In a recent feature, Forbes spotlighted the rare individuals shaping the global whiskey landscape, highlighting “the world’s best whiskey blenders, according to the top spirits competitions.” Within that elite circle stands our Founder & Master Blender, Jay Bradley, recognised as one of the top eight whiskey blenders in the world.
This recognition isn’t simply a nod of approval; it’s an industry-defining acknowledgement of mastery, precision, and innovation in the global whiskey world.
Forbes notes that the individuals named are those whose work consistently rises to the top across multiple international competitions, judged against global standards of quality, depth and refinement.
To stand among this calibre of talent underscores Jay’s unwavering dedication to flavour-first innovation and meticulous blending philosophy, honed over years of obsessive whiskey perfection.
Since founding Craft Irish Whiskey, Jay has challenged convention, refusing to accept that Irish whiskey should be confined by traditional parameters. Instead, he has pushed its boundaries – exploring rare cask finishes, pioneering micro-blending techniques, and reimagining time-honoured processes through a contemporary, elevated lens.
His results speak for themselves:
59 international taste awards, 38 Gold medals, and multiple category wins at the world’s most respected spirits competitions.
Formerly an award-winning chef, Jay approaches blending through a lens of culinary precision and molecular-level sensory analysis. Every variable is considered – from cask provenance to finishing profiles to the rigour of sensory evaluation behind each release.
This acute attention to detail paid dividends from the very beginning. In 2022, our inaugural release, The Devil’s Keep, was named World’s Best Irish Single Malt at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards — the first time an inaugural expression had ever received this honour.
Since then, Jay has continued to build an extraordinary competition record, with award-winning releases praised for their structure, complexity, and length of finish.
Check out the full article in Forbes:
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