The world of single malt whiskey is a competitive one. Each year knowledgeable judges sample whiskeys (and whiskies) from around the world to determine their favorites for the year. Since many of these have been aging for years, sometimes decades, these awards are the culmination of passion and effort on the part of whiskey producers. What makes a single malt whiskey? Single malt whisky is malt whisky from a single distillery and made exclusively with malted grain (usually barley). Try a few of our options below to savor the best of the best.
Glenmorangie Signet
The 2017 International Whisky Competition is currently underway, but the 2016 Single Malt winner was Glenmorangie Signet. Glenmorangie describes this spirit in this way:
A blend of our oldest whisky – distilled over thirty years ago when malting still occurred on site – and spirit matured in a selection of the world’s finest casks, this undoubtedly is the richest whisky in our range.
Glen Grant 18
The world’s leading whisky guide, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, named Glen Grant 18 Year Old as its top single malt for 2017. This is the first time in several years that the Whisky Bible has named a Scotch whisky as its pick for best single malt. Glen Grant describes it best:
Deeply layered and complex, this rich and vibrant whisky delivers beautifully intricate flavours of malted caramel, vanilla, and raisins and lingers with a long, sweet, and pleasantly spicy finish.
Craigellachie
The 2017 World Whiskies Awards gave the Best Single Malt award to Craigellachie, a 31 year old single malt. But a taste of this award-winner doesn’t come cheaply. Be prepared to shell out upwards of $900 for a bottle of this single malt that Craigellachie describes as:
Hefty, malty, mazy in the mouth. Bonnie Sweet, but with fire in its belly.
These are just some of the many award-winning whiskeys in 2017. The best way to determine your favorite single malt is to taste them for yourself. So get drinking!
