All Of The Greatest Bourbons In accordance To The 2024 Worldwide Whisky Competitors

The Worldwide Whisky Competitors (IWC) 2024 noticed the return of quite a few distinguished bourbon expressions, every vying for a gold medal within the prestigious contest. There have been 5 sub-categories of ‘Greatest Bourbon’ on this yr’s competitors. So, at the moment I believed we’d check out the winners. 

With tasting notes, costs, the place to purchase, and what’s behind every expression – listed below are the perfect bourbons in accordance with the 2024 Worldwide Whisky Competitors. Try extra whiskey awards right here.

Greatest Bourbon Whiskey 

GOLD MEDAL WINNER: George T. Stagg – 94.98 factors
Tasting Notes: Toffee sweetness, darkish chocolate, vanilla, fudge, nougat, molasses, dates, tobacco, darkish berries, spearmint, espresso
BUY NOW: $899
Runners Up: NOCO Distillery – Founders Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon – Mash Invoice #: II – Cask Energy – 94.49 factors, W. L. Weller Vintage 107 – 94.07 Pts

George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon, a celebrated launch from Buffalo Hint Distillery, has change into a cornerstone of the bourbon world. Its quite a few awards, together with a gold medal on the 2023 American Whiskey Masters, mirror its recognition. As well as, George T. Stagg was named ‘Greatest Bourbon Whiskey’ at final yr’s Worldwide Whisky Competitors.  

First launched in 2002, this bourbon is called after George T. Stagg, a key determine in bourbon historical past. Stagg performed an influential position throughout the ‘Gilded Age of Bourbon,’ overseeing the O.F.C. Distillery, which was ultimately renamed in his honor.

That is, in no way, an affordable bottle of bourbon and might be finest reserved for particular events and items. 

The 2024 launch of George T. Stagg just isn’t but out there. As such, we are able to assume that the 2023 model is the one which has been awarded right here. The 2023 expression of George T. Stagg was distilled in 2008 and aged for simply over 15 years earlier than being bottled at 135 proof.

Greatest Cask Energy Bourbon Whiskey (Full Proof) 

GOLD MEDAL WINNER: George T. Stagg – 94.98 factors
Tasting Notes:  Toffee sweetness, darkish chocolate, vanilla, fudge, nougat, molasses, dates, tobacco, darkish berries, spearmint, espresso
BUY NOW: $899
Runners Up: NOCO Distillery – Founders Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon – Mash Invoice #: II – Cask Energy – 94.49 factors, Outdated Hamer Straight Bourbon Cask Energy – 92.49 factors 

George T. Stagg clinches one other medal within the ‘Cask Energy’ class. Bottled at 135 proof (67.5% ABV ), the whiskey has a excessive alcohol content material and a kick that completely units of the notes of chocolate and molasses. 

Greatest Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey 

GOLD MEDAL WINNER: 1792 Small Batch – 89.93 factors
Tasting Notes: Spice, candy caramel, vanilla
BUY NOW: $24
Runners Up: Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 89.89 factors, Larceny Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 88.75 factors 

This isn’t the primary time that 1792 Small Batch Bourbon has received gold within the ‘Greatest Small Batch Bourbon’ class on the IWC. In actual fact, the expression received gold on this class final yr, too. 

1792 Small Batch Bourbon begins out as 1792’s high-rye mash invoice and a wedding of hand-selected casks chosen by the Grasp Distiller. As a result of ‘small batch’ nature, this expression in restricted, and launched in small portions from 1792 as soon as the distillery has deemed that the whiskey is prepared. 

The distillery is called ‘1792’ after the yr during which Kentucky turned a state, paying homage to the Bluegrass State’s bourbon and whiskey legacy. 

Greatest Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Whiskey 

GOLD MEDAL WINNER: 1792 Bottled In Bond – 93.95 factors
Tasting Notes: Spice, charred oak, recent mint, caramel apple, espresso, black pepper
BUY NOW: $35
Runners Up: Buzzard’s Roost – Bottle-In-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 92.04 factors, Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 89.83 factors

For a bourbon to be designated as ‘Bottled-In-Bond’, it have to be: 

• Distilled in a single season (January-June, July – December) at a single distillery 
• Matured in a U.S. bonded warehouse for no less than 4 years 
• Bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV) 

The Bottled-In-Bond designation was launched in 1897 as a type of high quality assurance for shoppers. The goal was to make it harder for counterfeit whiskey to make it onto the market, due to this fact enhancing relations and transparency between distillers and drinkers. 

The 1792 Bottled-In-Bond is a tribute to this piece of laws. It’s “bottled at precisely 100 proof for a daring style and lingering end.” 

Greatest Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey 

GOLD MEDAL WINNER: NOCO Distillery – Founders Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon – Mash Invoice #: II – Cask Energy – 94.49 factors
Tasting Notes: No official tasting notes out there
BUY NOW: N/A
Runners Up: 1792 Single Barrel – 91.77 factors, Benchmark Single Barrel – 91.13 factors 

Now for a whiskey that I can not appear to seek out out a lot about. 

NOCO Distillery is situated in Colorado, and is famous for its small batch manufacturing of whiskey, gin, rum, vodka, and brandy. The model credit the usage of water from the close by Rockies for giving its spirits the “edge in style and taste” The NOCO Distillery Founders Reserve Single Barrel is triple distilled and aged in both new or used American oak barrels. 

The distillery’s web site doesn’t give a lot particular details about any of the expressions produced there. So, in case you have tried the NOCO Distillery – Founders Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon – Mash Invoice #: II, get in contact and inform us what it was like!