In 2017 we first launched the Annual TWS Canadian Whisky Awards, handing out medals across multiple Canadian whisky categories. Our process was an in-person blind tasting of whiskies by category, collaboratively aligning on which were the best. We continued this in 2018 and 2019, with fantastic results.
When COVID hit in 2020, our in-person process wasn’t feasible, so we cancelled the awards for that year, the next and in 2022 despite returning to in person events, we didn’t send out a call for entries soon enough to make them happen that year.
As we discussed the return of the awards for 2023, we evaluated whether doing things the same way was in the cards, or if we should mix it up. While we didn’t ever want to stray from in-person, collaborative tasting and ensuring all panelists taste the whiskies blind, we did decide on a few changes:
- Broader panel – rather than 5-6 people tasting and deciding on the winners, we turned it into a larger full members event, and had over 20 panelists this year
- Narrower focus – instead of covering all categories of Canadian whisky (which is more than adequately covered by other awards), we decided to focus on what we know best: Single Malts.
With our new focus on malts, we are able to dive deeper into this category than any other award program, rewarding Canadian single malt producers for their efforts and celebrating the best of the best this country has to offer in our favourite whisky category!
We received 16 great malts sourced from coast to coast to coast! So without further adieu, here are the categories we gave out awards for. Click each to see the participants and the winners!
- Unpeated, <50% ABV Malts
- Peated, <50% ABV Malts
- Sherry and other cask-finished Malts
- Cask Strength Malts
- Single Malt Spirits / underaged malts
- Single Cask Malts
and finally:
Toronto Whisky Society 