Best Scotch Whiskies From 2023 SF World Spirits Competition

Scotch fans take note: The best bottles of 2023 have been selected, at least according to the 2023 judges of the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Each year, judges meet to rate hundreds of spirits by blind tasting. They award accolades from honorable mention to bronze, silver and gold medals. The top honor—double gold—is the highest honor.

And there's a lot of Scotch this year.

The SFWSC has a number of subcategories for the Scotch part of the competition, but the segmented blend, malt, and grain categories just make it easier to find what you’re looking for.

Want a mellow, light whiskey for a tepid toe-dip? Blends of all ages are ready for you. Love the deep, full-bodied flavor of single malts? Pick your oak level and get exploring and pouring.

For the Scotch familiar, independent merchants and single grains offer another level of opportunity.

• Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
• Blended Scotch – No Age Statement
• Blended Scotch – 16 Years and Older
• Blended Scotch – Up to 15 Years
• Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – 13 to 19 Years
• Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – 20 Years and Older
• Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement
• Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – Up to 12 Years
• Independent Merchant Single Malt
• Single Grain Whisk(e)y

Best Scotch Whiskies From the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

• Dewar’s Double Double 37

• Naked Malt Sherry Cask Blended Malt Scotch
• Noble Rebel Orchard Outburst Blended Malt
• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Batch 20

Blended Scotch – No Age Statement

• The Gladstone Axe American Oak Blended Scotch
• The Gladstone Axe The Black Axe Blended Scotch
• Black & White Blended Scotch
• Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Blended Scotch

• Johnnie Walker Double Black Blended Scotch
• Johnnie Walker Blonde
• Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami
• Johnnie Walker High Rye Blended Scotch
• The Sassenach Blended Scotch

Blended Scotch – 16 Years and Older

• Dewar’s 19 Years Old Blended Scotch
• Dewar’s Double Double 32 Year Old Blended Scotch
• Double Double 20 (Finalist)
• Dewar’s Double Double 21 Rye

• Dewar’s Double Double 21 Year Old Blended Scotch
• Johnnie Walker 18 Year Old Reserve Blended Scotch (Finalist)

Blended Scotch – Up to 15 Years

• Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky 12 Year Old Blended Scotch

Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – 13 to 19 Years

• Aberlour 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Benriach The Sixteen Single Malt Scotch (Finalist)
• Benromach Aged 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Craigellachie 17 Single Cask Single Malt Scotch (Finalist)
• Cù Bòcan Highland Single Malt 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch

• Glen Scotia 15 Year Old
• Highland Park 12 Year Old
• Highland Park 18 Year Old
• Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Loch Lomond 18 Year Old Inchmurrin Single Malt Scotch
• Mortlach 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Speyburn 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Talisker 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Tamdhu 18 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

• The GlenDronach Revival 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• The GlenDronach Allardice 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• The Glenlivet 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• The Glenlivet 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• The Singleton of Glendullan 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Tomatin Highland Single Malt 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch

Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – 20 Years and Older

• Ardbeg 25 Years Old
• Benriach The Twenty One Single Malt Scotch
• Benriach The Twenty Five Single Malt Scotch
• Benriach The Thirty Single Malt Scotch
• Benromach Aged 21 Year Old
• Glen Scotia 21 Year Old
• Glen Scotia 25 Year Old

• Glencadam 25-Year-Old
• Glengoyne 21 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1998
• Highland Park 21 year Old
• Loch Lomond Open Course Collection 2023
• Talisker 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch (Finalist)
• The GlenDronach Parliament 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch

• The Glenlivet 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Tomatin Highland Single Malt 36 Year Old (Finalist)
• Tomatin Highland Single Malt 30 Year Old

Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement

Ardbeg Uigeadail
Ardbeg Hypernova
Ardbeg Limited Edition
Arran Single Malt Quarter Cask “The Bothy”
Arran Single Malt Sherry Cask “The Bodega”
Cù Bòcan Highland Single Malt Signature
Glen Scotia Victoriana
Glenmorangie Nectar d’Or

• Kilchoman Sanaig
• Loch Lomond Classic
• Loch Lomond Open Special Edition 2023
• Nc’nean Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Old Pulteney Huddart (Finalist)
• Scarabus Batch Strength Single Malt Scotch
• Smokehead Sherry Cask Blast Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Finalist)
• Talisker Dark Storm Single Malt Scotch

• Tamnavulin Double Cask Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• The GlenDronach Portwood Single Malt Scotch (Finalist)
• Tomintoul Cigar Malt

Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – Up to 12 Years

• Aberfeldy 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• anCnoc 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Ardbeg 8 Years Old
• Arran 10 Year Old Single Malt

• Balblair 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Benriach The Twelve Single Malt Scotch
• Benriach The Smoky Twelve Single Malt Scotch
• Benromach Aged 10 Year Old
• Canmore 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Glen Scotia 10 Year Old Cask Strength (Finalist)
• Glengoyne 10 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Glenmorangie Original

• Lagavulin 8 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Inchmurrin
• Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Inchmoan
• Loch Lomond 8 Year Old Madeira Wood Finish
• Old Pulteney 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• Old Pulteney 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch (Finalist)
• Scarabus 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• The GlenDronach Original 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
• The Singleton of Glendullan 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch

Independent Merchant Single Malt

• Old Particular Old Particular Craigellachie
• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask No. 4.346 Savoury and sweet (Finalist)
• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask No. 78.58 Baking easter treats
• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask No. 95.72 Beach bum meets courting mechanic (Finalist)

Single Grain Whisk(e)y

• Invergordon 18 Year Highland Single Grain Whisky

• Loch Lomond Single Grain Coopers Collection

See more results from the 2023 San Francisco Spirits Competition

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