Big hopes for Australia at the 2017 World Whiskies Awards

Good luck to all the Aussie whisk(e)y producers heading to the Whisky Magazine Awards Dinner in London on March 30.

The World Whiskies Awards were launched in 2007 by TheDrinksReport.com.

Tiger Snake, Sullivans Cove, Overeem Distillery, Lark Distillery, Limeburners, Starward and Mackey all walked away with medals in Round 1 of the World Whiskies Awards last month.

In Round 1, a panel of experts blind tasted entries by their style, region and age statement.

The biggest Aussie medal tally from Round 1 went to Sullivans Cove, which scooped six medals. Its French Oak Cask whisky was named best in the world at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards. It was the first time a Tasmanian whisky distillery had won the award, which is typically dominated by Scottish and Japanese producers.

The distillery was sold in December to a Melbourne group of investors for an undisclosed sum, ending 13 years of ownership by distiller Patrick Maguire. Maguire has stayed on after the sale.

Rounds 2 and 3 concluded in February, with sub-category winners tasted against each other to identify the ‘Best’ whisky in each category and the ‘Best’ whiskies in each category were then tasted against each other one last time to select the World’s Best Whisky.

Here is the full list of Australian medallists from Round 1:

Grain

No Age

Winner: Tiger Snake, Australian Whiskey, 43%

Single Cask – Single Malt

12 & under

Winner: Sullivans Cove, French Oak Single Cask 0231, 63.8%

Gold: Sullivans Cove, American Oak Single Cask 60, 47.5%

Overeem Distillery, Limited Release 100 – Red Wine Cask 43%

Overeem Distillery, Port Cask Matured 099, 43%

Silver: Lark Distillery, Limited Release 670 – Heavily Peated Bourbon Cask, 46%

Mackey Tasmanian Single Malt, Port Cask 2, 49%