Top Irish Single Malt Whiskey, According To The SF World Spirits Competition
Irish single malt whiskey is one of the fastest-growing whiskey categories worldwide. Five whiskeys are finalists for the World's Best Irish Single Malt Whiskey at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes for the finalists.
This 21-year-old Knappogue Castle is a limited-edition single malt Irish whiskey that blends a 21-year-old and a 23-year-old single malt. Each was distilled in copper pot stills, matured in ex-bourbon casks, and bottled without chill filtration.
The nose exhibits ripe orchard fruit notes of apple and pear, fresh-baked croissants and pastries, subtle clove, baked apple spices, and toasted oak. The whiskey is smooth and rich on the palate, showcasing cooked cereal and malt, baked apple pie, dried orchard fruit, cinnamon, and clove spices. The finish is long and smooth, leaving lingering notes of cooked cereal, digestive biscuits, and dried fruit.
This expression combines 14-year-old single malts aged in ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry casks.
The whiskey presents aromas of apple, apricot, caramel, and vanilla on the nose. It is rich on the palate, showcasing fruity, nutty, and vanilla notes. The finish is medium to long and slightly dry, with lingering hints of dried fruit and digestive biscuit.
Teeling is one of Ireland's largest and most innovative craft distilleries. This single malt whiskey matures in five wine casks: Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The nose features aromas of tropical fruit, chocolate, butterscotch, and vanilla. The whiskey has a rich and creamy mouthfeel, showcasing a fruit cocktail of orchard fruit, tropical fruit, red berries, bittersweet chocolate, and subtle wood spices. The finish is long and rich, with hints of oak and lingering tropical fruit notes.
Colorful orange and red doors and shutters on a warehouse at the Middleton Distillery in Cork, Ireland
Killowen Distillery, one of Ireland's smallest craft producers, matures this peated single malt in ex-bourbon casks and finishes it in Pedro Ximénez sherry butts as well as Killowen's dark rum casks.
The whiskey's nose is smoky and slightly sweet, presenting fresh apple juice, molasses, and fruitcake notes. It is rich and flavorful, showcasing sweet apples, brown sugar, and dried fruits, particularly dark and golden raisins and figs, all layered with a balanced smoky note and hints of dark rum. The finish is long, with lingering notes of cold smoke and sweet dried fruit.
Limavady Single Malt is a single-barrel, single-malt Irish whiskey aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
The nose presents sweet, dried fruit, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, candied lemon zest, and faint herbal notes. The palate is rich and robust, showcasing flavors of dried fruit, mint, and hints of cinnamon candy. The finish is medium to long, with lingering notes of dried fruit and candied cinnamon.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one of the world's most respected and influential spirits competitions. Founded in 2000, it brings together a panel of seasoned industry experts—including master distillers, spirits journalists, and bar professionals—to perform blind tastings across various spirit categories.
Awards from the SFWSC are highly coveted, often serving as a benchmark for quality and craftsmanship within the global spirits industry. Its rigorous judging process and international prestige make it a valuable platform for emerging and established brands.
The 2025 SFWSC Irish single malt finalists showcase the diverse range of contemporary Irish single malt whiskey. These finalists feature well-aged heavyweights alongside younger, innovative cask-finished expressions. With price points ranging from $213 to $55, these whiskeys demonstrate that excellence isn't reserved for high-end bottles. Together, they highlight the remarkable breadth and creativity of contemporary Irish single malt whiskey. All these whiskeys are exceptional and well worth sampling.
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