The World’s Best Bourbon—According To The 2025 International Whisky Competition

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The distillery, owned by the same family as Buffalo Trace, continues its legacy of crafting high-quality bourbon

Smith Bowman 10 year old Cask Strength Bourbon (Batch 4) Photo illustration: Brad Japhe The results are in from the edition of the International Whisky Competition and the grand prize winner for bourbon is a bottling for the ages

But before we get into that, let’s vide a brief bit of background on the judging itself--and why you should care its findings

It has been held every year since and has grown into what its organizers call the “world’s most-ed whisky only competition. ” A big part of that ing was amassed through the publication of the International Whisky Guide

Judges sip blindly through hundreds of entries each year

To avoid palate fatigue they are presented with one whisky at a time, compiling in-depth notes at every step from sight, to nose, to finish

The 16th International Whisky Competition was held this year in Louisville, Kentucky

It’s fitting since we are to talk the best bourbon honor

And yet the tasting panel this year conferred that distinction upon a brilliant, barrel-strength selection hailing from Virginia: A

Smith Bowman Cask Strength (Batch #4)

Netting an impressive 97. 01 points, it was also the highest rated American whiskey at IWC this year and was a mere. 03 points away from being the top scoring whiskey across all

It instantly amassed a devoted ing amongst bourbon enthusiasts

Indeed, it carries the trusted trifecta of a cult classic: full in flavor, high in of and tight on allocation

MORE FOR YOU The expression taking the top prize at IWC this year was the 4th batch in the series, released earlier this year

Despite all that heat, assertive aromas of dried cherry and vanilla eclipse any ethanol in the nose

The palate is presented with a creamy-textured affair, drenched with ginger spice, vanilla and cinnamon red hots

Nothing too out-of-the-ordinary here; all hallmarks of the category--albeit offered in high volume here

The true treasure of this dram, however, arrives as a parting gift in the finish

Brûléed stone fruit accompanies tanned leather in a slow, powerful parade

It is a belter, to be sure

Though that sturdiness is built upon sweat--not heat

So, ultimately each sip actually belies the utter strength of its intimidating ABV

None of this craft mastery should come as too much of a surprise

It offers a ud history stretching back to the very day after hibition

And since it is today owned by the very same family responsible for Buffalo Trace, it is seen as a sister distillery to that storied facility

This certainly affords the brand a nounced halo effect

All this is to say, if you spy a bottle of A

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