The whiskies were judged June 2020 during the 11th edition of the International Whisky Competition. A side by side judging of whiskies from around the world were held at the event in Estes Park, CO. Whiskies were judged by a tasting panel made up of wine, spirit, beer, and whisky experts over a four-day period from June 10th-June 14th.
Judges blind taste tested each whisk(e)y on and individual basis, allotting 8 minutes to each selection. Each whisk(e)y was scored separately across 15 different criteria which allow judges to score them and to produce tasting notes and aroma and flavor profiles that are then added to the International Whiskey Guide. Each whisk(e)y was then given a score on a 100-point scale, a system developed by Sebastien Gavillet, IWC Head of Tasting Panel.
Only three medals are awarded in any specific category. Below are all of the awards from this year’s competition:
USA
Best American Whiskey
1st Place: Eagle Rare 10 Year Old (93.0 pts)
2nd Place: 1792 12 Year Old (92.8 pts)
3rd Place: 1792 Bottled-in-Bond (92.0 pts)
Best Straight Bourbon Whiskey
1st Place: Eagle Rare 10 Year Old (93.0 pts)
2nd Place: 1792 12 Year Old (92.8 pts)
3rd Place: 1792 Bottled-in-Bond (92.0 pts)
Best Bourbon Whiskey
1st Place: Eagle Rare 10 Year Old (93.0 pts)
2nd Place: 1792 12 Year Old (92.8 pts)
3rd Place: 1792 Bottled-in-Bond (92.0 pts)
Best Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
1st Place: 1792 Full Proof (91.2 pts)
2nd Place: Old Hamer Straight Bourbon Cask Strength (90.9 pts)
3rd Place: Weller Full Proof (89.9 pts)
Best Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
1st Place: 1792 Single Barrel (90.3 pts)
2nd Place: Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel (89.7 pts)
3rd Place: Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel (89.5 pts)
Best American Rye Whiskey
1st Place: Old Elk Straight Rye (87.0 pts)
2nd Place: Old Hamer Straight Rye Cask Strength
3rd Place: Old Hamer Straight Rye 90 Proof
Best American Wheat Whiskey
1st Place: Old Elk Straight Wheat
Best American Single Malt
1st Place: Old 55 Single Barrel American Single Malt (87.4 pts)
2nd Place: Uprising Bottled-in-Bond
Best Micro Distillery Whiskey
(Under 150,000 bottles & scoring over 85 points)
1st Place: Old Hamer Straight Bourbon Cask Strength (90.9 pts)
2nd Place: Old 55 Single Barrel Bourbon Bottled-in-Bond (87.7 pts)
3rd Place: Old 55 Single Barrel American Single Malt (87.4 pts)
Best Moonshine – White Lightning – New Make
1st Place: The Mob Museum Moonshine (85.67 pts)
Best Flavored Whiskey
1st Place: Bowen Grapesky (89.9 pts)
2nd Place: Old Elk PB & Whiskey
3rd Place: Feisty Maple + Cinnamon Whiskey
*Awards By U.S. States (Only for Whiskeys Scoring Over 85 Points)
Best Colorado Whiskey
1st Place: Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon (90.1 pts)
2nd Place: Old Elk Straight Rye (87.0 pts)
3rd Place: Old Elk Wheated Straight Bourbon (85.9 pts)
Best Indiana Whiskey
1st Place: Old Hamer Straight Bourbon Cask Strength (90.9 pts)
2nd Place: Remus Repeal Reserve Series III (90.1 pts)
3rd Place: Old 55 Single Barrel Bourbon Bottled-in-Bond (87.7 pts)
Best Kentucky Whiskey
1st Place: Eagle Rare 10 Year Old (93.0 pts)
2nd Place: 1792 12 Year Old (92.8 pts)
3rd Place: 1792 Bottled-in-Bond (92.0 pts)
Best Tennessee Whiskey
1st Place: Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium (90.9 pts)
2nd Place: Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch – V. Eady Butler Batch (89.4 pts)
3rd Place: Uncle Nearest 1820 Single Barrel US-28
Best Virginia Whiskey
1st Place: Bowman Brothers Small Batch (88.8 pts)
2nd Place: Isaac Bowman Port Finished (88.3 pts)
3rd Place: John J. Bowman Single Barrel
