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Otago Daily Times
10-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Whisky wins gold at awards
Scapegrace co-founder Daniel McLaughlin (left) and Scapegrace master distiller Anthony Lawry are proud of the new build and what they will make. PHOTO: LAUREN PATTEMORE A local whisky has won gold at the World Drinks Awards. ThunderDonk, a new flavoured whisky from Scapegrace Distilling, is earning global recognition just weeks after launching, taking top honours. ThunderDonk spiced maple was awarded gold and named country winner as the top liqueur from New Zealand. ThunderDonk Salted Caramel was also recognised, earning a silver medal. The World Drinks Awards are a prestigious global competition which celebrates excellence across the drinks industry. At this year's edition thousands of entries were tasted and critiqued by an expert panel of judges. "We launched ThunderDonk with a bold vision, to create the best-tasting flavoured whisky in the world, and we're beyond thrilled to see it recognised on the global stage," Scapegrace co-founder Daniel McLaughlin said. "These awards are a testament to the incredible team behind the product as well as the dedication that went into developing this bold and boundary-pushing flavoured whisky." The win means ThunderDonk spiced maple will advance to the final stage of the competition, where winners will go head-to-head to determine the coveted world's best titles, set to be announced on June 4. ThunderDonk is crafted using single-malt whisky from Scapegrace's distillery in Central Otago. The drink blends aged whisky with flavour-forward innovation to deliver a balance of sweet, savoury and spice. "Flavoured whisky is booming globally, and ThunderDonk is here to shake things up. ''It has a name that captures its spirit and it's designed to be shared and enjoyed, whether neat, in a cocktail, or as a chilled shot." Scapegrace Gin was awarded World's Best London Dry Gin at the prestigious International Wine & Spirits Competition in London in 2018. All Scapegrace spirits are crafted at New Zealand's largest distillery, purpose-built by the brand on the banks of Lake Dunstan in Central Otago. — APL
Forbes
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Best American Whiskey From The 2025 World Whiskies Awards
Jack Daniel's whiskey products on display at the Visitor Center of the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. (Photo by: Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) The World Whiskies Awards (WWA), part of the prestigious World Drinks Awards program, are organized by The Drinks Report, a division of Paragraph Publishing, an industry leader in beverage media. The awards recognize the very best in all internationally recognized styles of whisky. Below are brief descriptions and tasting notes on the whiskeys that have already been judged as The World's Best and the Best American Whiskeys in their respective categories. Each year, whiskies from around the globe, including various categories of American whiskeys, are rigorously blind judged by an independent panel of the world's top whisky experts to determine the best in each category and, ultimately, the best in the world. Judging American whiskeys at the World Whiskies Awards involves a multi-stage process, with the initial judging round held in Kentucky and the final round in Washington, DC. The whiskeys are judged on appearance, nose, taste, finish, balance, character, and complexity. American whiskeys at the WWA are judged across several categories, reflecting the diversity of the American whiskey landscape. The five main whiskey categories are Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, Rye Whiskey, Corn Whiskey, and Single Malt Whiskey. At the end of the judging process, awards are given to the category winners. The top whiskies from each category are then re-judged at a final round in London in February to find the 'World's Best' in various overarching global categories like the World's Best Whisky or the World's Best Single Malt. This week, the World Whiskies Awards will announce the final 2025 World Whisky Awards results. Below is a summary and tasting notes for the 2025 American Whiskey Category Winners. The following American whiskeys have won the World's Best 2025 accolades in their respective categories. The Old Fitzgerald 2024 Very Very Special (VVS) offers a rich, velvety texture with a harmonious blend of caramel, toasted oak, and hints of dark chocolate, underpinned by a subtle spiciness and a long, smooth finish. For an in-depth look at Old Fitzerald 2024 VVS, see America's Top Bourbon Crowned at the 2025 World Whiskies Awards. The other finalist was Old Elk High Malt Straight Bourbon, 46% ABV, 750 ml. The Jack Daniel's Bonded Triple Mash showcases a robust profile with intertwined flavors of caramel, ripe orchard fruits, and rye spice, complemented by a smooth, lingering finish marked by toasted oak and vanilla notes. See also The World's Best Tennessee Whiskey. The other finalists were Storm King Side Gig, 45% ABV, 750 ml, and Jacob's Pardon Small Batch #3, 71.4% ABV, 750 ml. Jack Daniel's Tennessee 12 Years Old Batch #2 delivers a rich and complex flavor profile, featuring deep notes of caramelized sugar, toasted oak, and dark fruits, enhanced by a bold, warm finish with a hint of spice and smoke. The other finalist was Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition Batch #32, 59% ABV, 750 ml. The team from Jack Daniel's accepting their awards at the 2025 World Whiskies Awards (USA) Wenzel Sherry Cask Bourbon offers a rich, luxuriously smooth palate of dark cherries, dried fruits, and sweet sherry, underscored by spicy undertones and a long, oaky finish. The other finalist was Highline Double Oaked Bourbon, 55% ABV, 750 ml. Boulder Spirits 2024 Cask Strength Bourbon presents a robust and intense experience, with vibrant notes of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak, balanced by a spicy rye kick and a lingering, warm finish. See also The World's Best Small batch and Single Barrel Bourbons The other finalist was 1792 Small Batch 46.8% ABV, 750 ml. Blanton's Straight From The Barrel bursts with bold flavors of dark chocolate, dried fruits, and a mix of baking spices, complemented by a rich, oaky undertone and a fiery, enduring finish. The other finalist was Tumblin' Dice Single Barrel Bourbon, 56.9% ABV, 750 ml. Here are the category winners who won Best American Whiskey in their categories and are vying for the World's Best accolade against other world whiskies. Old Fitzgerald 2024 VVS (Very Very Special) 13 YO Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon was selected as the World's Best Bourbon The other finalist was Mary Dowling Whiskey Company Winter Wheat, 45.5% ABV, 750 ml. The other finalists were Highline Triple Rye, 48.5% ABV, 750 ml, and Sazerac 18 YO, 45% ABV, 750 ml. See also The World Best American Rye Whiskey. The other finalist was Distillery 291 Whiskey Barrel Proof Single Barrel, 67.4% ABV, 750 ml. The other finalist was Keeper's Heart Irish + Bourbon Cask Strength, 59% ABV, 750 ml. The other finalist was Westland Garryana Edition 9, 50% ABV, 750 ml. The other finalists were Boulder Spirits Leave No Trace, 53.5% ABV, 750 ml, and The Notch Nantucket, 15 Years Old, 48% ABV, 750 ml. The other finalist was Hogback Wallace Collection Peated Single Malt Barrel #39, 62.4% ABV 750 ml. The 2025 WWA underscores that American whiskey is thriving, with bold experimentation and innovation from new craft distillers to legacy producers pushing American whiskey's aroma and taste boundaries. The best of American whiskey is genuinely world-class and well worth exploring. Stay tuned for upcoming, exclusive coverage of the final results of the world's best whiskies from the World Whiskies Awards.
