Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019 results are in, and these are the winners this year, according to the Whisky Exchange. After many years of controversial choices, Scotch whisky popping in and out of the top three and Japanese and Canadian whisky making headlines around the world, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019 is set with “the most traditional results since 2014.”
The top winner of Jim Murray’s award for 2019 World Whisky of the Year is American for the third year in a row. William Larue Weller 128.2 Proof is part of the annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and is this year’s winner. Four expressions in the collection are released each year, such as the Eagle Rare 17-year-old, Sazerac Rye 18-year-old, William Larue Weller, Thomas H. Hardy Rye, and George T. Stagg. Each release is sourced from a different batch and the blend varies based on the casks.
This year’s winner is a wheated bourbon distilled in 2005 and released in the fall of 2017. William Larue Weller was named after a distiller who is said to be the first to replace rye with wheat in the mash bill. Forbes reports the whisky is “soft and smooth bursting with notes of caramel, marshmallows, and vanilla.” While it sounds delicious, this release has unfortunately already sold out.
The second finest whisky in the world goes to Glen Grant Aged 18 Years and happens to be the only Scotch to make it into the top 4. The Glen Grant 18 featured on Murray’s top 3 in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The drink blends winter spice, dried fruits and an abundance of caramel to the nose.
Taking third place is the Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye 127.2 Proof, which is another entry in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. This drink also sold out as the Thomas H. Handy is favored in the rye community.
The single cask of the year was awarded to Blanton’s Gold Edition Single Barrel. The brand is known all over in the bourbon industry, although, most of the casks released were shipped out of the United States making them difficult to find.
For those curious, the list go as follows:
SCOTCH
Scotch Whisky of the Year
Glen Grant Aged 18 Year Old
Single Malt of the Year (Multiple Casks)
Glen Grant Aged 18 Year Old
Single Malt of the Year (Single Cask)
The Last Drop Glenrothes 1969 Cask 16207
Scotch Blend of the Year
Ballantine’s 17 Year Old
Scotch Grain of the Year
Berry Bros & Rudd Cambus 26 Years Old
Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year
Collectivum XXVIII
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH
No Age Statement
Laphroaig Lore
10 Years & Under (Multiple Casks)
Laphroaig 10 Year Old
10 Years & Under (Single Cask)
Berry Bros & Rudd Ardmore 9 Year Old
11-15 Years (Multiple Casks)
Lagavulin 12 Year Old 17th Release Special Releases 2017
11-15 Years (Single Cask)
Cadenhead’s Rum Cask Mortlach 14 Year Old
16-21 Years (Multiple Casks)
Glen Grant Aged 18 Year Old
16-21 Years (Single Cask)
Bowmore 19 Year Old The Feis Ile Collection
22-27 Years (Multiple Casks)
Talisker 25 Year Old Bot.2017
22-27 Years (Single Cask)
Scotch Malt Whisky Society Glen Grant Cask 9.128 24 Year Old
28-34 Years (Multiple Casks)
Convalmore 32 Year Old
28-34 Years (Single Cask)
Gleann Mor Port Ellen Aged 33 Year Old
35-40 Years (Multiple Casks)
Benromach 39 Year Old 1977 Vintage
35-40 Years (Single Cask)
Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1979
41 Years & Over (Multiple Casks)
Tomatin Warehouse 6 Collection 1972
41 Years & Over (Single Cask)
The Last Drop Glenrothes 1969 Cask 16207
BLENDED SCOTCH
No Age Statement (Standard)
Ballantine’s Finest
5-12 Years
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old
13-18 Years
Ballantine’s 17 Year Old
19 – 25 Years
Royal Salute 21 Year Old
26 – 50 Years
Royal Salute 32 Year Old Union of the Crowns
IRISH WHISKEY
Irish Whiskey of the Year
Redbreast Aged 12 Year Cask Strength
Irish Pot Still Whiskey of the Year
Redbreast Aged 12 Year Cask Strength
Irish Single Malt of the Year
Bushmills Distillery Reserve 12 Year Old
Irish Blend of the Year
Bushmills Black Bush
Irish Single Cask of the Year
The Irishman 17 Year Old
AMERICAN WHISKEY
Bourbon of the Year
William Larue Weller 128.2 Proof
Rye of the Year
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 127.2 Proof
US Micro Whisky of the Year
Garrison Brothers Balmorhea
US Micro Whisky of the Year (Runner Up)
Balcones Peated Texas Single Malt
BOURBON
No Age Statement (Single Barrel)
Blanton’s Gold Edition Single Barrel
No Age Statement (Multiple Barrels)
William Larue Weller 128.2 Proof
Up To 10 Years
Eagle Rare 10 Year Old
11 – 15 Years
Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15 Year Old
16 – 20 Years
Abraham Bowman Sweet XVI Bourbon
11 Years & Over
Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 24 Year Old
RYE
No Age Statement
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 127.2 Proof
Up to 10 Years
Knob Creek Cask Strength
11 Years & Over
Sazerac 18 Year Old (2017 Edition)
CANADIAN WHISKY
Canadian Whisky of the Year
Canadian Club Chronicles: Issue No. 1 Water of Windsor 41 Year Old
JAPANESE WHISKY
Japanese Whisky of the Year
The Hakushu Paul Rusch
EUROPEAN WHISKY
European Whisky of the Year (Multiple)
Nestville Master Blender 8 Years Old Whisky (Slovakia)
European Whisky of the Year (Single)
The Norfolk Farmers Single Grain Whisky (England)
WORLD WHISKIES
Asian Whisky of the Year
Amrut Greedy Angels 8 Year Old (India)
Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year
Belgrove Peated Rye (Australia)
