Spirits Selection by the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is one of the world’s largest blind-tasted spirits competitions, judged by experts from more than 50 countries under strict quality controls and capped medal rates. At the 2025 whisky judging, eight international entries earned Gold Medals, with Woodburns Contemporary Indian Whisky taking Grand Gold and the Revelation Blended Whisky award as the most outstanding whisky in its class. Below you’ll find the top results, producer backgrounds, and concise tasting notes that explain why these bottles stood out.
WoodBurns Contemporary Indian Whisky, 42.8% ABV, 750 ml. $42
Produced by Fullarton Distilleries in Candepar, Goa, India, Woodburns is a “home-grown” blended malt using 100% Indian ingredients and matured in charred oak casks. The house style leans smoky.
The nose features gentle peat smoke over dark chocolate, sesame oil, and freshly sawn seasoned oak, with medicinal hints of iodine and sweet/honeyed barley malt. It’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, showcasing flavors of caramel, cumin seed, and chocolate with a persistent but delicate cold smoke intermingled with notes of charred oak. The finish is medium-length and drying with persistent oak tannins and char/cold smoke balanced by a lingering barley sweetness.
Crafters Reserve Whisky, 42.8% ABV, 750 ml.
Whiskin Spirits, an Indian distiller based in Punjab, produces Crafters whisky. The whisky is a blend of ex-Oloroso cask-aged Scotch whiskies, Indian malts, and select grain spirits.
Crafters features aromas of vanilla fudge, light sherry fruit notes of golden raisin and dried fig, along with orange peel and toasted grain. It’s smooth and creamy on the palate, showcasing flavors of caramel, almond brittle, and baking spices, with a hint of sherried plum. The finish is medium length, with lingering notes of dried fruits, chocolate, seasoned oak, and a mild but persistent pepperiness.
Nozomi, Pure Malt, 43% ABV, 750 ml.
The whisky is produced at the Kobe Distillery in Hyogo, Japan. In the Japanese whisky industry, the term “pure malt” is used informally to describe a blend of single malts from different distilleries or a blend of Scotch and Japanese single malts. The term, however, lacks any legal standing.
This pure malt is crafted from three-year-old or older single malt Scotch whisky, which is finished for an additional 17 months in Japan in medium-char Mizunara oak casks. It’s then proofed with spring water from Kamikawa. U.S. distribution is spotty, but it can occasionally be found in US retail; otherwise, it’s available from Japanese mail-order internet vendors like Dekanta.
The whisky features Mizunara-inspired aromas of sandalwood and incense, along with citrus zest, pear, and honey notes. It’s smooth and silky on the palate, showcasing orchard fruit flavors of pear and apple, as well as notes of coconut, vanilla, and subtle spice notes of cinnamon, clove, and white pepper. The finish is long, with lingering notes of aromatic cedar, sandalwood incense, and citrus zest.
Grainvest Single Grain Whisky, Cask Strength, Virgin Oak, Wheat, 55.5% ABV, 750 ml.
The whisky is made by Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor (TTL) at its Taichung Distillery and bottled under the Grainvest brand. The single grain wheat whisky is column-distilled, aged 8 years in virgin oak, and bottled at cask strength, 55.5% ABV. The whisky is not widely distributed in the US.
The whisky features aromas of vanilla cream, cedar shavings, nougat, and subtle floral notes. It’s rich, sweet, and oily, with a noticeable palate weight, revealing flavors of crème anglaise, clove, and nutmeg, along with fruit notes of blackcurrant and blueberry, and toasted oak. The finish is long, creamy, and slightly dry, with lingering notes of vanilla and seasoned oak, complemented by a subtle tannic grip.
Bellevoye Bleu, 40% ABV, 750 ml. $45
The whisky is produced by Les Bienheureux, one of the founders of the Cognac house Dubrule & Braastad. It’s a 100% French “triple malt”—a blend of three single malts from different French regions. It’s aged 3–8 years in French oak, then after blending, it’s finished for an additional 9–12 months in a new barrel of fine-grained French oak.
The whisky features notes of acacia honey, vanilla, orchard fruit, and cooked cereal. It is creamy on the palate, showcasing flavors of cooked malt, digestive biscuits, orchard fruit, caramel, and baking spices. The finish is long, sweet, and slightly drying with lingering notes of dried fruits, honeyed grain, and seasoned wood.
TER Lignum Whisky, 40% ABV, 750 ml.
This Italian whisky from Alto Adige is a collaboration between Roner Distillerie and Forst Brewery. Forst brews and ferments the malt blend, while Roner distills and matures it.
Reduction for bottling uses Forst’s brewing water. Triple-wood aging in cherry, oak, and larch casks—an unusual mix of alpine woods—creates a distinct profile. The whisky is non-chill-filtered. The typical European retail price is around 45 Euros. It is not yet available in the US, but it can be purchased via The Whisky Exchange.
The whisky has aromas of dried apricot, toasted nuts, vanilla, and dry/resinous larch wood. It’s smooth and rounded on the palate, with subtle spicy notes complemented by toffee, alpine herbs, and a cold, gentle smoke/char from the mixed woods. The finish is medium in length, with lingering notes of honeyed cereal, sweet spices, and a faint, resinous echo.
Union Distillery, Pure Malt Whisky Extraturfado, 43.5% ABV, 750 ml.
Brazil’s Union Distillery, founded in 1948 in Serra Gaúcha, in Rio Grande do Sul, produces an extra-peated single malt (pure malt) using Scottish peated malt at ~40 ppm phenol and copper pot stills. The whisky is matured for about 5 years in ex-bourbon casks. It’s mainly sold in Brazil.
The nose offers aromas of cold campfire smoke, with medicinal hints of iodine and tar, along with notes of vanilla and honey. It’s sweet on the palate, displaying notes of barbecue glaze, vanilla cream, toasted coconut, citrus peel, cold smoke, and wood spice. The finish is medium length and sweet, with lingering hints of cold smoke, char, pepper, and toffee.
Dingle Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 46.5% ABV, 750 ml. $80-150
Dingle Distillery, located in County Kerry on Ireland’s picturesque West Coast, produces a traditional Irish single pot still mash made from malted and unmalted barley. It’s triple-distilled, non-chill-filtered, and matured in a blend of ex-bourbon, Port, PX, and Oloroso casks. The U.S. shelf prices range from $80 to $150, depending on the edition.
The nose offers aromas of nutmeg and cinnamon, complemented by a dark fruit compote, brown sugar, and baked apple notes. It is velvety and aromatic on the palate, revealing flavors of stewed fruits, toffee, baking spices, vanilla, chocolate, and a toasted almond or marzipan note from the sherry casks. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering notes of wood spice, dried red fruits, and seasoned oak.
This year’s results highlight the increasingly global nature of quality whisky—from India and Taiwan to France, Italy, Brazil, and Ireland—where unique casks, local grains, and precise blending create standout profiles. A CMB medal indicates blind-panel excellence; use it as a dependable guide for discovery, even though some whiskies may be hard to find.
More From Forbes