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Draw-In
SMWS single grain scoops top luxury spirit title
A single grain bottling from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has been found to be the most outstanding luxury spirit in a competition dedicated to super- and ultra-premium expressions.
The SMWS bottling – Listening to the frog chorus – was named Taste Master in The Luxury Masters 2019
Last month, The Spirits Business hosted The Luxury Masters 2019 – a blind-tasting competition in which judges assessed only super-premium-plus spirits. During the tasting, judges awarded 74 medals – eight of which were Master medals, which need to score 90% or more.
At the end of the competition, the judges re-tasted the Master medallists and voted for their overall favourite – producing a Luxury Spirit Taster Master.
The accolade went to the SMWS’s G6.9 – Listening to the frog chorus single grain Scotch whisky, which won a Master medal in the ultra-premium single grain Scotch round.
The expression, priced at £185 (US$227), impressed the judges with its “butterscotch, pear and gorse blossom” aroma and its “open, fresh pear” flavour.
“Listening to the frog chorus from the SMWS perfectly captured what our judges were looking for in a luxury spirit: exceptional balance, textural elegance and a full flavour that exceeded expectations,” said Amy Hopkins, editor of The Spirits Business and chair of The Global Spirits Masters.
“The whisky was a deserving recipient of the Taste Master title in a competition that was full of excellent products. From gin and Irish whiskey to Scotch and rum, it’s clear producers are upping their games when it comes to high-end liquid.”
The competition’s judging panel consisted of: Hopkins, Melita Kiely, deputy editor of The Spirits Business; Derek Millar, retired whisky retailer; Riccardo Lupacchini, bartender at Scarfes Bar; Athila Roos, wine and spirits agent; and Dan Greifer, head bartender at Belmeis.
The next competitions in The Global Spirits Masters series – ran by The Spirits Business – will be The Liqueur Masters and The Speciality Masters, followed by The Design & Packaging Masters, sponsored by Amorim Top Series, later this year.