Latest news with #WellerAntique107
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
These Are The Best Bourbons Of 2025 (So Far)
Here are a few of the bourbons taking hope the top prizes this year at the world's biggest spirit competitions. Sophia Lindenberger Let's get one thing straight right off the bat—there are a ton of great bourbons out there right now. From everyday shelf staples to unicorn bottles that drive aficionados into a frenzy, 2025 has been yet another incredible year for bourbon lovers. It seems that everywhere you turn, America's homegrown spirit is making its presence felt in force. Drink menus feature bourbon cocktails, and back bars are brimming with bottles, while liquor store shelves are overflowing. However, with so many choices, finding a truly exceptional pour can feel overwhelming. Luckily, we've got a cheat sheet: the annual spirits competitions. Each year, thousands of bourbons are blind tasted by expert judges from around the globe. If a bottle rises to the top at one of these events, you know it's worth your time—and your glass. Here's a roundup of the bourbons that have wowed the most rigid panels in the business this year, so far. If this is just the first half of the year, I'm eager to see what the next six months have in store. Enjoy. Award: Spirit of the Year, Whiskey of the Year, and Best Spirit by Quality – 2025 London Spirits Competition (LSC) When a single bourbon cleans house across multiple categories like this, you pay attention. Weller Antique 107 isn't new to bourbon fans; it's a wheated powerhouse from the Buffalo Trace team that has earned a cult following due to its sweet flavors, which pair perfectly with its 107-proof bottling. Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 25th Anniversary Edition Bourbon Award: World's Best Bourbon – 2025 World Whiskies Awards (WWA) Old Fitz is no stranger to accolades, but this year's 25th Anniversary release took things to another level. A limited-release bottling that commemorates the year independent bourbon powerhouse Heaven Hill purchased the brand, it's a wheated bourbon that's elegant, complex, and rooted in tradition. Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Traditional Barrel Series Wheated Bourbon Award: Double Gold – 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) As part of Heaven Hill's push to highlight its grain sourcing and transparency, this wheated bourbon made an impression in San Francisco. It's a thoughtful whiskey that still packs a punch despite its heavy wheat mash bill, and it helped Heaven Hill rack up a jaw-dropping ten Double Golds overall. It's also a finalist for the competition's coveted World's Best Whiskey Award. Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon Award: Straight Bourbon of the Year – 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards This one's another Heaven Hill brand and a personal favorite of mine. The twice-barreled expression is an exceptional Small Batch Bourbon that offers a toasted barrel finish, adding an extra layer of richness and spice that complements Elijah Craig's base profile beautifully. Green River Full Proof Bourbon Award: Small Batch Bourbon of the Year – 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards Relaunched in 2016, Green River Whiskey holds one of Kentucky's oldest distilling licenses and is on the rise. Its first expressions were released in 2022, and this full-proof bottling proves why it should be sought out. It's bold, it's well-balanced, and it's an absolute steal for the quality it delivers. You can expect to hear more about this distillery. 1792 Aged 12 Years Straight Bourbon Award: Double Gold – 2025 SFWSC Launched in 2002, the 1792 brand has steadily built a reputation for quality and craftsmanship, racking up awards along the way. This 12-year expression is a perfect example of what they do best: craft deep, mature bourbons loaded with flavor. It's Double Gold confirms that it's a game changer, and it would be a perfect addition to any collection. 15 STARS First West Extra Aged Straight Bourbon Award: Double Gold – 2025 SFWSC For the last few years, 15 STARS has been pulling in numerous accolades for their exceptional bourbons, and this bottle shows they aren't resting on their laurels. Made from a blend of bourbons aged 15, 9, and 7 years, it's a beauty that took home a Double Gold at the SFWSC and is in the running to take home the event's top prize. Augusta Distillery Buckner's 15-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon Award: Double Gold – 2025 SFWSC, Double Gold-New York International Spirits Competition Buckner's has been quietly building a reputation for its amazing, limited-release bourbons. This 15-year Single Barrel is bottled at cask strength and stood out to judges at multiple events this year due to its bold, rich, and deep flavors. 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirits Co. Bourbon Award: Double Gold – 2025 SFWSC Colorado bourbon is no joke, I should know, I lived there for two decades. Distilled high in the Rocky Mountains in the legendary ski town of Vail, 10th Mountain brings altitude and attitude to the table. This award for their mainline bourbon demonstrates that they are crafting some truly exceptional liquid that drinkers should seek out. Frank August Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey Award: Gold Outstanding – 2025 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) Based in Kentucky, Frank August operates more like an independent curator than a traditional distillery. They source top-tier whiskey and finish it with meticulous attention to detail and elegance. Their Small Batch Bourbon reminds you why the category exists. Each bottle is brimming with flavors, earning an almost perfect score of 98 points at the IWSC. W.L. Weller 12 Year Bourbon Award: Gold Outstanding – 2025 IWSC One of the most sought-after wheated bourbons out there, the liquid inside spends twelve years aging to maturity before it is deemed worthy of release. A smooth sipper, it was one of five bourbons to earn Gold Outstanding at the IWSC this year and is a finalist for its Whiskey of the Year award. King's Family Tennessee Standard Bourbon Award: Gold Outstanding – 2025 IWSC Tennessee is often overlooked in the bourbon world, even though it's home to one of the world's largest whiskey brands, Jack Daniel's. But it would be a mistake to write off the Volunteer State; some great bourbons are made there. This bottle from relative newcomer King's Family is crafted with a 99% corn mash bill that has been aged for six years, resulting in an elegant liquid that makes a compelling case for Tennessee bourbon. Praedictum 15-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Award: Gold Outstanding – 2025 IWSC This rare bourbon was created by Bill Foley, the owner of the NHL Las Vegas Golden Knights, to celebrate their Stanley Cup victory. But don't think of it as a gimmick bottling, Foley is a legend in the wine industry and has been crafting superb bourbon under his Charles Goodnight Whiskey brand for almost a decade. Only 600 cases of this 112-proof barrel strength award winner were made. Hudson Bright Lights, Big Bourbon Award: Gold Outstanding – 2025 IWSC For over two decades, Hudson Whiskey has been crafting great bourbons in the most unlikely of places, New York. Bright Lights, Big Bourbon is distilled from New York corn and aged for a minimum of three years in new charred American oak barrels. The resultant liquid is full of grain-forward flavors with a sweet finish. A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Bourbon Batch #4 Award: Best Bourbon & Best American Whiskey – 2025 International Whisky Competition (IWC) Virginia's oldest distillery hit a home run with this one. At over 97 points, it nearly took Whisky of the Year finishing second at one of the most prestigious events out there, the International Whisky Competition. Bottled at 139.7 proof, it is a cask-strength bomb that quickly sold out in an online lottery the distillery held in early 2025. If you can find a bottle, grab it; it's sure to become a collector's item. King's Family Distillery Wheated Bourbon Award: Double Gold (96 pts) – 2025 NYISC Another win for King's Family, showing they're not a one-hit wonder. This wheated expression is made from a mash bill of 51% corn, 45% wheat, and 4% malted barley, and was aged for at least four years before bottling. It's a soft, sweet bourbon that's readily available in the market. Jefferson's Bourbon Ocean Aged At Sea Voyage 31 Award: Double Gold (96 pts) – 2025 NYISC Jefferson's Bourbon founder, Trey Zoeller, has been called the mad scientist of bourbon due to his refusal to follow the rules. His most fantastic idea was to pack up his bourbon and send it across the planet, ageing inside custom containers on ships to create something unheard of before he did it. Well, it worked, and his Ocean's lineup has been turning heads since. Voyage 31 has yet to be released, but it's sure to deliver something special. Garrison Brothers Guadalupe Bourbon Award: Double Gold (96 pts) – 2025 NYISC As one of the leaders in the surging Texas bourbon market, Garrison Brothers is renowned for crafting exceptional releases that showcase the distinct character of the Lone Star State. It's Guadalupe Bourbon spent four years in American oak and then finished for two years in imported port casks. The final liquid is rich, round, and filled with fruit flavors. Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon Award: Best of Class Bourbon – 2025 ADI International Spirits Competition This highly regarded finished bourbon from Joseph Magnus is celebrated for its complex layering of flavors. That's due to its marriage of different bourbons aged in Armagnac, Sherry, and Cognac casks separately before being blended into a sumptuous bottling. Being named Best of Class Bourbon only validates that it is something special. Follow here for the most up to date information about the ever changing beer, wine and spirits industry. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes How To Read A Bourbon Label By Hudson Lindenberger Forbes Athletic Brewing's Non-Alcoholic Beer Boom: Big Growth Ahead By Hudson Lindenberger Forbes Matthew And Camila McConaughey's Pantalones Tequila Goes Global By Hudson Lindenberger
Forbes
22-04-2025
- General
- Forbes
The World's Best Whiskey Is A Bourbon, According To The London Spirit Competition
W.L. Weller Antique 107 Bourbon Buffalo Trace Distilery In the world of whiskey, few names stir up as much reverence—and market frenzy—as W.L. Weller. And now, with W.L. Weller Antique 107 clinching "Spirit of the Year" and "Best Spirit by Quality" at the 2025 London Spirits Competition, the bourbon world just got another loud, clear reminder: this wheated whiskey isn't just riding coattails—it's setting the pace. Let's be clear—this isn't a fluke. The judges didn't just fall for pretty packaging or clever branding. They were swayed by what insiders have been saying for years: Weller 107 is the real deal. Rich, layered, and unapologetically bold, it's a bourbon that manages to walk the tightrope between power and elegance. Crafted at the storied Buffalo Trace Distillery, Weller 107 shares a family tree with the famed—and nearly mythical—Van Winkle line. They spring from the same mash bill, one that trades rye's spicy punch for wheat's soft sweetness. A choice originally masterminded by the legendary Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle himself and embraced by William Larue Weller who the Weller line is named after. The result? A spirit that leans into caramel, vanilla, and oak with a texture that coats the palate like velvet. Buffalo Trace isn't just another distillery—it's the beating heart of American bourbon. Perched along the banks of the Kentucky River in Frankfort, it has been producing whiskey for over 200 years, surviving wars, recessions, and even Prohibition (thanks to a medicinal whiskey license). Today, it's the engine behind a powerhouse portfolio that includes not just Weller and Van Winkle but modern legends like Eagle Rare, Blanton's, and E.H. Taylor. What sets Buffalo Trace apart isn't just history—it's an obsessive focus on consistency, innovation, and quality that continues to define the industry standard. The W.L Weller Antique lineup. Buffalo Trace Distilery That same commitment is on full display in Weller 107. Bottled at a commanding 107 proof, this is not a whiskey for the faint of heart. It delivers a big, expressive profile—honeyed richness, dark fruit complexity, and a warming spice finish—that's best appreciated neat and with a moment of reverence. Unlike many super-premium bourbons, Weller 107 doesn't sport an age statement—that's by design. Instead of being locked into arbitrary numbers, Buffalo Trace's master blenders let taste dictate the timing, pulling barrels when they're peaking rather than when the calendar says so. That approach is paying off—in awards, acclaim, and sky-high demand. Which brings us to the catch: good luck finding it. Once a sleeper hit on shelves, Weller 107 is now a unicorn bottle. Thanks to limited releases and a collector market gone wild, prices on the secondary market have soared, often reaching multiples of MSRP. What was once a bourbon for the people has become, in many circles, a status symbol. Still, at its core, Weller 107 remains what it's always been: a link to bourbon's heritage, a product of patience and intention, and a testament to what happens when tradition meets taste. Whether it ends up opened on a special night or tucked away in a locked cabinet, one thing's sure: this bottle means business. Follow here for the most up to date information about the ever changing beer, wine, and spirits industry.
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The World's Best Bourbon, According To The London Spirits Competition
Glass of whisky with ice, sitting on the American Flag. getty American whiskeys resounded at the 8th annual International London Spirits Competition (ILSC), dominating the whisky category and securing top honors for several bourbon expressions. The 2025 competition, which attracted several thousand submissions from over 30 countries, was a testament to the exceptional quality of American whiskeys. Below is a detailed account of the various American whisky category winners. According to Sid Patel, CEO of ILSC: This year's judging panel was a powerhouse of over 70 top industry experts, including Master Distillers, Master Blenders, Mixologists, and elite buyers. The panel featured renowned names like Dr. Emma Walker, Master Blender at Johnnie Walker, and Craig Wallace, Whisky Creation Leader and Master Blender at Diageo. W. L. Weller Antique 107 took top honors as the 2025 Spirit of the Year and Best Spirit by Quality. The Weller Antique 107, a wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace Distillery, stands out in the highly regarded Weller line. Bottled at 107 proof/53.5% ABV, it offers a robust expression of the Weller profile and shares some DNA with the legendary Pappy Van Winkle, making it a unique and sought-after whiskey. The nose features rich aromas of dark fruit, cinnamon, and vanilla, with hints of caramel and oak. It's full-bodied on the palate, with warm spice, cherry, toffee, and baking spices. The wheat lends a smooth, slightly creamy texture. The finish is long and spicy, with lingering notes of cinnamon, oak, and a touch of sweetness. Weller Antique 107 is a perennial winner in international spirit competitions and is widely considered one of the world's great whiskeys. Its balance of heat, sweetness, and depth is exceptional. The whiskey is in high demand and difficult to find at retail, typically selling at a substantial premium to its list price. Barrels of Bourbon aging in a warehouse getty Lancaster Craft Spirits Distillery, Ale Cask Rare Bourbon, was the Straight Bourbon of the Year. Lancaster's Ale Cask Rare Bourbon is a limited-release, 6 YO straight bourbon that showcases the distillery's innovative approach to barrel finishing. Initially aged in #4 char American white oak barrels, the bourbon undergoes an extended finishing period of over a year in barrels previously used for their Scottish-style Wee Heavy Ale, known as Shaggy Bullz. The bourbon is fruity, with distinctive vanilla, nuts, and seasoned oak notes. It's buttery smooth on the palate with a rich, full-bodied texture featuring vanilla and toasted oak, complemented by praline pecan and caramelized fruit flavors. The influence of the ale cask imparts malted sweetness and dried fruit characteristics, enhancing the bourbon's complexity. This bourbon is bottled at 94 proof/47% ABV and reflects Lancaster Craft Spirits' dedication to blending traditional distilling techniques with creative barrel finishing methods. Finishing in ale casks adds a unique dimension to the bourbon, making it a distinctive offering for enthusiasts seeking novel flavor experiences. Sazerac 1792 Single Barrel was the Single Barrel Bourbon of the Year. 1792 Single Barrel Bourbon, a premium expression from Sazerac's Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, is a bourbon crafted from a high-rye mash bill, though the exact proportions are undisclosed. Each bottle originates from a single, hand-selected barrel deemed exceptional by the distillery, resulting in unique flavor profiles across different releases, making each bottle a distinct tasting journey. Aromas of vanilla, caramel, and oak are prominent on the nose, accompanied by subtle hints of cinnamon, baking spices, and dried fruit notes. The palate offers a harmonious blend of vanilla, caramel, and oak, with varying degrees of milk chocolate, plum, and sweet pastry flavors depending on the barrel. The mouthfeel is typically creamy and full-bodied. The finish is medium to long, featuring notes of fudge, nutmeg, and hazelnut, with lingering spice notes. 1792 Single Barrel Bourbon features a rich and complex flavor profile, offering a flavorful dram for bourbon enthusiasts. Its unique characteristics, derived from individual barrels, make each bottle a distinct tasting journey. Priced around $40–$50, it's also compelling for those seeking quality bourbon without a hefty price tag. A gloved worker seals a bottle of Maker's Mark whiskey at the distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. | Location: Loretto, Kentucky, USA. getty Maker's Mark Star Hill Farm Whisky was the Wheat Whisky of the Year and the Whiskey Producer of the Year. Maker's Mark Star Hill Farm Whisky is the distillery's first wheat whisky, marking its first new mash bill in over 70 years. Named after the 1,100-acre Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky, this release emphasizes regenerative agriculture and estate-grown grains. The mash bill is a blend of two recipes—one with 70% soft red winter wheat and 30% malted barley, and another with 100% malted soft red winter wheat. This results in a combined mash bill of 61% wheat, 20% malted wheat, and 19% malted barley. The whiskey is a blend of seven- and eight-year-old whiskeys, distilled and barreled in 2016 and 2017, and is bottled at a cask strength of 114.7 proof/ 57.35% ABV. It's scheduled for release in May 2025 at an RRSP of $100 for a 750 ml bottle. The release carries the Estate Whiskey Certification from the University of Kentucky's Estate Whiskey Alliance, highlighting its commitment to local sourcing and sustainable production. Sazerac Early Times was the Blended American Whiskey of the Year. The whisky has a bourbon DNA but is aged in a combination of new and used oak barrels and is classified as an American whiskey. Templeton Rye Whiskey Single Barrel was the Rye Whiskey of the Year. Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey was the Tennessee Whiskey of the Year, while Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Whiskey Batch 905 was the Single Barrel American Whiskey of the Year. The American whiskeys that took top honors at the 2025 International London Spirits Competition are an eclectic blend of legacy and craft whiskey producers, featuring historic brands and new whiskey expressions. These whiskeys are outstanding and worth trying, especially the new and craft expressions. See also The World's Best Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, According to the London Spirits Competition.
