The World's Best Whiskey—According To The 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Awards

Forbes

25-05-2025

Old Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Ireland
We spend a lot of time here reporting on results from the San Francisco Spirits Competition. It might seem excessive, but it's for good reason: this is unequivocally one of the most influential annual judgings in the booze industry. Brands no less significant than Tito's Vodka, Don Julio tequila, and--most recently--Talisker single malt scotch, have seen their statures soar after taking home top prizes in SF.
This year will be no different. And the esteemed judges have already submitted their scores over a three day tasting that convened in mid-April. Still, we'll have to wait until autumn and the 2025 Top Shelf Gala in order to find out who takes home the coveted 'Best of Class' trophies in all the major categories.
In the meantime, we've received exclusive intel on the whiskey maker that's amassed more awards than anyone else. In fact, with 40 total entries earning medals, Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Ireland can now boast of besting all other spirit producers on the planet at the 2025 SF World Spirits Competition. Here's everything you need to know about--and pour from--the legendary 200 year-old operation.
Old Midleton Distillery, with its elegant stone facade, was originally a woolen mill in the late 18th century. By 1825 it had taken on life as a whiskey production and maturation site, aided by its proximity to a pristine, readily flowing source of fresh water. It sits on over 15 acres of land and was one of the biggest producers in the world by the time it was shuttered in 1975.
It was immediately replaced by a bigger facility, updated for the modern world. The 'new' Midleton Distillery, on an adjacent tract of land, isn't actually all that new anymore. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the facility produces Jameson, the best-selling brand of Irish whiskey the world has ever known:. And that's not nearly all. Here, beside the banks of the Dungourney River, you'll find thousands of barrels worth of Powers aging patiently in the warehouse alongside the most celebrated labels of single pot still Irish: Redbreast, Green Spot, Yellow Spot, and--of course--Midleton Very Rare.
Earlier this year, that eponymous label released the sixth and final chapter in its Rare Silent Distillery Collection. This supremely limited release exists as some of the last liquid ever to be distilled at Old Midleton. It also happens to be the oldest single pot still whiskey ever. Which is why you won't find it for less than $60,000 a bottle--if you even find it at all.
Your best chance of tracking it down it is by heading directly to the source in County Cork, Ireland. In 1992, Old Midleton was converted into a visitor's center and gift shop. Although ubiquitous now, at the time it was rather radical to position a distillery as a tourist destination. Today, the place welcomes more than 100,000 visitors a year, making it one of Ireland's biggest attractions.
Meanwhile, the current distillery is an absolute workhorse, capable of producing 64 million liters of new-make spirit per year. Compare that to Bushmills: even after doubling its capacity in 2023, the legendary Northern Irish whiskey maker churns out a meager 11 million liters per annum.
But out of all that 64 million liters worth of potential whiskey coming out of Midleton every year, the top three bottles for my money are as follows…
Will any of these bottlings take home the highest honor in San Francisco? We'll soon see. For now, we know that of the 40 entries earning medals this year, a full nine of them are finalists for 'Best of Class' at Top Shelf this fall. There are also 21 Double Gold winners, to go along with nine platinum honorees. Follow along as we reveal more exclusive details in the days ahead.
The giant still of the Midleton distillery, the largest distillery in Ireland. Images and captions ... More taken from the book La Magie du Whisky. | Location: Midleton, Ireland. (Photo by David Lefranc/Kipa/Sygma via Getty Images)