Amidst the glitz and glamour of this year's World Whiskies Awards gala in London, Three Ships Whisky stole the spotlight, claiming the esteemed title of 'World's Best Blended Limited Release' for its 12-Year-Old Double Wood expression.
This accolade follows the earlier announcement that four South African whiskies secured Category Winner titles.
Three Ships Whisky's journey to global acclaim is not a new phenomenon. In 2012, its 5-Year-Old Premium Select was crowned 'World's Best Blended Whisky.' This year, it returned as a finalist in the Blends category, alongside the 21-Year-Old Millennium expression.
Another triumph for South African whisky came in the form of Bain's Founders Collection 15-Year-Old, crafted at the James Sedgwick Distillery. This exceptional grain whisky clinched the title of 'World's Best Grain Whisky.’
The rigorous judging process of the World Whiskies Awards, conducted by Whisky Magazine, involved over 200 international experts assessing more than 1,500 whiskies from 40 countries.
Accepting the prestigious award on behalf of Three Ships Whisky was Andy Watts, the former Master Distiller at the James Sedgwick Distillery. Watts' leadership and expertise have been instrumental in elevating South African whisky to international acclaim.
In a statement, Meryll Stocks Roos, Brown Spirits marketing manager at Heineken Beverages South Africa said that “our master distillers and blenders have put in hard work, determination and ingenuity to be able to stand with the best in the world.”
“For anyone who’s been lucky enough to taste these winning whiskies, they’ll know those qualities have paid off. But it’s certainly rewarding to have the rest of the world sit up and take notice, and it’s a great achievement for South Africa,” she said.
The other two category finalists were the Three Ships Whisky 5-Year-Old Premium Select in the Blends category and the Three Ships Whisky 21-Year-Old Millennium representing in the Single Malt category.