The Whisky Explorer Awards is Canada’s latest international spirit competition. Founded by Canadian whisky advocate Mike Brisebois, the whisky-focused competition evaluates whiskies from around the globe that are available at Canadian retail. The main categories cover Scotch whisky, Canadian whisky, Irish whiskey, American whiskey, Asian whisky, and world whisky.
Brisebois also founded the Whisky Explorer magazine and the Whisky Explorer Society. The Whisky Explorer Awards released the winners of the 2024 competition on Monday, February 19.
The GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength, Batch 8, 58.6% ABV, 750 ml, was crowned Best Whisky in Canada. The whisky also won Best Cask Strength Whisky in Canada, Best Single Malt Whisky in Canada, and Best Scottish Whisky in Canada.
The GlenAllachie Distillery, located in the heart of Speyside, Scotland, is renowned for producing rich, full-bodied, single malt Scotch whiskies. The distillery was founded in 1967 by Mackinlay McPherson Ltd. and later acquired by Pernod Ricard in 1989 and 2017 by the current owners, The GlenAllachie Distillers Company Ltd.
Historically, GlenAllachie produced single malt whisky for various blenders. Its maturation protocols utilized different cask types, resulting in whiskies with complex flavors and aromas. Under the stewardship of Master Distiller Billy Walker, GlenAllachie has shifted its focus to bottling single malts, producing whiskies known for their fruitiness and layered complexity.
Brisebois, who also served as the Chair of the 9-member judging panel, hailed the whisky as:
An exceptional whisky. This is the type of whisky that garners a cult following with being packed with flavor and being exceptionally well-rounded. It is a gem!
The GlenAllachie 10 YO Cask Strength offers a rich, layered, and complex aroma on the nose, with notes of dark chocolate, dried fruits, and a hint of caramel.
It’s full-bodied and robust, with a pronounced weight on the palate, and features flavors of ripe cherries, cinnamon, and wood spice. The high alcohol content enhances the flavor intensity, giving the whisky a warming and chewy mouthfeel.
The finish is long, sweet, and complex, with lingering notes of dried fruits, chocolate, and spice.
At an average retail selling price of $88, it’s also an exceptional bargain for a cask-strength Scotch whisky.
The Best Blended Whisky in Canada is MacNair’s Lum Reek Blended Malt 10 YO, Scotch Whisky, 55.8% ABV, 750 ml. The MacNair’s Lum Reek Blended Malt 10 YO also won Best Whisky 10 Years and Under in Canada.
The GlenAllachie Distillery produces MacNair’s Lum Reek Blended Malt 10 YO Whisky under the deft hand of Master Distiller Billy Walker. This expression is a blended malt Scotch whisky rather than a blended Scotch whisky. That means it is a blend of different single malts and does not include any grain alcohol.
Like the GlenAllachie single malt whisky, on which it is based, this fruit-forward expression offers a broad array of aromas and flavors.
On the nose, it presents the rich and cold smoke character of a smoldering peat fire, complemented by sweet notes of dried fruit, honey, and vanilla.
The palate is full-bodied and complex, with layers of dried fruit, oak spice, and a slight savory note.
The finish is long, sweet, and fruity, with a lingering smokiness and hints of candied citrus zest and well-seasoned oak. The average retail price is around $100.
Other winners included:
Best 100% Rye Whisky in Canada – Ezra Brooks 7-Year Rye
Best Whisky 11-15 Years in Canada – Benromach 15 Year
Best Whisky 15 Years + in Canada – Glenlivet 18 Year
Best Single Barrel Whiskey in Canada – Boulder Single Malt American Whiskey PWS Cask #577
Best Finished Whiskey in Canada – Rabbit Hole Dareringer Straight Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks
Best Whisky No Aged Statement in Canada – Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Whisky Release No. 38
Best Irish Whiskey in Canada – Dunville’s 1808 Irish Whiskey
Best American Whiskey For Canada – Boulder American Single Malt Whiskey PWS Cask #577
Best Canadian Whisky in Canada – Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Whisky Release No. 38
Best World Whisky in Canada – Indri Single Malt Indian Whisky
A complete list of awards is available on the Whiskey Explorer website.
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