Canadian Whisky Awards 2013 Winners
VICTORIA, Jan. 16, 2014 - A whisky that was first distilled seven generations ago is the best Canadian whisky in the world. That’s the verdict of nine independent whisky experts who named Corby’s Lot No. 40 the Canadian Whisky of the Year Award at the fourth annual Canadian Whisky Awards. Results of the annual blind tasting competition were announced Thursday evening at the Victoria Whisky Festival in Victoria, B.C.Today, Lot No. 40 is distilled at Hiram Walker Distillery in Windsor, Ontario from a 100% rye grain recipe developed in the 19th century by Canadian pioneer distiller, Joshua Booth. In announcing the awards, Chairman of the Judges, Davin de Kergommeaux, called Lot No. 40 “The very essence of what rye whisky is all about."Other top winners include Alberta Premium Dark Horse, Forty Creek Heart of Gold, Masterson's Straight Rye Whiskey, Wiser's Red Letter, and Crown Royal Black."Interest in Canadian whisky is growing tremendously," said de Kergommeaux as he introduced the winners. "Export sales of Canadian whisky world-wide were up by nearly 25% in 2013, and the upward trend continues. Canadian whisky producers are stepping up to the plate with new high-end releases. More small batch and top-end deluxe whiskies are available now than ever before.”Demographics are shifting too. Women now make up 29% of Canadian whisky drinkers and the under thirty-five millennial generation consumes over 45% of the Canadian whisky sold. And while 54% of Canadian whisky is used for cocktails, 46% is sipped just as it comes from the bottle.As well, sales of flavoured whisky doubled in 2013 with Forty Creek, Wiser’s, Sortilège, and Spice Box seeing exceptional growth.Here is a complete list of this year's winning whiskies:Whisky of the Year - Lot No. 40 Connoisseur Whisky of the Year Best New Whisky - Forty Creek Heart of GoldConnoisseur Whisky of the Year Domestic Market - Alberta Premium Dark HorseConnoisseur Whisky of the Year Multi Market - Lot No. 40Sippin' Whisky of the Year Domestic Market - Last Mountain Private ReserveSippin' Whisky of the Year Export Market - Canadian Rockies 10 Years OldSippin' Whisky of the Year Multi Market - Royal CanadianWhisky Value of the Year Domestic Market - Canada GoldWhisky Value of the Year Multi Market - Canadian 83Award of Excellence Canadian Whisky Profile - John K. Hall Forty Creek DistilleryAward of Excellence New Distillery of the Year - Still Waters - to acknowledge the release of Stalk & Barrel - the first Canadian micro-distilled single malt whisky in recent years.Award of Excellence - Innovation 35 Maple Street for the release of Masterson's 100% wheat and 100% barley whiskies.Award of Excellence Line Extension Kruger/Mondia for Spicebox Pumpkin Spiced WhiskyFlavoured Whisky of the Year Domestic Market - Forty Creek CreamFlavoured Whisky of the Year Export Market - Wiser's Spiced No. 5Flavoured Whisky of the Year Multi Market - Crown Royal MapleAward of Excellence Flavoured Whisky of the Year - Forty Creek CreamGold medals: Lot No. 40Forty Creek Heart of Gold Alberta Premium Dark Horse Masterson's 10-year-old Straight Rye Whiskey Wiser's Red Letter Crown Royal Black Wiser's Legacy Masterson's 12-year-old Straight Wheat Whiskey Forty Creek Cream Sortilège Maple Cream SilverSilver MedalsWiser's 18Royal CanadianForty Creek Confederation Oak ReserveCrown Royal Limited EditionCanadian Club Classic 12Highwood Ninety 20 Year OldWiser's Small BatchWiser's DeluxePike Creek 10 Year OldCrown Royal Cask 16Rich & Rare ReserveForty Creek Double Barrel ReserveCrown Royal ReserveCanadian Rockies TenCaribou CrossingLast Mountain Private ReserveCanada GoldForty Creek Copper PotGibson's Finest Rare 18 year oldCanadian 83Pike Creek NASLegacy Small BatchCanadian Club Sherry CaskCrown Royal DeLuxeCanadian Club Reserve Triple AgedMasterson's 10-year-0ld Straight BarleySortilège Prestige 7 years oldJP Wiser's Spiced No. 5 (US)Crown Royal Maple FinishedCentennial SpicedSpicebox Pumpkin Spiced WhiskySpicebox Spiced Whisky BronzeBronze medalsForty Creek Barrel Select Stalk & Barrel single malt Cask 8 Canadian Club Premium Highwood 15/25 Collingwood Canadian Whisky Ninety 5 Year Old J.P. Wiser's Rye Alberta Premium Gibson's Finest 12 Years Gibson's Finest Sterling Seagram's VO Last Mountain Spicebox Cinnamon Whisky Tap 357 Sortilège Wiser's Spiced Whisky (Canada)
About the Canadian Whisky AwardsThe Canadian Whisky Awards recognize the very best Canadian whiskies and encourage distillers to maintain the highest standards for making whisky. To qualify, whiskies must be distilled and matured in Canada. An independent panel of whisky writers, bloggers, and journalists selects the winners after tasting each whisky blind. Operated on a not-for-profit basis, the Canadian Whisky Awards are fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry.The Judges: Johanne McInnis, New Brunswick, Jason Debly, New Brunswick, André Girard, Quebec, Mark Gillespie, USA, Kris Shoemaker, Ontario, Chip Dykstra, Alberta, Blair Phillips, Ontario, Graham MacKenney, New Brunswick, Davin de Kergommeaux, Ontario.Canadian Whisky Awards 2010 are reported here. http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/canadian-whisky-awards-2010.htmlCanadian Whisky Awards 2011 are reported here. http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/canadian-whisky-awards-2011.htmlCanadian Whisky Awards 2012 are reported here. http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/canadian-whisky-awards-2012.html