Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC) released the results of the 2022 Challenge, which proved to be the 13th consecutive year of record submissions. Entries arrived from more than 50 spirit-producing nations.

The judging, held through May and early June, determined 57 Chairman’s Trophy winners, 274 Finalists, 446 Great Values, and 143 Tried & True Award winners. As always, USC was conducted at the custom-designed Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) Evaluation Center, located in Hawthorne, NY.

Said UBC Co-Founder and Judging Director F. Paul Pacult, “Aside from being the largest USC ever, this year’s Challenge was likewise the most global, with an impressive array of quality distillates from places as far away from New York as China, Australia, Ecuador, India, and Chile. Virtually all categories saw healthy gains, most notably gin, Ready-to-Drink cocktails, mezcal, rum, tequila, rum, vodka, and all whiskey and brandy categories.”

Whiskey winners are below. You can view complete results at www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2022results.

WHISKY – CANADA 
WhistlePig The Boss Hog VIII LapuLapu’s Pacific Straight Rye

WHISKEY – IRELAND 
Blended: J.J. Corry The Gael 
Single Pot Still: Redbreast 21 Years Old 
Single Malt: Knappogue Castle 21 Years Old

WHISKY – SCOTLAND 
Blended: Dewar’s Double Double 32 Years Old 
Blended Malt: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Batch #13 Tabanco Time 11 Years Old 
Single Malt-Highland: Glenmorangie Truffle Oak Reserve 26 Years Old 
Single Malt-Island: Highland Park Viking Honour 12 Years Old 
Single Malt-Islay: Ardbeg Uigedail 
Single Malt-Speyside: Mortlach Cowie’s Blue Seal 20 Years Old

WHISKEY – USA 
Bottled-In-Bond: Old Fitzgerald Spring 2022 Edition 17 Years Old 
Bourbon: Eagle Rare 17 Years Old 
Rye: Smooth Ambler Founders’ Cask Strength Series 
Single Barrel: Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel 
Single Malt: Courage & Conviction Cuvée Single Cask, Cask No. 1266 
Tennessee: Jack Daniel’s 10 Years Old 
Wheat: Bainbridge Battle Point Two Islands Islay Cask 
Other: Barrell Whiskey Private Release DJA1 Blend 1 Finished in a St. Agrestis Brooklyn Amaro Cask

WHISK(E)Y – WORLD
Japanese: Matsui The Kurayoshi Sakura Cask Japanese Single Malt
World: Seven Seals The Age of Pisces Oloroso Sherry Wood Finish Single Malt

After undergoing careful analysis through multiple panels, all products are rated on the 100-point scale by the spirits industry’s most renowned judges including buyers, journalists, educators, authors, and bar owners.