Explore the top whiskies of the year, as judged at the World Whiskies Awards 2025. Each award-winning bottle represents the pinnacle of its style — from single malt and rye to blends and grain expressions. This year’s results showcase global excellence, bold cask innovation, and rising talent from both heritage distilleries and new world producers.
Craft Cask presents full write-ups on each major category — including detailed tasting notes, medal rankings, and style insights.
🔎 Click into any post below to see what set the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners apart.
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Explore the full lineup of winners across all 21 whisky style categories—from American Style and Bourbon to Pot Still, Single Malt, and beyond. Each category highlights the World’s Best selection for 2025, offering insight into regional strengths, production innovations, and flavor trends shaping the global whisky scene. Use the links below to dive into tasting notes, judge insights, and medalist details for each style.
Jack Daniel’s Triple Mash (United States)
A Tennessee blend with baked apple and caramel, showcasing banana-bread sweetness and classic spice.
U.S. brands dominate, but international distillers are innovating in this style.
Three Ships Bourbon Cask (South Africa)
A smooth Cape blend with smoked pineapple, caramel, and cornflake sweetness.
South Africa is becoming a serious force in premium blends.
Ichiro’s Malt & Grain 2025 (Japan)
A refined world blend with orchard fruit, honeyed cereal, and spice.
Japanese artistry and world blending shine in limited runs.
GreatDrams "Campbeltown" (Scotland)
A coastal malt blend with briny peat, dried apricot, and toffee.
Independent bottlers spotlight regional Scotch styles.
Old Fitzgerald 2024 VVS (United States)
A 13-year-old Kentucky wheated bourbon rich in oak, cherry, and cocoa.
Extra-aged, allocated bourbons lead the pack.
Winner
Collingwood Double Barreled (Canada)
Notable For
Maplewood stave finishing adds layered sweetness and dried fruit.
2025 Trends
Canadian blends are evolving with creative cask finishes.
Winner
Ironroot Republic Hubris (United States)
Notable For
Port-cask matured corn whiskey with maple, pecan, and roasted corn depth.
2025 Trends
U.S. craft distillers are redefining this niche style.
Winner
Wenzel Whiskey "Sherry" (United States)
Notable For
Sherry-cask finish with raisin, fig, and toasted oak complexity.
2025 Trends
Secondary maturation transforms bourbon into flavor-forward gems.
Winner
Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whisky (United States)
Notable For
A dessert-like liqueur with rich cocoa, roasted nuts, and velvety sweetness.
2025 Trends
Dessert-style liqueurs dominate North America’s flavoured whisky scene.
Winner
Fercullen 15 Single Grain (Ireland)
Notable For
Creamy vanilla and toffee from long bourbon cask maturation.
2025 Trends
Long-aged grain whiskies earn rising respect for elegance and complexity.
Winner
Ve De Di "Pale Ale Mash" (Vietnam)
Notable For
Unaged spirit with brewer’s mash depth: barley, biscuit, and nutty tones.
2025 Trends
Brewer-distillers innovate with young, unaged spirits.
Winner
Redbreast 27 Year Old (Ireland)
Notable For
Tropical fruit, exotic spice, and Port-cask luxury in a 27-year-old Irish classic.
2025 Trends
Aged pot still whiskies define the pinnacle of Irish craftsmanship.
Winner
GrainHenge "Arrowwood" (Canada)
Notable For
Maple syrup cask-finished craft rye with spice, chocolate, and malt.
2025 Trends
Canadian ryes rival American classics with bold creativity.
Winner
Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel (United States)
Notable For
Barrel-strength richness with leather, pecan, and oak complexity.
2025 Trends
Cask strength and single-barrel purity remain elite.
Winner
The Westfalian “2012 TW08” (Germany)
Notable For
Dark chocolate, cherry, espresso, oak spice; sherry-aged single grain.
2025 Trends
Continental Europe excels in expressive grain experiments.
Winner
High Coast “Distillery Exclusive 11” (Sweden)
Notable For
Dried fruit, dark chocolate, espresso; lightly peated and sherry-aged.
2025 Trends
Craft single malts from emerging regions steal the spotlight.
Winner
The GlenAllachie 12 Years Old (Scotland)
Notable For
Marzipan, orchard fruit, sherry richness, and honeyed spice.
2025 Trends
Sherry-led Speyside malts reclaim top-tier prestige.
Winner
Boulder Spirits 2024 Cask Strength (United States)
Notable For
Espresso, black cherry, leather, caramel, and spice from a 4-grain mash.
2025 Trends
Non-Kentucky craft bourbons push innovation and flavor.
Winner
“Stryker” Madeira Cask Finish (United States)
Notable For
BBQ smoke, roasted fruit, dark berry jam, and cocoa; Texas mesquite malt.
2025 Trends
Distinctive cask finishes and regional flair drive small-batch excellence.
Winner
Jack Daniel’s 12 Years Old (United States)
Notable For
Pipe tobacco, maple, banana bread, and charred oak with seasoned maturity.
2025 Trends
JD’s extra-aged bottlings redefine Tennessee whiskey expectations.
Winner
Thy Whisky “Heritage Wheat” (Denmark)
Notable For
Fresh-baked bread, vanilla, floral notes, and white pepper from heirloom Danish wheat.
2025 Trends
International distillers explore wheat with terroir-driven subtlety.
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