Bowmore 9 Year Old takes home the top prize for scotch at this year’s IWSC.
Photo illustration: Brad Japhe
The International Wine and Spirits Competition is kind of a big deal. Originally launched in 1969, it exists as one of the oldest and most prestigious annual judgings in the beverage industry. So when it announced its top trophy winners for all categories of whisky this past week, we were keen to take note. And when it came to single malt scotch, specifically, we were elated to see the results. Because they included some not-so-obvious bottlings of brown liquid.
IWSC divides its single malt scotch entries into two separate siloes, awarding a trophy to the best offering over 20 years in age as well as to the best below that maturation marker. The standout elder statesman this time around was Manta Ray Genesis – a decadent 35-year-old selection of Bunnahabhain, independently bottled by the East Asia Whisky Company. It does not enjoy wide distribution, though. So we’re not going to spend much time talking about it today.
Instead, we’re turning our attention toward the younger champ. Because it’s a brilliant liquid from one of the best known scotch producer’s on the planet. And it typically sits on shelves for under $50 a bottle. We’re talking about none other than Bowmore 9 Year Old.
The approachable 80-proof potion was drawn from a precious store of hand-selected American oak ex-bourbon casks as well as European oak Oloroso sherry butts. Under a decade’s worth of time in that battery of cooperage and the resulting juice has already accumulated a rich-yet-spry body; one that demonstrates an ever-so-slight brine in its firm fade.
The official tasting notes from the IWSC judging panel were as follows:
“Aromas of delicate sea salt, crème caramel, and light peat smoke. On the palate, roasted peaches and soft bonfire smoke take centre stage, beautifully balanced by notes of oats, roasted pumpkin seeds, fresh rhubarb, and a pinch of sea salt.”
High praise, in no uncertain measure–backed by a stratospheric score of 98 out of 100 possible points. But it’s even more meaningful when you consider the industry icons who awarded this honor. It included names like Emma Walker and Richard Paterson, renowned for crafting their own legendary liquids.
Bowmore 9 has enjoyed status in the UK and Europe as part of the Islay distillery’s core range since 2016. On that side of the Atlantic you can regularly find it on shelves for around €40. Sadly for stateside sippers, the award-winning bottle has largely eluded our grasps. But don’t surrender all hope. It is still sold here by way of speciality online retailers.
In light of this latest global recognition perhaps Bowmore can respond, in kind, by furthering the expression’s global footprint. Only time will tell. But at any rate, the accolade underscores the point that great whisky doesn’t need to bear an outsized statements of age. Maturation and aging are, in fact, two very separate concepts. Along the briny, peat-sodden edges of Islay, Bowmore has been perfecting the art since 1779.
BOWMORE,SCOTLAND – MARCH 28: A general view of Bowmore Whisky Distillery at Isle of Islay on March 28, 2026 in Bowmore, Scotland. Scotland is a constituent nation of the United Kingdom. The territory includes more than 790 smaller islands, including the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland archipelagos. Edinburgh, the capital, was the center of the 18th-century Scottish Enlightenment, which transformed the country into one of Western Europe’s commercial, intellectual, and industrial powers. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, was once one of the world’s leading industrial centers. Other important industries include textiles, chemicals, whisky distilling, brewing, fishing, and tourism. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
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