The outcomes are in! The TAG World Spirits Awards 2024 judges have named the ‘Finest In Present’ bourbons and American whiskeys.
Beforehand, I broke down the very best American whiskeys and bourbons as named within the 2023 TAG World Spirits Awards.
As promised, here’s a breakdown of the 2024 outcomes together with the compositions of the profitable spirits, the distilleries, and the place you should buy these award-winning whiskeys.
Searching for extra award-winning whiskeys? Try the remainder of my Awards Collection.
Cedar Ridge Double Barrel Bourbon Whiskey – 96 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: Bourbon Whiskey (not straight)
Tasting Notes: Pineapple, grapefruit, cinnamon, nutmeg
BUY NOW: $54.99
Cedar Ridge’s Double Barrel Bourbon is an annual expression from the Iowan distillery. Launched yearly in November, the expression is all the time extremely anticipated.
The 2023 launch comprises Cedar Ridge bourbon distilled from a mash invoice comprising 74% corn, 14% malted rye, and 12% malted barley. Following preliminary maturation, the whiskey was completed in a brand new set of American oak casks. This ending interval allowed the casks to “draw out the daring qualities of our traditional bourbon and the wealthy flavors of Iowa corn.”
The judges on the TAG World Spirits Awards 2024 commented, “An actual great thing about a Bourbon being extremely balanced whereas flirting with perfection.”
Cedar Ridge Distillery was based in 2005 by Jeff Quint, a person with a mission to create high-quality bourbon within the “primary corn-producing state within the U.S.” Upon its basis, Cedar Ridge grew to become the primary licensed distillery in Iowa since pre-prohibition.
In addition to multi-award-winning whiskeys, Cedar Ridge additionally produces wine.
Outdated Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Fall 2023 8 Years Outdated – 95 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: Straight Bourbon, Bottled-In-Bond
Tasting Notes: Brown sugar, toasted bread, cinnamon, nutmeg, peaches, cream, pepper spice, caramel, pear
BUY NOW: $299.95
Old Fitzgerald is a family identify amongst bourbon followers, and its twice-annual Bottled-In-Bond launch is all the time extremely anticipated.
This yr’s providing is an 8 Yr Outdated 100 Proof bourbon, bottled within the fall of 2023.
The distinctive “diamond decanter” is impressed by the historic Outdated Fitzgerald packaging used within the Nineteen Fifties, while the Bottled-In-Bond designation is a tribute to Outdated Fitzgerald’s lengthy distilling historical past and dedication to producing superb bourbon.
While this Bottled-In-Bond bourbon will hit your pockets fairly onerous compared to the opposite whiskeys on this listing, there isn’t a denying that the spirit is of outstanding high quality. The judges on the TAG World Spirits Awards 2024 discovered the Outdated Fitzgerald 8 Yr Outdated 100 proof to be “ideally balanced and complicated with fruit, spice, oak, and caramel in concord.”
The Outdated Fitzgerald model was based in 1884. In the course of the Twenties the model was bought to Pappy Van Winkle. Then, in 1999 Heaven Hill Distillery (two-time Distiller of the Yr recipient) acquired the model and continues to supply Outdated Fitzgerald right now in accordance with the historic recipes.
Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey – 97 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: American Straight Rye Whiskey
Tasting Notes: Dusty cocoa, oaky smoke, honeyed rye, cloves, vanilla, baking spices
BUY NOW: $36.99
Pikesville is yet one more model produced by the powerhouse, Heaven Hill Distillery. The model was created within the Nineties in Maryland, which was experiencing a rye whiskey increase. This was, after all, ended by prohibition. Nevertheless, Pikesville Rye emerged from the ashes and have become the quintessential Maryland Rye. The model is now produced in Kentucky at Heaven Hill Distillery.
This yr’s Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey was matured for six years “in prime warehouse areas” and bottled at 110 proof. The judges on the TAG World Spirits Awards 2024 known as Pikesville “A rock star of a Rye with mass attraction because it straddles the dessert and Whiskey world.” At round $36 per bottle, you can not go fallacious.
Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged American Whiskey – 95 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: American Whiskey
Tasting Notes: Spicy caramel, maple, fruit, raisins
BUY NOW: $39.99
Launched in 2017, Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey was the inaugural launch from the Nearest Inexperienced Distillery. As a part of Uncle Nearest’s ever-expanding portfolio, the 1856 expression has remained extremely praised and sought-after.
Uncle Nearest 1856 is a mix of the best American whiskey from the Nearest Inexperienced Distillery, bottled at 100 Proof. The bottle, and the distillery itself, pay tribute to Nathan ‘Nearest’ Inexperienced – the primary African American Grasp Distiller, and the person who taught Jack Daniel the best way to make whiskey.
In keeping with the TAG World Spirits Awards web site, “The judges cherished the best way the spirit wore its power being each balanced and nimble.”
Uncle Nearest Single Barrel – Batch 101 Tennessee Whiskey – 95 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: Tennessee Whiskey
Tasting Notes: Baking spices, dried fruits, ginger, roasted nuts
BUY NOW: $77.99
In keeping with the Uncle Nearest website, the Single Barrel Batch 101 “has essentially the most distinct taste profile of any of our whiskeys and was bottled at barrel power to seize each nuance of this one-of-a-kind spirit.”
The annual single barrel expression undergoes a triple-filtration course of utilizing charcoal (if this sounds acquainted, try this text), making certain a totally easy mouthfeel.
The TAG judges commented, “The superb barrel character is redolent of a Sherry cask end with refined sweetness and wealthy fruit accents. Definitive of the model.”
Whiskey Del Bac Ode to Islay Single Malt American Whiskey – 96 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: Single Malt American Whiskey
Tasting Notes: Cocoa nibs, cinnamon, caramel-dipped apples, bitter cherry, dulce de leche, vanilla, mesquite smoke, white pepper, candied toffee.
BUY NOW: $84.99
Whiskey Del Bac pays tribute to the land of peated scotch whisky, Islay, with this bottling. Ode to Islay, beforehand named ‘Winter Launch’, is Whiskey Del Bac’s “method to elevate a glass to custom and pave our personal manner with Southwestern components”. These southwestern components embrace mesquite.
Mesquite is a species of tree native to dry climates within the Americas. Charring mesquite produces a distinctly smoky taste that pays tribute to Islay however with an American twist.
The 2023 Ode to Islay launch is a vatting of three completely different barley mash payments:
- 100% mesquited malt
- 60% unsmoked/40% mesquited malt
- 100% unsmoked malt
Every mash invoice was individually distilled and initially matured in new American white oak casks. Then, ex-rye, ex-bourbon, and second-fill Whiskey Del Bac Dorado barrels had been used for ending. The ensuing mix was completed for a further three months earlier than being bottled at 100 proof.
Whiskey Del Bac is an Arizona-based distillery targeted on producing American whiskey “rooted within the Sonoran Desert”. The model’s core vary features a Basic Single Malt, a Sentinel Straight Rye, and a Dorado Single Malt.
Center West Spirits 4 Grain – Single Barrel, Cask Power – 96 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Tasting Notes: Butterscotch, chocolate, dried fruits, tea
BUY NOW: N/A
The subsequent two expressions from Middle West Spirits are, so far as my analysis has instructed me, single barrel exclusives bottled for retailers within the US. The whiskeys in Center West’s core vary don’t look like single barrel as normal.
Center West Spirits’s straight wheated bourbon whiskey Michelone Reserve is distilled from a mash invoice comprising “non-GMO, open-pollinated yellow corn, mushy purple winter wheat, darkish pumpernickel rye, and 2-row barley.” It’s considerably protected to imagine that the identical mash invoice was used for the cask power bourbon.
The bourbon is then aged in toasted and charred new American oak barrels earlier than being bottled at cask power. This explicit bourbon was bottled, in accordance with the TAG World Spirits Awards, at 62.875% ABV. The excessive ABV delivers a “lengthy and lingering” end. The judges on the awards acknowledged, “This Bourbon really has all of it — an absolute gem.”
Ohio-based Center West Spirits was based in 2008, and focuses on “elevating the distinctive flavors of the Ohio River Valley.” The grain-to-glass distillery produces vodka and gin in addition to whiskey.
Center West Spirits Single Barrel, Cask Power Straight Wheat Whiskey – 95 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: American Wheat Whiskey
Tasting Notes: Baking spices, caramel, chocolate, roasted nuts
BUY NOW: N/A
Center West Spirits’s Straight Wheat Whiskey is distilled from a mash invoice of 100% Ohio Tender Crimson Winter Wheat. This explicit cask power expression was bottled at 61.61% ABV, with the TAG judges commenting on “ this Whiskey’s grace and steadiness sporting its power very nicely.”
Parker’s Heritage seventeenth Version – Cask Power 10 Years Outdated – 96 factors
TAG World Spirits Awards Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Tasting Notes: TBC
BUY NOW: $349.95
Disclaimer off the highest of this one: I can not discover a Parker’s Heritage seventeenth Version 10 Yr Outdated Cask Power Bourbon on the Heaven Hill website. What I can discover is a 17th Edition 10 Year Old Cask Strength Rye. As such, I’ve to marvel if the bourbon was not a public launch, or if there’s a bourbon launch on the horizon. I’ve approached the TAG World Spirits Awards staff in addition to Heaven Hill for clarification and can replace this text accordingly. For now, although, let’s chat in regards to the rye.
The Parker’s Heritage Assortment is a sequence of annual, limited-edition releases of American whiskeys and bourbons from Heaven Hill Distillery. The bottlings pay tribute to Parker Beam, later Grasp Distiller at Heaven Hill. The vary is extremely various, with the yearly releases various in age, mash invoice, ABV, and launch numbers.
In 2023, the seventeenth Version of Parker’s Heritage was launched: a ten Yr Outdated rye whiskey. Distilled from a mash invoice comprising 51% rye, 35% corn, and 14% malted barley, the rye was matured for 10 years earlier than being bottled from 142 barrels. That is the oldest rye whiskey ever launched by Heaven Hill.
