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5th October 2009 |
Jim Murray’s World Whisky Awards 2010.
 Straight Rye Whiskey, the spirit of
choice in pre-prohibition America and
immortalized in Humphrey Bogart films,
has been given top billing in the
coveted Jim Murray's Whisky Bible World
Whisky Awards for 2010.
International whisky authority Jim
Murray has named Sazerac Rye 18 year old
as the finest whisky in the world after
tasting almost 1000 new whiskies since
April. It scooped the World Whisky of
the Year title by gaining 97.5 points,
only the second time such a score has
been achieved.
Announced to coincide with the
publication of the 2010 edition of 'Jim
Murray's Whisky Bible', which contains
tasting notes on over 3,850 of the
world's whiskies, Sazerac’s success
marks the return of a whiskey style that
all but disappeared from the
marketplace. Following the repeal of
Prohibition, American drinkers had
developed a taste for lighter spirits,
resulting in a boom for bourbon and
Canadian whiskies, while straight rye
fell by the wayside.
Jim Murray comments, "A decade ago I
wrote that it was likely that there
would be a renaissance in rye whiskey. I
recognised that the combination of big,
bold flavours and subtle, delicate
fruity notes would be appreciated by
connoisseurs, especially those who
prefer smoky Islay single malts. Now
American distillers can't make enough of
it. And in this particular bottling of
Sazerac 18, we have a rye that is not
just at the top of its game, but
reaching previously unknown heights. In
beating all other world whisky types,
Sazerac 18, has set the bar for rye
whiskey and it will be fascinating in
forthcoming years to see what is bottled
to try to at least match it."
Distilled at Buffalo Trace distillery,
Kentucky, Sazerac 18 pipped into second
place one of the smokiest whiskies ever
produced, from the Ardbeg distillery on
Islay.
 Another Award winner likely to cause a
surprise was an Indian Single Malt,
which was awarded the title of World’s
Third Best Whisky. Distilled in
Bangalore, Amrut Fusion scored an
outstanding 97 points. "It makes no
matter where in the world a whisky is
made. If it is magnificent, then it
stands a chance of being recognized in
the Whisky Bible Awards. Amrut have been
bottling astonishing whisky for a few
years now. But this particular bottling
just made my hairs stand on end. It is
hard to find a whisky with better
balance. India has unquestionably
arrived as a whisky nation” added
Murray.
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Category winners
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 Scotch Whisky of the Year:
Ardbeg
Supernova
Single Malt of the Year (Multiple cask):
Ardbeg Supernova
Single Malt of the Year (Single cask):
Glenfarclas 1962 (3rd release)
Best Scotch New Brand:
Glenmorangie
Sonnalta PX
Scotch Blend of the Year:
Ballentine’s
17 Years Old
Scotch Grain of the Year:
Duncan Taylor
North British 1978
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Single Malt Scotch
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 No Age
Statement (Multiple cask):
Ardbeg Supernova
No Age
Statement (runner up):
Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX
10 Years and
Under (Multiple cask):
Octomore 5 Years Old
10 Years and
Under (Single cask):
SMWS
7717 (Glen Ord)
11-15 Years
Old (Multiple cask):
Tomintoul 14 Years Old
11-15 Years Old (Single cask):
Isle of
Arran Sherry 353
16-21 Years Old (Multiple cask):
Glen
Grant 1992
16-21 Years
Old (Single cask):
Glendronach 1992 Cask 401
22-27 Years Old (Multiple cask):
Brora
25 Years Old 7th Release
22-27 Years
Old (Single cask):
Cadenhead’s Benriach 23YO
28-34 Years Old (Multiple cask):
Highland Park 30 Years Old
28-34 Years Old (Single cask):
Douglas
Laing Glendcadem 32YO
 35-40 Years
Old (Multiple cask):
Glenglassaugh 40 Years Old
35-40 Years Old (Single cask):
Whisky
Fair Glen Grant 36 YO
41 Years and Over (Multiple cask):
Glenfiddich 50 Years Old
41 Years and
Over (Single cask):
Glenfarclas 1962 Release III
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Blended Scotch
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 No Age Statement (Standard):
Ballentine’s Finest
No Age Statement (Premium):
The Last
Drop
5-12 Years:
Johnnie Walker Black Label
13-18 Years:
Ballentine’s 17 Year Old
18 Years &
Over:
Chivas Regal 25 Years Old
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Irish Whiskey of the Year
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Redbreast Aged 12 Years
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American Whiskey
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Bourbon of the Year:
George T Stagg
(144.8)
Rye of the Year:
Sazerac 18 Years Old
(Fall 2008)
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Bourbon
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 No Age Statement (Multiple barrel):
Parker’s Golden Anniversary
No Age Statement (Single barrel):
Blanton’s Single Barrel 316
9 Years & Under:
Jim Beam Black Aged 8
Years
10-12 Years:
Wild Turkey Russell’s
Reserve
13-17 Years Old (multiple Barrels):
George T Stagg (144.8)
13-17 Years Old (Single Barrel):
Buffalo Trace Experimental Course Grain
18 Years & Over:
Evan Williams 23 Years Old
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Rye
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10 Years & Younger:
Jim Beam Rye
11 Years & Older:
Sazerac 18 Years Old
(Fall 2008)
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Canadian Whisky of the Year
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Wiser’s Red Letter
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Japanese Whisky of the Year
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SMWS 116.4 (Yoichi)
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European Whisky
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European Whisky of the Year:
Santis
Malt Highlander Dreifaltaigkeit
European Single Cask Whisky of the Year:
Penderyn Port Wood Single Cask
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World Whiskies
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Indian Whisky of the Year:
Amrut Fusion
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New In The 2010 Whisky Bible
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To mark the sheer quality and standard
of whisky making around the world Jim
Murray has created a new Liquid Gold
Award for all whiskies scoring 94 points
and above. Representing 10% of all the
whiskies featured in the '2010 Whisky
Bible' they are, says Murray "the elite;
the very finest you can find on whisky
shelves around the world. Rare and
precious they are liquid gold".
A full account of the 2010 World Whisky
Awards can be found in Jim Murray's
Whisky Bible 2010 published today (5th
October 2009). And with nearly 4000
tasting notes, including 946 of the very
latest releases, the 'Whisky Bible'
remains the definitive and most up to
date guide available.
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Where To Buy The Whisky Bible 2010
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The Whisky Bible is published by Dram Good Books
and is available from:
Copies signed by the author Jim Murray can be obtained from
www.whiskybible.com
for only £10.99
Available from
Amazon for £7.14 with free
delivery.
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