, white pepper, faint botanical note |
Finish | Warm with lingering malt sweetness |
What Is New Make & Young Spirit?
The New Make & Young Spirit category includes unaged or briefly aged (under three years) spirits. These products represent whisky at its earliest stage—before any significant cask influence. In 2025, judges evaluated distillate purity, mouthfeel, and the ability to deliver flavor without wood.
The winning entries from Ve De Di, Chattanooga, and Glendalough reflect a global push to elevate new make as a serious category. Brewers and distillers alike are innovating at the mash level, proving that age isn’t the only path to quality.
Ve De Di’s Gold in the New Make & Young Spirit category showcases the international rise of brewer-distillers and mash-driven profiles. The Silver and Bronze medals awarded to Chattanooga and Glendalough confirm that both innovation and tradition are thriving in the unaged space.
As more distilleries highlight the quality of their base spirit, expect this category to grow in both depth and prestige—proving that remarkable flavour doesn’t always require years in oak.
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All 2025 World Whisky Awards Gold Medalists
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