San Francisco, CA

The Best Irish Whiskeys According To The 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Published

on


The top Irish whiskeys in the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) judging have just been announced. The Best in Show category winners will be announced at the Top Shelf Awards Gala and Grand Tasting on June 16 and 17 at Resorts World in Las Vegas. Tickets for the event are available at the Top Shelf website or through ReserveBar.

Eight Irish whiskeys won the coveted Double Gold medal, and six won Gold medals.

Advertisement

Founded in 2000, the SFWSC is the oldest competition in North America and the largest spirits judging in the world. A total of 65 judges from around the world evaluated approximately 5,500 spirits over three days in April 2023.

ADVERTISEMENT

The competition is organized by the Tasting Alliance, an organization founded by Anthony Dias Blue. In addition to the SFWSC, the Tasting Alliance also organizes spirit competitions in New York and Singapore, wine competitions in San Francisco and New York, and competitions for beer and RTDs.

The two finalists for the Best in Show, Blended Irish Whiskey, are Northcross Irish Whiskey, Triple Wood, 43% ABV, and Cairlinn Bay, Oak & Coast Blended Irish Whiskey, 46% ABV.

The SFWSC Judging Panel described the Northcross whiskey as showing:

Advertisement

Herbal notes on the nose with hints of caramel and vanilla. Sweet on the palate with slight caramel and vanilla notes as well as wood spice, cooked cereal, and dried fruit flavors. Long finish featuring dried fruit sweetness with a slight lingering herbal note.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Cairlinn Bay, on the other hand, was described as exhibiting:

Fruity and spicy aromas with caramel and vanilla notes on the nose. Smooth, sweet, and fruity on the palate with caramel and vanilla flavors. Long, sweet fruity finish with a very mild pepperiness.

Other Double Gold winners in the Blended Irish Whiskey category included: Kinsale Spirit, Wild Atlantic Way IPA, and Teeling Whiskey, Small Batch Irish Whiskey.

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT

The finalist in the Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey was Redbreast, 15 YO, Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 46% ABV. Redbreast has emerged as a consistent winner in international spirit competitions and has dominated the Pot Still Irish Whiskey category over the last decade.

The SFWSC Judging Panel described the Redbreast 15 YO as being:

Advertisement

Slightly waxy on the nose with floral aromas, tropical fruit, caramel, vanilla, and some spice notes. Sweet and creamy on the palate, exhibiting fruity notes and a mild pepperiness. Long sweet fruity finish with a mild but persistent pepperiness.

The Finalists in the Best Single Malt Irish Whiskey are Keeper’s Heart, 10 YO Irish Single Malt, 43% ABV, and Egan’s Irish Whiskey, Endeavour, 46% ABV.

The SFWSC Judging Panel described the Keeper’s Heart as exhibiting:

ADVERTISEMENT

Very fruity notes on the nose with pronounced aromas of overripe apple and some pear. Smooth, sweet, and fruity on the palate with hints of spice. Long sweet fruity finish with lingering apple and pear notes.

Advertisement

While Egan’s Irish Whiskey was described as featuring:

Dark dried fruit on the nose, along with spicy cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla notes and slightly herbal aromas. Sweet, creamy, and somewhat oily on the palate with prominent dried fruit notes. Long, sweet finish featuring dried fruit sweetness and a mild but persistent pepperiness.

ADVERTISEMENT

Advertisement

Other Double Gold winners in the Irish Single Malt category are Bunratty Irish Whiskey, Premium Blend With Peated Malt (Single Malts Blend), and The Sexton, Single Malt Irish Whiskey. The Sexton is a consistent winner in international spirit competitions. At an average US price of under $30, it is also an outstanding value for a Sherry matured single malt whiskey.

The 2023 SFWSC judging showcased an outstanding array of top-notch Irish whiskeys. The revival of the Irish whiskey industry is now in full swing, with more than three dozen distilleries. Sales of Irish whiskey in the critical US market are growing at double digits, already exceeding a billion dollars at wholesale, and, if the trend continues, will surpass sales of Scotch whiskey in the next several years.

It’s hard to imagine that 30 years ago, there were only three active Irish distilleries, and their combined sales were under 50,000 9-liter cases. By comparison, in 2022, the Irish whiskey industry sold more than 10 million cases worldwide, with roughly 6.1 million cases in the US.

ADVERTISEMENT

A complete listing of all the medal winners at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition is available on the Tasting Alliance website.

Advertisement

Sláinte



Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Trending

Exit mobile version