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.
