This summer, the world's distilleries battled at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.
The event, now in its 44th year, aims to "promote the quality and excellence of the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs," according to its website.
Naturally, scotch had its own, competitive category.
The judging process at the competition is rigorous. Wines and liquors are subject to both professional blind tasting and chemical and microbiological analysis.
The best bottles score between 90-100 on the judges' scale, but a few receive special recognition: Gold Outstanding.
And as a result, they received elegantly-written endorsements such as: "A treasure chest of liquid gold!"
From blends to single malts to single barrels, 18 Scotches took home a Gold Outstanding award at the competition.
Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 YO
"Incredible nose with amazing rich floral notes followed by smoke, rich barley, liquorice, treacle and then a wave of sea spray. Full powered entry into the mouth with immediate distribution of flavours to every taste bud. Big rich sensation as multi layers of flavour descend and smother the palate. Wonderful and sensational. A comment: 'a conquest of fresh cut flowers ready to drink with delight!'"
Source: IWSC
Ben Nevis Single Cask Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 15 YO
"Nose leads with fragrant rose wood followed by lavender, violets and honey. Hints of caramel and toasty oak. Well edged by vanilla, cinnamon and black pepper. In the mouth dried fruit adds to the complexity along with fig and peach. Good balance and fine texture. Smooth flow leads to fine, well modulated finish."
Source: IWSC
The Glenlivet 21 Year Old Archive
"Fascinating nose that seems to offer just about everything! Rich chocolate, full malt, citrus, sherry and light smoky note. Even a hint of rum? Gracious entry into the mouth with smooth, velvet flow across the palate. Repeat of everything the nose had while extra flavours of ripe fruit, honey and some dark sugar develop. Rich spice where vanilla is dominant. Great balance and super oak support. Elegant, rich and warming. Pure perfection."
Source: IWSC
Johnnie Walker Black Label Deluxe Blend Scotch Whisky 12 YO
"Nose carries a wonderful smoky kick that immediately grabs your attention. Beautiful spice, cooked apples. Perfect balance of grain and malt. Full flow through the mouth with complex flavours of malt, peat and smoke followed by a range of spice where vanilla, cinnamon and ginger feature. A canopy of pure elegance enriches the palate. Sensational!"
Source: IWSC
Oban Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 14 YO
"Nose leads with rich spice and lots of sherry. Good floral notes in the background. Slips into the mouth with great ease and here it fills the taste buds with great array of stone fruit and some exotics. Spice comes into play by way of cinnamon and hint of ginger but vanilla is dominant. Decidedly mellow with some rich dried fruit characters. Long, well controlled finish. Very satisfying."
Source: IWSC
Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky 10 YO
"Magnificent pungent nose with teasing spice, rich barley and smoky peat. Smooth and full in the mouth with super smooth flow and finest texture. Great weight and balance with sweet spice and light peppery nip towards the finish. Some complex malty notes develop but in gorgeous balance all the way. Deep, warming after glow. Pure luxury and breathtakingly beautiful."
Source: IWSC
Master of Malt 30 Year Old Speyside
"Nose opens with an array of tropical fruits including mango, pineapple and citrus. The barley, ripe plum, raisin and dried apricot come into play. Warm, elegant entry with slow flow across the palate into deep, well rounded mouth. Butterscotch joins what the nose advertised. Warm, appealing, long finish. Generous and rewarding."
Source: IWSC
James King Scotch Whisky 15 YO
REUTERS/ David Moir
"Nose opens with a dominant display of citrus, honey and dried fruit with fudge and vanilla in attendance. All repeats in the mouth where some toast and rich malt also play a part. Smooth flow across the palate reveals lovely, warming, mellow and mature characters. Fine texture and excellent balance. Full fruited, long, satisfying finish."
Source: IWSC
Glenmorangie 18 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky
"Enticing nose laden with ripe tropical fruits and full array of spices. Luscious and full in the mouth with elegant balance and fine texture. Flavours of honeycomb and citrus develop and some blackcurrants enter the mix. Gorgeous complexity and lots of mature, mellow notes yet very spritely movement across the palate. Long, mellow finish."
Source: IWSC
Glenmorangie Signet Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
"Very attractive, complex nose with wide range of fruit, nuts and spice. Chocolate booms out followed by citrus and lychees. Big sweet malt and almonds add extra complexity. Super deep well rounded mouth follows the nose with concentration of chocolate, raisins and citrus. Cocoa repeats all the while with hints of spice including cinnamon and liquorice. Attractive tarry character leads into very pleasing finish."
Source: IWSC
Kingdom 12 Years Old
REUTERS/David Gray
A waiter is reflected in a mirror as he pours Scotch whisky from luxury brand Royal Salute into glasses at a launch ceremony for the release of the '62 Gun Salute' series in central Beijing, December 6, 2010.
"Big bold and majestic on the nose showing loads of honey, berry fruits, with hint of mint. Lots of citrus and creamy malt in the mouth with a satin smooth flow carrying chocolate and vanilla as well as cinnamon all adding to the smoothness. A judge exclaimed 'a treasure chest of liquid gold!'"
Source: IWSC
Jura Vintage 1977 Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
"Fascinating nose with smoke, fresh fruit, red berries, barley sugar, butterscotch and yellow plum all jostle for position. Great array of sweet spice at the edge. Smooth entry into the mouth where barley and malt take the lead with brown sugar, honey and butterscotch all well in focus. Good oak support and lingering smoke in long,
full finish."
full finish."
Source: IWSC
Jura Vintage 1973 Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
"Nose opens with a show of majestic maturity with spice, smoke, seaside and some haunting spicy notes. Amongst all the mature characters is a delightful floral presence of violet and dark rose. Enters the mouth in a thick wave of ripe fruit backed by rich spice and supported by spicy oak. Long, slow, velvety roll towards the finish where some chocolate and vanilla add a very creamy, sweet note before a decidedly dry, sea-sensed finale."
Source: IWSC
Grant’s 18 YO Scotch Whisky
"Honey, maple syrup and vanilla lead on the nose with ripe fruits to follow. Delicate hint of peat. Rich and full in the mouth yet perfect balance and lovely layers of rich fruit flavours. Further enriched by caramel and butterscotch. Vanilla, cinnamon and light ginger fill in the background along with some fine floral notes. Full body leads into equally full flavoured finish."
Source: IWSC
The Balvenie Single Barrel 12 YO Single Malt
"Nose opens with apple, almond, honey and spice followed by hints of spicy oak. Rich and full in the mellow mouth where brown sugar and citrus notes join the fruit and spice in layers of flavour. Beautiful balance, complex, delicate and light on the tongue. Long finish where coconut and cinnamon feature. A grand dram."
Source: IWSC, Wine searcher
The Balvenie Thirty Single Malt Speyside Scotch Whisky
"Very complex nose where some gentle pinewood, nettle, fruitcake notes are followed by rich malt, dark chocolate and some dark berry aromas. Great explosion of complex flavours into the mouth covers the palate with wide range of mature flavours. Soft, rich and satisfying. Notes of peat, chocolate and vanilla. Toasty malt. Wonderful, long, rich, full finish. A great experience."
Source: IWSC, Wine searcher
Glenfiddich 40 YO Single Malt Speyside Scotch Whisky
"Very complex nose where some gentle pinewood, nettle, fruitcake notes are followed by rich malt, dark chocolate and some dark berry aromas. Great explosion of complex flavours into the mouth covers the palate with wide range of mature flavours. Soft, rich and satisfying. Notes of peat, chocolate and vanilla. Toasty malt. Wonderful, long, rich, full finish. A great experience."
Source: IWSC, Wine searcher
The Balvenie 40 YO Single Malt Speyside Scotch Whisky
"Beautiful, seductive nose filled with ginger, melon, toffee, honey, stewed apple and vanilla. Big in the mouth with rich malt and light twist of smoke. Slow flow across the palate where slow emergence of all manner of dried fruit, spice and some herby notes. Beautiful texture and fine balance. Mellow and elegant. Long, well sustained finish. A great experience."
Source: IWSC, Wine searcher
How about another drink?
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/18-best-bottles-of-scotch-in-the-world-2013-8?#ixzz2l67cjbbY
No hay comentarios.:
Publicar un comentario