The World's Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky, According To The World Whiskies Awards

Forbes

26-03-2025

The World Whiskies Awards is one of the most prestigious whisky competitions in the world.
Photo, courtesy World Whiskies Awards
The World Whiskies Awards (WWA) have released their list of the world's best single malt whiskies. The winners are an eclectic mix of distillers from Scotland, the US, and Sweden. Below are backgrounds and tasting notes on the single malt whisky category winners.
The GlenAllachie 12 YO was the World's Best Scotch Whisky. The whisky is a standout expression from GlenAllachie Distillery, located in the heart of Scotland's Speyside region. Under the guidance of industry veteran Billy Walker, the distillery has become a world-class Scotch whisky producer.
Walker, known for his expertise and passionate approach to whisky making, has focused on crafting high-quality single malt scotch whiskies that showcase the unique characteristics of the distillery.
The 12 YO expression is part of the core range and has been meticulously crafted by Walker from hand-selected casks to showcase the GlenAllachie style. It is matured in a combination of Pedro Ximenez (PX), Oloroso Sherry, and virgin oak casks, contributing to its rich flavor and complexity.
The whisky is fruity and aromatic on the nose, featuring honey, butterscotch, and dried fruit notes of raisins and figs. A subtle hint of wood spices, particularly cinnamon and nutmeg, adds complexity. The Sherry influence is unmistakable, manifesting itself in candied orange zest and subtle roasted almond notes.
The whisky is rich, sweet, and full-bodied on the palate. It features a complex array of caramel, creamy vanilla, dark chocolate, and cooked fruits, alongside a spicier profile of black pepper and ginger. The influence of the sherry cask is evident but well-integrated, providing a silky mouthfeel without overpowering the other flavors.
The finish is long and sweet, with a layered complexity of lingering spice, seasoned oak, and slight herbal notes.
The GlenAllachie 12 YO is a beautifully crafted whisky that showcases the distillery's commitment to quality and the skill of its makers. Its balance of sweetness and spice, enriched by the nuanced contributions of different cask types, makes it an excellent addition to any whisky collection. At an average US price of $67, according to Wine Searcher, it's also an outstanding value from one of the world's best single malt Scotch whiskies. See also, How Oak Shapes Scotch Whisky: The GlenAllachie Virgin Oak Series.
American single malt whiskey and ice
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Andalusia Whiskey Company's Stryker Ex Haak Madeira Cask Finished Single Malt was the World's Best Small Batch Single Malt. The craft distillery in Texas is known for producing a range of American single malt whiskies, combining traditional methods with innovative aging techniques to create unique flavor profiles.
This whisky starts as a triple-distilled, Andalusia's Stryker, a smoky American single malt that draws its influence from classic peated Scotch whiskies. The Stryker is known for its bold, smoky character, further enhanced by additional aging in casks that previously held Madeira wine.
This secondary maturation process aims to infuse the whisky with the rich, sweet, and complex profiles typical of Madeira wine, creating a harmonious blend of smoke and dried fruit sweetness.
On the nose, the whiskey features an intriguing combination of peat smoke balanced by rich, dried fruit aromas of figs and raisins, accompanied by caramel, vanilla, some candied citrus zest, and a hint of roasted nuts.
The whisky presents a robust peatiness on the palate, softened by the Madeira sweetness and accompanied by dark chocolate and cooked dark fruits. The texture is smooth and somewhat oily, with a distinctive creaminess and mouth weight that balances the intensity of the smoke.
The finish is long and sweet, with lingering peaty elements, dark dried fruit, and spice notes of cinnamon and clove.
This Stryker whisky from Andalusia Whiskey Company showcases their commitment to craft and innovation. It appeals to whisky enthusiasts who appreciate a complex, layered whisky experience that combines traditional smoky notes with the unexpected richness of Madeira wine cask finishing.
The High Coast Small Batch 11 was the World's Best Single Cask Single Malt Whisky. Unfortunately, the whisky is only available at a handful of Swedish retailers.
High Coast Distillery, previously known as The Box Distillery, is in Ådalen, Sweden. Renowned for its innovative approach to whisky production, High Coast sits near the Ångerman River, where the dramatic seasonal shifts between warm and cold climates and diurnal temperature fluctuations contribute significantly to the maturation process of its whiskies.
GreatDrams is an independent bottler that sources and bottles unique, often limited-edition whiskies. The Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a blend of single malts exclusively from the Campbeltown region, one of Scotland's distinctive whisky-producing areas. Campbeltown was once known as the "whisky capital of the world" with over 30 distilleries; now only a few remain, but they are well regarded for their distinctive, often maritime-influenced Scotch whiskies.
The nose reflects the maritime character of Campbeltown single malts with sea spray, iodine, and a hint of peat smoke accompanied by dried fruit notes of raisins and apricots, vanilla, caramel, a slight nuttiness, and a touch of earthiness.
On the palate, the whisky has the robust character typical of Campbeltown whiskies, featuring salted caramel, brine, candied orange zest, and pronounced peat smoke notes. It's medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a layered complexity from the saline, smoky notes and the richer, sweeter undertones of dried fruits and spices.
The finish is long with a dried fruit sweetness and lingering, maritime, smoky, and slightly oaky notes.
Like others selected or blended by GreatDrams, this whisky is designed to showcase the character and diversity of its source regions while appealing to whisky enthusiasts with its uniqueness and quality.
The 2025 World Whisky Awards showcased an outstanding array of single malt whiskies. While a Scotch whisky took the top honors as The World's Best Single Malt, the presence of an American and Swedish single malt among the category winners is compelling proof that outstanding single malt whisky is being produced worldwide. See The Best American Whiskies for additional coverage of the 2025 World Whiskies Awards and The Top Value Sherried Single Malt Scotch Whisky.