Despite winning numerous honours for our whiskeys, this month we soared to new heights, seizing both Gold Awards and the illustrious Master Medal at two of the most important whiskey awards worldwide.

In an exciting development, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. has been recognised by our industry with two important achievements.

This month, we obtained Master and Gold Medals at the Drinks Business & Spirits Business Autumn Tasting 2023, and the Spirits Business Luxury Masters 2023.

Capturing the Master Medal

The Donn collected the Master Medal, the highest honour achievable, in the Irish Whiskey category. Both The Donn and The Taoscán collected a Gold Medal in the Irish Whisky Single Malt – Ultra Premium class. Master and Gold are the highest accolades, with the Master Medal reserved for whiskeys achieving near-perfection.

These prizes traditionally set the standards for forthcoming innovations within the industry. They underscore the importance of consistency in a whiskey’s quality and presentation, celebrate time-honoured brands and future visionaries, and allow brands to gauge themselves against global standards.

Acquiring Media Attention

The DB and SB Autumn Tasting, moreover, is a momentous event in the industry calendar, earning significant media engagement – with this partnership between The Drinks Business and The Spirits Business heightening the award’s significance.

Both publications are prized specialists in the drinks industry. And their mutual expertise guarantees a comprehensive evaluation process, with every awards admission being scrupulously tested and appraised.

A Measurement of Luxury

Competition was intense owing to the robust reputation of both awarding organisations. These accolades have a legacy of recognising and honouring true craftsmanship of the very finest spirts, with former winners frequently becoming yardsticks against which the luxury sector measures itself. Many aspire but just a few attain these titles.

To be presented with such significant wins at both ceremonies emphasises the exceptional eminence and appeal of our whiskeys, showcasing their distinction. It is an honour, and an additional stamp of approval for our brand.

The Adjudication Process

This is in no small part due to the exactitude of the adjudicating and assessment process. At both organisations, the judging panels encompass industry specialists, celebrated critics, and whiskey authorities, enhancing the integrity of the judging process. Adjudicators from both The Drinks Business & The Spirits Business publications contribute.

Additionally, at the Drinks Business & Spirits Business Autumn Tasting 2023, the process comprised a blind tasting to guarantee impartial decisions and ensure neutrality and even-handedness.

Every whiskey is appraised based on an established criterion including bouquet, palate, and texture. Scoring is measurable, based on a point system. Gold Medals denote astonishing quality.

Ascending New Heights

However, the chief medal at the Autumn Tasting is the Master Medal, symbolising the pinnacle of quality and distinction in the ultra-premium spirits sector. Only the finest spirits can aspire to a Luxury Master award, which highlights how privileged we feel to have received such an honour in the half-decade since our formation.

Established in 2018 by Jay Bradley with the purpose of re-establishing Ireland’s status for creating the world’s finest whiskeys, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. has continually focused on reimagining the whiskey development process.

We respect traditional whiskey crafting practices, but constantly question convention, integrating scientific data into our maturation techniques while never taking shortcuts. Every stage in our whiskey creation method is thorough.

A Legacy of Medals

This explains why in 2021, we obtained a total of 12 honours for taste and design, becoming the most awarded new business of the year.

In 2022, we continued our award-winning streak with 22 accolades, winning Best Irish Single Malt for The Devil’s Keep at the World Whiskies Awards and achieving Platinum at the A’Design Awards for The Emerald Isle.

This year, we were recognised for both IWSC Taste and Design at the World Whiskies Awards for The Taoscán, in response to the way we continually push boundaries.

Commending Our ‘Divine’ Whiskey

We were however delighted and humbled by the notes we received on The Donn from panel chair Bryan Rodriguez-Curtis, who lionised the whiskey’s rich aroma, the attendance of Port-like red fruit notes, suggestion of spices, hints of vanilla, pronouncing The Donn a “divine whiskey; one to be sipped slowly; ideal for savouring with good company.”

Equally, the feedback we received for The Taoscán saw the judges applaud its distinct “ripe peach” aroma, conspicuous fruity nuances, its prevailing “jammy” essence, and suggestions of juicy pears, presenting complexity in every sip – a must-try for whiskey fanatics.

Where Tradition Meets Ambition

Our vision is to craft a legacy, not simply a brand, returning exceptional Irish whiskey to its earlier glories, while celebrating centuries of Irish whiskey-making traditions.

We are committed to becoming the torchbearers of Irish whiskey culture and pay thorough notice to every infinitesimal aspect of the whiskey-making process. We champion the ‘craft’ in The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.

These latest accolades affirm our dedication to becoming the beacon of Irish whiskey artistry worldwide.

Thank you for being part of our award-winning journey.