The SF World Spirits Competition Crowns The Top Irish Blended Whiskey

Forbes

20-05-2025

The finalists for the World's Best Blended Irish Whiskey at the 2025 SFWSC
Four Irish whiskeys are finalists for Best Irish Blended Whiskeys at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The SFWSC is one of the world's largest and most prestigious whisky judging events. Whisky enthusiasts and the beverage industry closely follow these events and their results. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes on the finalists. The Top Shelf 2025 Awards Gala, a highly anticipated event in the whiskey industry, will announce the winner on November 9 at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco.
Jameson Crested, formerly known as "Crested Ten," was first introduced in 1963 as Jameson's inaugural bottled whiskey. It is crafted with a higher proportion of pot still whiskey and is significantly influenced by sherry cask maturation. Historically, it has been a blend of 60% pot still and 40% grain whiskey, matured for seven to eight years.
The nose presents a pronounced sherry-matured pot still whiskey aroma, with subtle notes of dried dark fruits, toasted almond, and a hint of marzipan. Delicate sherry and toasted wood, enhanced by fruit, spice, and chocolate notes, are evident on the palate. The finish is long and slightly sweet, with lingering sherry notes.
Assorted bottles of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Jameson Irish Whiskey is produced by Pernod Ricard and is the largest selling Irish Whiskey in the world.
This expression is part of Jameson's Triple Triple range. The triple-distilled whiskey matures in ex-bourbon, sherry, and Malaga wine casks. The three-cask finish introduces a unique sweetness and complexity to the whiskey.
The nose is aromatic and complex, featuring notes of tangerine, honey, sweet bourbon casks, toffee, caramel, papaya, mango, and pineapple. The palate offers a classic sweet Jameson profile, expressing flavors of vanilla, caramel, honey, sweet cream, raisins, tangerine, and orange. The finish is long and smooth, with lingering hints of caramel, mocha, salted nuts, digestive biscuits, and orange zest.
During the 19th century, Dunville's was one of Ireland's best-selling whiskeys and had a strong following in North America. The Echlinville Distillery revived the brand and has quickly established it as a rising star in Irish whiskey.
Dunville's Three Crowns is a premium vintage blend of superior aged whiskeys, finished in Oloroso sherry casks. This expression combines single-grain and single-malt whiskeys. The sherry cask finish adds depth and richness.
The whiskey presents a sweet and aromatic nose, featuring notes of caramel and butterscotch. On the palate, flavors of cooked cereal and malt are complemented by hints of walnut, dried fruit, and seasoned oak. The finish is long, with lingering notes of digestive biscuit and vanilla.
The Triple Chestnut Edition is a recent expansion of the Triple Triple range. This expression incorporates chestnut wood casks into the traditional blend of ex-bourbon and sherry cask maturation. Chestnut wood adds flavors of nuts, bitter chocolate, and dried fruits, enriching the classic Jameson profile and introducing greater complexity.
Distinctive and rich aromas of fudge, vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, chocolate, and subtle notes of dried pear and green apple fill the nose. The whiskey offers a smooth, creamy, and flavorful experience on the palate, showcasing orchard fruit, fudge, vanilla, nuts, caramel, subtle wood spices, and seasoned oak. The long, spicy, and sweet finish features lingering dried fruit notes.
These four whiskeys showcase a range of flavorful and reasonably priced whiskeys. With prices ranging from $31 to $46, these selections demonstrate that excellence isn't necessarily expensive. They showcase the varied flavor profile and breadth of Irish whiskey. To broaden your whiskey horizons, these four standout Irish whiskeys are essential.