Malt Maniacs Awards 2017- A Jury Report 

Since 1997, the malt maniacs (an international collective of malt whisky enthusiasts) have been enjoying and discussing the pleasures of (single malt) whisky with like-minded whisky lovers from all over the world. Since 2003, we have organised (non stop) our very own annual ‘amateur’ whisky competition. We like to think that, over the years, our modest little initiative has evolved into one of the leading (and most independent) whisky competitions in the world. You can find more details about our collective and its history on: www.maltmaniacs.net

 

MMA 2017: The Rules

Our fundamentals are:

• 100% Amateur
• 100% Blind

Awards

In the Malt Maniacs Awards, medals are won on merit, similar to the system that is used by the boy scouts. The winners in specific categories receive awards instead – hence the name of our competition. There are six award categories in three price brackets. We distinguish between these six awards categories:

• Non-Plus-Ultra Award (Overall top scoring whisky out of all Malt Maniacs Awards entries that year)
• Best Natural Cask Award (Best whisky matured exclusively in ‘untreated’, regular casks)
• Best Sherry Cask Award (Best whisky matured exclusively in sherry casks)
• Best Peated Malt Award (Best whisky distilled from – relatively – peated malted barley)
• Thumbs Up Award (Most exciting new release in that price category that year)

Every bottle that is entered in our competition can win only one award (as well as only one medal). Apart from the six awards categories listed above, there are three different price brackets –

Daily Drams (the bottles with a retail price of up to 50 Euros), Premium Whiskies (the bottles with a retail price between 50 and 150 Euros) and Ultra Premium Whiskies (the bottles with a retail price of more than 150 Euros).So there are 18 ‘standard’ awards that are assigned each year – provided we can find a suitable candidate.

If we feel that a certain whisky, bottler or distillery deserves special recognition in a particular year, we sometimes add one or more ‘special’ awards.

And finally, the moment you are waiting for……!!!!

AWARDS –Supreme Winner 

Kavalan 2009/2017 ‘Solist’ (58.60%, OB, C#S090306031, Sherry Cask, 481 Bts.)

AWARDS – Ultra Premium Category

Non-Plus-Ultra Award (Ultra Premium)

Glen Grant 1965 (43.6% Gordon & MacPhail for LMDW, First Fill Sherry Cask, 19 Bts)

Best Natural Cask Award (Ultra Premium)

22yo 1993/2015 (52.70%, Chieftain’s Choice, C#3612, First Fill Sherry Butt, 579 Bts.)

Best Sherry Cask Award (Ultra Premium).

Yamazaki 25yo (43%, OB, Sherry)

Best Peated Malt Award (Ultra Premium)

Islay Distillery 25yo (48.7%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company)

Thumbs Up Award (Ultra Premium)

Glenfarclas 10yo 2005/2015 (60.9%, OB, C#2424, Sherry Cask, 634 Bts.)

AWARDS – Premium Category

 

Non-Plus-Ultra Award (Premium)

Kavalan ‘Solist’ 2008 (58.6%, OB, C#S081217041, Sherry Cask, 476 Bts.)

Best Natural Cask Award (Premium)

Edradour 11yo 2005/2016 (59.1%, OB for Drunken Master Bar, C#90, Sherry cask)

Best Sherry Cask Award (Premium)

Kavalan 2009/2017 ‘Solist’ (58.60%, OB, C#S090306024, Sherry Cask, 461 Bts.)

Best Peated Malt Award (Premium)

Ledaig 12yo 2005/2017 (61.1%, Cadenhead’s for HNWS Taiwan 12th Anniversary)

Thumbs Up Award (Premium)

Amrut 2011/2016 (56.50%, OB for Hot Malt, C#4122, PX Sherry Cask, 624 Bts.)

AWARDS – Daily Drams Category

 

Non-Plus-Ultra Award (Daily Drams)

Elements of Islay ‘Peat Full Proof’ (59.3%, The Whisky Exchange, NAS)

Best Natural Cask Award (Daily Drams)

Wemyss ‘Treacle Chest’ (46%, Wemyss Family Collection, First Fill Sherry Hogshead, 6300 Bts.)

Best Sherry Cask Award (Daily Drams)

Glenfarclas 105  (60%, OB, Sherry Cask)

Best Peated Malt Award (Daily Drams)

Caol Ila 12yo (43%, OB)

Thumbs Up Award (Daily Drams)

Laphroaig 10yo (40%, OB)

Gold Medals (GM) 

Gold Medals as you all would agree are the cream of the crop! As mentioned earlier it is not easy to get a GM in MMA and the average GM winners per competition for last 14 years has been only eight!! The maximum of 15 were in the year 2006 with minimum being 3 in the inaugural year, 2003.

So this year we are not far away from our average number, which are:

1. Kavalan 2009/2017 ‘Solist’ (58.60%, OB, C#S090306031, Sherry Cask, 481 Bts.)

2. Kavalan ‘Solist’ 2008 (58.6%, OB, C#S081217041, Sherry Cask, 476 Bts.)

3. Edradour 11yo 2005/2016 (59.1%, OB for Drunken Master Bar, C#90, Sherry cask)

4. Glen Grant 1965 (43.6% Gordon &MacPhail for LMDW, First Fill Sherry Cask, 19 Bts)

5. Yamazaki 25yo (43%, OB, Sherry)

6. Kavalan 2009/2017 ‘Solist’ (58.60%, OB, C#S090306024, Sherry Cask, 461 Bts.)

7. Ledaig 12yo 2005/2017 (61.1%, Cadenhead’s for HNWS Taiwan 12th Anniversary)

8. Kavalan 2009/2016 ‘Solist’ (57.10%, OB, C#S090306012, Sherry Cask, 498 Bts.)

9. Undisclosed 22yo 1993/2015 (52.70%, Chieftain’s Choice, C#3612, First Fill Sherry Butt, 579 Bts.)

10. Amrut 2011/2016 (56.50%, OB for Hot Malt, C#4122, PX Sherry Cask, 624 Bts.)

11. Edradour 11yo 2004/2016 (57.6%, OB, C#426, 674 Bts.)

12. Glenlivet 2007 (66.6%, Signatory Vintage for Whisky Live 2017, C#900188, 343 Bts.)

13. Kavalan 2010/2017 ‘Solist’ (59.40%, OB for LMDW C#0100505013A, Port Cask, 196 Bts.)

Final words 

The MMA cannot take place without the participating companies submitting their bottles to us. So, a big thank you to them! The MMA2017 has been a very good year and as the next MMA will be the 15^th anniversary of the awards, so malt lovers, expect something special in MMA2018!!