SRFDA Platinum award-winning whisky, Old Pulteney 12 Year Old, has added to its medal haul by taking Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) 2023.
Double Golds are awarded to the entries that receive a Gold medal rating from all members of the judging panel. This makes them, in the words of SFWSC, “among the finest products in the world”.
Old Pulteney 12 Year Old is matured in bourbon casks and has “a briny hint of sea air” on the nose and is sweet, floral and citrusy on the palate, with a sweet taste of “lemon and lime plus dry banana skin”. Produced by International Beverage, it is bottled at 40% ABV and is available with a £37 RSP.
International Beverage’s Huddart single malt also won Double Gold.
Founded in 2000, the SFWSC is the largest spirits judging competition in the world and the oldest in North America. A 65-strong judging panel ran the rule over approximately 5,500 products.
Of these, over 3,700 medalled; almost 10% (319) of medal winners were from Scotland. As well as the pair of International Beverage whiskies and, underscoring the exceptional quality of Scotland’s food and drink industry, a further 106 Scottish spirits took home Double Golds.
Chief among these was Tomatin Distillery’s 36 Year Old single malt, which was named ‘Best in Show’ in the whisky category.
The panel praised the Inverness-shire distillery for its continued dedication to its craft and superior skills in cask maturation with whisky journalist and SFWSC judge, Joseph V Micallef, saying “without a doubt, this is one of the world’s greatest Scotch whiskies”.
It is the second time the 36 Year Old has been awarded the accolade after previously being recognised in 2017.
Rounding off a strong Scottish performance, Loch Lomond Distillery was crowned the SFWSC ‘Most Awarded Distillery of the Year’ after garnering a total of 21 gongs, including nine Double Golds, across its portfolio of malt and grain whiskies.
Judges praised the distillery for its consistency, quality and innovation.
