Top Rated Bourbons of The 2023 “International Wines & Spirits Competition”

Bourbons

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 […]

The post Top Rated Bourbons of The 2023 “International Wines & Spirits Competition” first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

Bourbons

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*

BRANDLABELPOINTS
Bardstown Bourbon CompanyOrigin Series Ketucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey98
Barton 1792 Distillery12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey98

GOLD (97 – 95)

BRANDLABELPOINTS
Heaven Hill Distillery William Heavenhill 9th Edition 15 YO Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey97
Buffalo Trace DistilleryStagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey96
Kentucky OwlKentucky Owl Confiscated Straight Bourbon Whiskey96
15 Stars (KY)First West Platinum Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
15 Stars (KY)Triple Cask Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
15 Stars (KY)First West Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Barton 1792 DistilleryThomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon Whiskey95
Buffalo Trace DistilleryBuffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Buffalo Trace DistilleryCol E.H. Taylor Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Four Roses DistillerySmall Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Heaven Hill Distillery Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Heaven Hill Distillery Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Heaven Hill Distillery Henry McKenna 10 Year Single Barrel Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Heaven Hill Distillery Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Silver Screen Bottling Co (KY)Bradshaw Straight Bourbon Whiskey95
Spirits of The USA (GA)Legends 100 Double Barrel Bourbon Whiskey95
Spirits of The USA (GA)Legends High Rye Bourbon Whiskey95
Spirits of The USA (GA)Legends Single Barrel Bourbon95

SILVER (94 – 90)

BRANDLABELPOINTS
Barton 1792 DistillerySmall Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey94
Barton 1792 DistilleryFull Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey94
Buffalo Trace DistilleryWeller 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey94
Garrison Brothers (TX)Small Batch Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey94
Heaven Hill Distillery Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 2022 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey94
Ironroot Republic Distilling (TX)Harbinger Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey9494
15 Stars (KY)Timeless Reserve 13 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey93
Bardstown Bourbon CompanyCollaborative Series West Virginia Great Barrel Co Blended Rye Whiskey93
Bardstown Bourbon CompanyOrigin Series Bottled-in-Bond Whiskey93
Barton 1792 DistilleryBottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey93
Buffalo Trace DistilleryEagle Rare 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey93
Buffalo Trace DistilleryEagle Rare 17 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey93
Heaven Hill Distillery Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A123 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey93
Wild Turkey Russell Reserve 13 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey93
Wild Turkey Russell Reserve 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey93
Angel’s Envy2022 Cask Strength Port Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey92
Bardstown Bourbon CompanyCollaborative Series Plantation Rum Finish Bourbon92
Green River Distilling CoGreen River Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey92
Heaven Hill Distillery Larceny Barrel Proof C922 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey92
Heaven Hill Distillery Larceny Barrel Proof A123 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey92
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey92
Barton 1792 DistilleryThomas S. Moore Port Cask Finished Bourbon Whiskey91
Bhakta Spirits2013 Bourbon Whiskey91
Blanton’s Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Whiskey91
Buffalo Trace DistilleryOld Charter Oak French Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
Five Nine (KY)Five Nine Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
Garrison Brothers (TX)Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
Heaven Hill Distillery Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond  Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
Heaven Hill Distillery Five Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
Heaven Hill Distillery Evan Williams 1783  Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
Heaven’s DoorHeaven’s Door Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
James B BeamKnob Creek 9 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 91
Limestone Branch DistilleryYellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
Maker’s Mark DistilleryMaker’s 46 Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
MGPRedemption High Rye Bourbon Single Barrel Select91
Triple Eight Distillery Nor’easter Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Straight Bourbon Whiskey91
William Grant & Sons DistillersHudson Whiskey NJ Bright Lights Big Bourbon Straight Whiskey91
Bardstown Bourbon CompanyColllaborative Series Chateau de Laubade Cask Finish Blended Straight  Bourbon Whiskey90
Buffalo Trace DistilleryWeller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey90
Buffalo Trace DistilleryBenchmark Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey90
Buffalo Trace DistilleryWeller Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey90
Four Roses DistilleryFour Roses Small Batch Select90
James B BeamBaker’s Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey90
Oak & Eden (IN)Infused Series Wheat & Honey90
Quality Spirits Int’ (KY)Hogs 3 Straight Bourbon Whiskey90
Spirits of The USA (GA)Legends 115 Wheated Bourbon Whiskey90
Spirits of The USA (GA)Legends Yeah C’mon Straight Bourbon Whiskey90
WhistlePigPiggyback Bourbon90
Wild Turkey Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey90

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.

Bourbons
Bourbons

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.