The World's Best Scotch—According To The 2025 International Whisky Competition

Forbes

5 hours ago

Aultmore Oloroso Sherry Cask GTR 25 Years Old officially crowned the best whisky in the world
Earlier this month we reported on the best bourbon from this year's International Whisky Competition. To better understand what makes these awards so significant, check out what we wrote here. Of course, as its name implies, IWC evaluates much more than just American juice. Indeed, it dishes out medals across all major global categories of our beloved brown spirit. When it comes to Scotch, the top-scoring entry for 2025 was an absolute shocker. Though not for the reasons you might suspect…
Aultmore 25 Years Old 1st Fill Oloroso Finish earned the highest marks with an impressive showing of 95.10 points. It's a belter of a dram, dispensing a harmonious medley of fresh fig aromas, a spiced pineapple palate and a lingering thread of brioche smothered in Mānuka honey. No surprises that it garnered monumental praise from the expert sippers within the IWC tasting panel.
The stunning thing here is that this marks the second year in a row that Aultmore 25 has taken home the top prize in the Scotch category. It would be an enviable feat for any brand, to be sure. But the achievement is even more remarkable when you consider that Aultmore remains a fairly esoteric label here in the US. If drinkers were more fully aware of its pedigree, they would probably be less inclined to sleep on its success.
The 130-year-old distillery in the heart of Speyside is owned today by John Dewar and Sons (and its parent company, Bacardi). That means much of the 2.1 million liters per year pumping out of its pot stills is reserved for the enduringly popular Blended Scotch line. It also means that Dewar's master blender, Stephanie Macleod is the one in charge of overseeing production here.
And she's nothing short of a legend in the industry. In fact, the IWC has named her 'Master Blender of the Year,' a total of six times–more than anyone else in the competition's 15-year history. Casual Scotch drinkers are well acquainted with her work in bringing Dewar's to market. But connoisseurs also ought to be well-versed in the single malts she crafts for Aberfeldy, Craigellachie and Royal Brackla.
All of those whiskies enjoy wider distribution than Aultmore. At best, the only expression you're going to see of it on American shelves is a 12-year-old liquid defined by its dank and verdant nose. It typically retails for upwards of $60 a bottle.
More recently, Aultmore introduced its Cask Finish Collection. The award winning 25-year-old in question is part of this ongoing series. And considering its unprecedented string of success at IWC, we sure hope it augurs well for more of this malt to make its way Stateside.
'Aultmore is usually all about heralding its spirit and the wood, with little intervention," explains Macleod. "This collection takes a different approach, and shows Aultmore in a contrasting light, while still allowing the distillery's character to shine through.'
To achieve such, Macleod and her team took whisky from refill hogsheads and barrels – which had patiently matured for over two decades – and then entered it into first-fill sherry casks to impart that lasting spiced honey note to each sip. It holds heft and yet simultaneously flaunts a spring-like florality that goes down effortlessly at 46% ABV.
If only there weren't so much effort required in finding a bottle. A spokesperson for the brand says that a 50cl decanter retails for a suggested $500. And for now it's only available in global travel retail in the Asian-Pacific market. If you happen to be passing through an airport in that region anytime soon, keep your eyes peeled. Alternatively, you could always apply to be a judge at next year's International Whisky Competition. They seem to have no trouble getting ahold of this precious nectar.
Stephanie Macleod (right) master blender for John Dewar and Sons—parent company of Aultmore ... More Distillery (Photo by)