What is The International Wines & Spirits Competition (IWSC)?
Founded in 1969, it is one of the leading and largest global booze competitions, with qualified judging panelists evaluating a huge array of wine and spirit categories. There were approx. 4,000 entries for this year’s showing.
Awards System: Points Based
On a scale of 100, awards are based on the following levels.
- GOLD OUTSTANDING: 100 – 98
- GOLD: 97 – 95
- SILVER: 94 – 90
- BRONZE: 89 – 85
2023 TOP RATED BOURBONS
Gold Outstanding was awarded to just 2 Bourbons. For context, of the ~4,000 entries, there were 98 total Gold Outstanding Awards. Of the 98 (across all categories), only 4 went to American Whiskeys (2 for Bourbon), 24 to Scotch, and 2 to Irish Whiskey.
There were 70+ total Bourbons within the 90+ point range. The list below includes “barrel finished” Bourbons.
GOLD OUTSTANDING (100 – 98) *HIGHEST RATED*
| BRAND | LABEL | POINTS |
| Bardstown Bourbon Company | Origin Series Ketucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 98 |
| Barton 1792 Distillery | 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 98 |
GOLD (97 – 95)
| BRAND | LABEL | POINTS |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | William Heavenhill 9th Edition 15 YO Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 97 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 96 |
| Kentucky Owl | Kentucky Owl Confiscated Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 96 |
| 15 Stars (KY) | First West Platinum Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| 15 Stars (KY) | Triple Cask Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| 15 Stars (KY) | First West Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Barton 1792 Distillery | Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Col E.H. Taylor Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Four Roses Distillery | Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Silver Screen Bottling Co (KY) | Bradshaw Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Spirits of The USA (GA) | Legends 100 Double Barrel Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Spirits of The USA (GA) | Legends High Rye Bourbon Whiskey | 95 |
| Spirits of The USA (GA) | Legends Single Barrel Bourbon | 95 |
SILVER (94 – 90)
| BRAND | LABEL | POINTS |
| Barton 1792 Distillery | Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 94 |
| Barton 1792 Distillery | Full Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 94 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Weller 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 94 |
| Garrison Brothers (TX) | Small Batch Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 94 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 2022 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 94 |
| Ironroot Republic Distilling (TX) | Harbinger Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey94 | 94 |
| 15 Stars (KY) | Timeless Reserve 13 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 93 |
| Bardstown Bourbon Company | Collaborative Series West Virginia Great Barrel Co Blended Rye Whiskey | 93 |
| Bardstown Bourbon Company | Origin Series Bottled-in-Bond Whiskey | 93 |
| Barton 1792 Distillery | Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 93 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Eagle Rare 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 93 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Eagle Rare 17 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 93 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A123 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 93 |
| Wild Turkey | Russell Reserve 13 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 93 |
| Wild Turkey | Russell Reserve 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 93 |
| Angel’s Envy | 2022 Cask Strength Port Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 92 |
| Bardstown Bourbon Company | Collaborative Series Plantation Rum Finish Bourbon | 92 |
| Green River Distilling Co | Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 92 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Larceny Barrel Proof C922 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 92 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Larceny Barrel Proof A123 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 92 |
| Wild Turkey | Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 92 |
| Barton 1792 Distillery | Thomas S. Moore Port Cask Finished Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Bhakta Spirits | 2013 Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Blanton’s | Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Whiskey | 91 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Old Charter Oak French Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Five Nine (KY) | Five Nine Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Garrison Brothers (TX) | Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Five Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Heaven Hill Distillery | Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Heaven’s Door | Heaven’s Door Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| James B Beam | Knob Creek 9 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Limestone Branch Distillery | Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Maker’s Mark Distillery | Maker’s 46 Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| MGP | Redemption High Rye Bourbon Single Barrel Select | 91 |
| Triple Eight Distillery | Nor’easter Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| Wild Turkey | Kentucky Spirit Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 91 |
| William Grant & Sons Distillers | Hudson Whiskey NJ Bright Lights Big Bourbon Straight Whiskey | 91 |
| Bardstown Bourbon Company | Colllaborative Series Chateau de Laubade Cask Finish Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Benchmark Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery | Weller Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
| Four Roses Distillery | Four Roses Small Batch Select | 90 |
| James B Beam | Baker’s Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
| Oak & Eden (IN) | Infused Series Wheat & Honey | 90 |
| Quality Spirits Int’ (KY) | Hogs 3 Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
| Spirits of The USA (GA) | Legends 115 Wheated Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
| Spirits of The USA (GA) | Legends Yeah C’mon Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
| WhistlePig | Piggyback Bourbon | 90 |
| Wild Turkey | Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 90 |
Breaking It Down
The big dogs of Bourbon howled loudly and proudly as Sazerac (Buffalo Trace, Barton 1792, Blanton’s) took home 16 Awards in the 90+ pts range, including the top level Gold Outstanding. Heaven Hill raked in 12 brands in the 90+ realm and also grabbed a Gold Outstanding for its Heritage Collection 12 Year Rye.
Bardstown Bourbon Co struck big, getting Gold Outstanding for its in house brand Origin Series Bourbon, along with a handful of 90+ label awards.
NEW COMERS: Coming out of nowhere, Kentucky based “15 Stars” with 3 Gold awards and 1 Silver. Another up and comer candidate, Georgia based “Spirts of The USA” pulling in 3 Golds of its own and 1 Silver.
For more info, visit https://iwsc.net/
To view an expanded list of winners of including Rye, Tennessee Whiskey, and American Single Malt, visit HERE and type your desired “Keyword” search on the righthand side.
The post Top Rated Bourbons of The 2023 “International Wines & Spirits Competition” first appeared on The Bourbon Review.