Every year, the American Distilling Institute (ADI) Spirits Competition highlights the best in global craft distilling, and this year’s results have now been released.
From a small Colorado distillery reviving Irish pot still traditions to a bold Islay malt that blends smoke with sherry sweetness, this year’s Best of Class whiskeys span continents and styles. Whether you’re into cigar-pairing bourbons or sherry-aged scotch, here are the top ADI winners worth knowing and drinking.
American Distilling Institute’s Best Bottled & Blended
Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon
From Jos. A. Magnus & Co., this award-winning bourbon is anything but ordinary. A complex blend of Joseph Magnus Bourbon and whiskeys aged between 11 and 18 years, it’s triple finished in Oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximénez, Cognac, and finally Armagnac casks. The resulting bourbon is a bold, high-proof pour (up to 65% ABV) that’s rich in dark spice, leather, dried fruit, and oak, crafted specifically to complement a cigar, but layered enough to enjoy solo.
Already a favorite among collectors, the Cigar Blend’s ADI win marks its transition from cult bottle to craft benchmark.
Caisteal Dùbh Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Blended by London-based Stewart Whisky Co., Caisteal Dùbh (Gaelic for “Black Castle”) is a rare find: a small-batch blended malt scotch that’s aged as one in a single sherry butt for 15 years. With malts from The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenurret, and Blair Athol, it marries honeyed malt, dark sherry fruit, and just a touch of Orkney peat.
In an interview with the Distiller’s Cut, George Stewart, founder of Stewart Whisky Co., said: “It’s an homage to the old-school vatted style—100% malted barley, no grain filler—aged the way whisky should be, slow and steady in a low, dark and dusty traditional dunnage warehouse.”
A standout for both flavor and philosophy, it’s a throwback to “vatted malt” style blending—and a big win for independent scotch.
Only 325 bottles have been released, launching in Pennsylvania on May 14th.
American Distilling Institute’s Best Distilled Spirits
Talnua Bourbon Cask & Stave Series Single Pot Still American Whiskey
Talnua Distillery in Colorado is breaking new ground as the first U.S. distillery devoted to single pot still whiskey, a style rooted in Irish tradition. Their Bourbon Cask & Stave Series combines malted and unmalted barley, triple-distilled for smoothness, and matured in used bourbon barrels with added virgin oak staves to intensify flavor.
Bottled at 43% ABV, it’s delicate yet distinctive: think vanilla, toasted grain, and soft spice. By blending Old World methods with American woodcraft, Talnua has carved out a niche, and this “America’s Greatest Whiskey” win confirms it’s more than just a novelty.
Kilchoman Batch Strength
Representing the Scottish field, Kilchoman’s Batch Strength Single Malt showcases everything that makes Islay whisky revered. Bottled at a bold 57% ABV, it’s a high-impact dram with intense peat smoke, citrus brightness, and layers of sherry and red fruit from its mix of ex-bourbon, Oloroso, and re-charred wine casks.
Kilchoman continues to punch above its weight. This Best of Class award not only highlights the distillery’s craft approach, but it also places it among the top tier of single malt scotch producers.
