The World Whiskies Awards 2024, Icons of Whisky global winners and the induction of three new industry leaders to the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame were announced by Whisky Magazine at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London on Wednesday 20 March 2024. Here’s the full list of the winners.
World Whiskies Awards 2024
The awards ceremony saw the announcement of the World’s Best whiskies in the World Whiskies Awards and the Icons of Whisky global winners, as well as the induction of three new industry luminaries to the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame.
Founded in 1998, Whisky Magazine has been presenting the results of its World Whiskies Awards, the world’s largest and most respected whisky competition, for 24 years. This year’s announcement represents the culmination of a rigorous blind-judging process that saw more than 200 expert judges from around the globe assess more than 1,500 different whiskies from more than 40 countries.
The World Whiskies Awards named its World’s Best winners across 23 categories, including single malt, bourbon, blended, rye, pot still, and design. This year’s winners include The English Sherry Cask, which was named World’s Best Single Malt, 1792 12 Years Old, which was awarded the title of World’s Best Bourbon, and Ballantine’s 30 Years Old, which was named Best Blended.
The publication’s Icons of Whisky has awarded the industry’s best people, places, and agencies since 2007. The global winners are chosen by an expert panel from a shortlist of regional winners of Icons competitions that identified the shining stars of America, Ireland, Scotland, and the Rest of the World.
Here is the full list of World Whiskies Awards 2024, Icons of Whisky 2024 and Hall of Fame Inductees 2024.
Icons of Whisky Global Winners 2024
Distiller
Irish Distillers
Master Distiller/Master Blender
Stephen Woodcock, Glen Moray Distillery
Craft Producer
Balcones Distilling
Sustainable Distillery
Ardnamurchan Distillery
Distillery Manager
Heather Tillott, Sullivans Cove Distillery
Visitor Attraction
Callington Mill Distillery
Single Estate
Thy Whisky Distillery
Campaign Innovator
Irish Distillers
Brand Innovator
Sullivans Cove Distillery
Independent Bottler
The Heart Cut
Cooperage
Casknolia
Cooper
Rafa Cabello, Casknolia
American Whiskey Brand Ambassador
Paul Hletko, FEW Spirits
Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador
Brendan Carty, Killowen Distillery
Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador
Seamus Carroll, The Whisky Club
World Whisky Brand Ambassador
Ally Bhana, Sullivans Cove Distillery
Marketing Team
The Team, Jameson Ireland
Production Team
The Team, Jura Distillery
Sales Team
The Team, Sullivans Cove Distillery
Visitor Attraction Team
The Team, Teeling Whiskey Distillery
Sustainability Officer
Melanie Gourley, Westland Distillery
Visitor Attraction Manager
Dee Ford, Angel’s Envy Distillery
Warehouse Manager
Scott Sell, Westland Distillery
Communicator
Barry Chandler, Stories & Sips
Brand & Packaging Design Agency
JDO
Digital Agency
Northport
PR Agency
The Story
World Whiskies Awards Global Winners 2024
Taste Awards 2024
World’s Best Single Malt
The English, Sherry Cask
World’s Best Small Batch Single Malt
Mosgaard, Moscatel Cask
World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt
Glen Scotia, Cask 637 Refill Bourbon Barrel
World’s Best Blended
Ballantine’s, 30 Years Old
World’s Best Canadian Blended
Gibson’s Finest, Venerable
World’s Best Blended Limited Release
Three Ships, Master’s Collection 12 Years Old Double Wood Blend
World’s Best Blended Malt
Dewar’s, Double Double 37 Years Old
World’s Best Pot Still
Redbreast, 21 Years Old
World’s Best Bourbon
1792, 12 Years Old
World’s Best Finished Bourbon
Breckenridge, Port Cask Finish
World’s Best Small Batch Bourbon
Laws Whiskey House, Four Grain Bourbon Cask Strength
World’s Best Single Barrel Bourbon
Four Roses, Single Barrel
World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey
Uncle Nearest, 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey
World’s Best American Style Whiskey
FEW, American Straight Whiskey
World’s Best Grain
Bain’s, Founders Collection 15 Years Old
World’s Best Single Cask Single Grain
The Octave Premium, Strathclyde
World’s Best Rye
Millstone, Founders Reserve 10 Years Old Rye
World’s Best Single Cask Single Rye
Proof and Wood, Tumblin’ Dice Single Barrel Rye
World’s Best Corn
Ironroot Republic, Hubris
World’s Best Wheat
Lone Elm, Single Barrel
World’s Best New Make & Young Spirit
Anohka, This is Not Whisky Heavily Peated Single Malt Spirit
World’s Best Flavoured
Stillhouse, Peanut Butter S’mores Whiskey
Design Awards 2024
World’s Best Design
Best Special Edition Design
Shirakawa, 1958
Best Bottle Design
InchDairnie, RyeLaw
Best Gift Pack Design
Blackwater, Dirtgrain Manifesto
Best Label Design
Callington Mill, Blue Lake Lodge
Best Limited Edition Design
Indri, Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023
Best New Launch Design
Grand Talon, Combined East and West Technical Rice Whisky
Best Range Design
Robert Graham, Range
Best Secondary Outer Packaging Design
Isle of Harris, The Hearach
Hall of Fame Inductees 2024
Inductee No. 92
Russell Anderson, Macallan Distillery
From warehouse worker to master distiller, Russell Anderson’s 37-year career has left a lasting impression on Edrington’s Scotch whisky distilleries, most notably Speyside giant Macallan. Since starting his career as a shift worker at the Glenrothes Distillery in 1987, Russell has held roles including distillery manager at Highland Park and production manager at Macallan. He also commissioned Macallan’s pioneering new distillery and has managed the facility since 2018. Russell is retiring from Edrington in March 2024.
Inductee No. 93
Ichiro Akuto, Chichibu Distillery
From humble beginnings as an independent bottler, to founding Chichibu Distillery in 2008, Ichiro Akuto has been called a rock star of the industry and a pioneer of new-wave Japanese whisky. After graduating from the Tokyo University of Agriculture, he worked for several distilleries in the UK and Japan before establishing the successful Venture Whisky brand and, only a few years after, opening Chichibu Distillery. The last time a whisky production licence had been granted in Japan was 1971, putting Ichiro and Chichibu at the forefront of the modern Japanese whisky industry.
Inductee No. 94
Davin de Kergommeaux, Whisky writer and judge
Founder of the Canadian Whisky Awards and one of the original Malt Maniacs of the 1990s, Davin de Kergommeaux is considered a legend in the world of whisky. His written works, seminars, and judgings have taken him to four different continents to voice his thoughts on Canadian whisky. He has written award-winning books including Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert, The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries, and various other acclaimed works about whisky, spirits, and cocktails. He is also a contributing editor for Whisky Magazine.
