Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 31 Year Old from Mortlach Distillery, distilled in 1989, awarded the prestigious title of 'Whisky of the Year' at the 2023 International Whisky Competition

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Jun 15, 2023, 09:00 ET

Golden Barrel Trophy: Gordon & MacPhail to receive the coveted Golden Barrel Trophy for the 1st time for winning 'Whisky of the Year' at the 2023 International Whisky Competition.

LAS VEGAS, June 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Whisky Competition Committee is pleased to announce that Gordon & MacPhail, one of the world's leading independent whisky bottlers, has won Whisky of the Year at this year's competition. The Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 31 Year Old from Mortlach Distillery, which was distilled in 1989, has been awarded the prestigious title of 'Whisky of the Year' at the 2023 International Whisky Competition, which was held this year in Bardstown, Kentucky. This is a remarkable achievement that underscores the company's unwavering commitment to quality, tradition, and innovation in the art of combining oak, spirit and time to create single malts using their own casks.

Whisky of the Year 2023 - International Whisky Competition

New make spirit from Mortlach Distillery was filled into cask 4303 a refill sherry hogshead in 1989 and selected for bottling by Stuart Urquhart, Operations Director at Gordon & MacPhail 31 years later. This exquisite whisky, matured in hand-selected casks and finished in a refill Sherry Hogshead exhibits the true essence of the Mortlach character, and the savoir-faire of the Gordon & MacPhail's expertise, offering a complex array of rich fruit, chocolate, and subtle spice flavours that culminate in a stunningly long and warming finish.

"We are incredibly proud to see our Connoisseurs Choice Mortlach 1989 (31 Year Old) recognised as the Whisky of the Year," said Richard Urquhart, Head of Sales (Americas) at Gordon & MacPhail. "This accolade is a testament not only to the exceptional quality of the Mortlach spirit but also to our expert team in selecting the ideal cask and maturing it for just the right amount of time. Every bottle we produce is the result of a careful process followed since 1895, embracing innovative methods to push boundaries in whisky maturation."

"We warmly congratulate the entire team at Gordon & MacPhail for creating such a complex, rich, and perfectly balanced whisky" said Sébastien Gavillet, Head of Tasting Panel.

Gordon MacPhail will receive the Golden Barrel Trophy for winning the Whisky of the Year during a ceremony to be held this fall in Elgin, Scotland.

Official results will go live Thursday, June 15th at 9AM EST: www.whiskycompetition.com/2023-results

The International Whisky Competition, held annually, is widely recognized as one of the most influential whisky awards globally. A panel of whisky experts (Masters of Scotch, Masters of Bourbon, Certifed Spirits Judges, Master Blenders, Distillers, and Whiskey Experts) rigorously double blind-taste each entry to identify the very best expressions across a range of categories from whiskies sent from all over the world. The International Whisky Competition tasting panel uses the most comprehensive tasting method available. 15 criteria are required to produce the tasting notes as well as aroma and flavor profiles of each whisky entered. Unlike other competitions, the judges are presented with one whisky at a time, to ensure each whisky gets the proper attention. It's possibly the only competition in the whisky world to deliver unique medals designed to promote each of the winning whiskies. Only 3 medals (Gold, Silver & Bronze) are awarded per category. The Whisky of the Year (highest score during the competition) gets rewarded with the Golden Barrel Trophy.

The 14th edition of the International Whisky Competition took place in Bardstown, Kentucky over four days, from May 20th to 23rd, and received hundreds of whiskies from all around the world.

For more information about the International Whisky Competition, please visit whiskycompetition.com

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SOURCE International Whisky Competition