The World’s Best Bourbon Is Exactly the Bottle You’re Thinking Of

The 2024 International Whisky Competition has concluded after holding events in both Isle of Raasay, Scotland and Louisville, Kentucky, and its expert judges have handed down awards after double-blind tasting whiskeys (and whiskies) from around the globe.

There were some surprises, including the overall “Whisky of the Year” winner, but other results went as expected. Perhaps least shocking was the bottle that took home the award for both Best Bourbon and Best American Whiskey, as it’s the same one that took home both medals last year.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss

For the second consecutive year, George T. Stagg bourbon is the king of American whiskeys. One of the five bottles included in the annual mega-hyped Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, the cask-strength bourbon has long been considered one of the greatest and most sought-after whiskeys this side of the Atlantic.

Photo by Johnny Brayson for Gear Patrol

I’ve sampled the most recent Stagg and considered it my favorite of the BTAC, alongside William Larue Weller bourbon, so I’m glad to see that my palate isn’t so far removed from the experts at the IWC who use 15 different criteria to produce the tasting notes for every dram they throw back.

The current version of George T. Stagg clocks in at a hefty 67.5% ABV and an age statement of over 15 years. I found it to deliver an intense hit of caramel corn while being an unfathomably easy sipper for a 135-proof whiskey.

Buffalo Trace Distillery

George T. Stagg Bourbon

Arguably the best bottle in Buffalo Trace’s lauded Antique Collection, George T. Stagg is uncut, unfiltered and well-aged.

Specs

ABV	67.5%
Age	15 years, 4 months
Tasting Notes	Toffee, dark chocolate, vanilla

• $929 at Whiskey Caviar
  $1,300 (29% off)

Whisky of the Year and other standouts

Stagg scored a total of 94.98 points in the competition, which ranked the highest out of American whiskeys but came in ninth place globally.

Taking home the competition’s top prize and the coveted Golden Barrel Trophy was a decidedly less-heralded whisky, a travel retail-exclusive Scotch from relatively unknown Bacardi-owned distillery Aultmore.

Aultmore Oloroso Sherry Cask Travel Retail Exclusive 25 Year Old won the top prize this year. The 92-proof Speyside single malt scored an impressive 98.31 points to nab the win in what was a very good year for Bacardi. The brand, which also owns Dewar’s, took home the Distiller of the Year award, with its entrants averaging a score of 91.5 points.

Bacardi

And while Aultmore gets the biggest prize, Dewar’s did much of the legwork on Bacardi’s behalf: The blended Scotch brand’s bottles accounted for exactly half of the top ten whiskies in the competition.

What’s more, Bacardi master blender Stephanie Macleod, who oversees both Aultmore and Dewar’s, was awarded the title of Master Blender of the Year for the sixth straight year.

As for American whiskey, the top three bourbons were also the top three American whiskeys overall, showing the continued dominance of the spirit category.

Following George T. Stagg in second place was NOCO Distillery’s Founders Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon – Mash Bill #: II – Cask Strength with 94.49 points, while another Buffalo Trace bottle, W. L. Weller Antique 107, came in third with 94.07 points.

Globally, the two bottles ranked 12th and 17th, respectively. Have a look at the top ten whiskies/whiskeys in the world below.

1. Aultmore Oloroso Sherry Cask Travel Retail Exclusive 25 Year Old: 98.31 Pts
2. The Glenlivet Sample Room Collection 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky: 96.73 Pts
3. Dewar’s Double Double 37 Years Old: 96.37 Pts
4. The Glenlivet Sample Room Collection 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky: 95.52 Pts
5. Dewar’s Double Double 21 Years Old: 95.46 Pts
6. Dewar’s Double Double 32 Years Old: 95.36 Pts
7. Dewar’s Double Double 21 Years Old Magma Toast level 1 finished in French oak casks: 95.22 Pts
8. Indri Founder’s Reserve 11 YO Wine Cask: 95.09 Pts
9. George T. Stagg: 94.98 Pts
10. Dewar’s Double Double 26 Years Old: 94.95 Pts

Related Topics