Whilst Martin Luther didn’t invent the printing press, he did use Gutenburg’s gift to the world to great effect. The proto-Protestant reformer, Luther’s “95 Theses” – published in 1517 – was a sliding doors moment in the life of the Advent Calendar, amongst other things. Buoyed by the success of his opening gambit, he followed up with a translation of the New Testament into German, which sold 5,000 copies in just two weeks, making him the world’s first best-selling author.

For whisky fans, Kavalan has emerged as a cult favourite, with even prominant whisky critic Jim Murray observing that the brand “has that very rare talent for brilliance without apparent effort”. The Solist Vinho Barrique Single Malt is a perfect example of this. The producer works on a slightly different model than most, opting to cut maturation time where possible. Master Blender, Ian Chang has previously stated that he will “almost certainly never” release anything older than ten years, so what winds up in the bottle is young, pure and full of stunning wood expression. Toshio Ueno, vice-president and executive instructor at Sake School of America, was in a panel with Joyce Chou, WSET translation project manager, and Marie Cheong Thong, food-and-beverage educator, who chaired the group. Tobias Gorn, co-founder and senior partner at the International Drinks Specialists, chaired a fifth panel. Judging alongside him were Dan Greifer, manager of The Proofing Room, and Ruchira Neotia, drinks experience consultant for Darjeeling Express in London. More positive news for the sector also saw Welsh single malts recently gain geographical indication (GI) status in the UK, while English whisky producers have also joined forces to propose a GI for the category.While there are many great single malt whiskies made in Australia, there are none as well-known as Melbourne’s Starward. Founded in 2007, this award-winning distillery has a glut of great single-malt whisky options. One of its best is Starward Nova. This 2022 Double Gold medal winner at San Francisco World Spirits Awards known for its balance and complexity was aged in Australian red wine barrels. This results in a fruity, sweet, balanced whisky with hints of ripe berries, vanilla beans, buttery caramel, and baking spices. The finish is a warming combination of sweetness and gentle spice. Sullivans Cove Double Cask Tasmanian Single Malt | Image: Dan Murphy’s 10. Sullivans Cove Double Cask Tasmanian Single Malt (Australia) On the nose: A freshly baked pineapple sponge cake with toasted almonds on top. The almond notes grow in stature and there’s a pronounced wave of marzipan paste. The topical fruit notes become more sugary – like boiled sweets – and fresh pine honey rises from the bottom to the top. Solid stuff. Ahhh, the alure of the single barrel release. I’ll admit to anyone who asks that I’ve never been the biggest supporter of Starward, but I cannot elucidate exactly why. Starward has three whiskies in its core lineup, along with other rotating limited offerings. For the broadest picture of the distillery's output, I tried the three core bottles along with the latest limited offering, all of which are described below.

Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Malt | Image: Kent Street Cellars 3. Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Malt (Taiwan)

Top Whiskies

It wasn’t just Australian whiskies that took home the top gong. New Zealand’s Scapegrace Distilling Co won a Master for its Scapegrace Fortitude V, with its “light smoke on the nose and complexity” and “smooth palate with hints of smoke and sweetness”. On the nose: A bit shy to start. Varnish and stewed fruits mixed with cloves start to emerge after a bit of swilling. Things liven up with a bit of time in the glass; dark berries, brandy butter, caramel and Ovaltine jostle for position without overpowering each other. And while Scotland is most known for its single malt whiskies, countries like the United States and Japan have been making their own single malts for a hundred years or more with historic Japanese brands like Yamazaki and Hakushu and American upstarts like Virginia Distillery and Westland leading the way. But they aren’t the only countries producing award-winning, high-quality, notable single malt whiskies. You can find great expressions from countries like Sweden, India, Taiwan, Ireland, France, and even right here in Australia. How Man of Many Chose this List of Best Single Malt Whiskies Not From Scotland From the consumer’s perspective, consistency can cut both ways. We want to be able to walk into a shop and select a bottle with a familiar label, assured that we know more or less what the contents inside will taste like. We want whisky to taste the same as it did last go around, or as we remember it tasting years ago, the vicissitudes of time and fortune be damned.

Made with Concerto two-row barley grown in Norfolk, this unpeated whisky has spent 6 years in ex-rum casks. The name is a nod to both its age and the famous (apparently) players to have worn the number 6 on their jerseys. I would imagine driven largely by the former, with a bit of reverse-engineered marketing tying it all together.This is the beauty of the Advent Calendar. It’s a whisky and a distillery I’m not familiar with and would not otherwise have tried. Distilled at The English Distillery – and bottled exclusively by Samuel Gulliver & Co. – England’s No.6 is the official whisky of England Rugby, which is impressively timely. Dark Lark 2023 had a “round and sweet palate, with a nice walnut and cinnamon note and silky tannins”, while the brand’s Tasmania Peated was “big and powerful, with a lovely edge of spices, and crisp fruit and citrus zest”. Starward Fortis was matured in 100% American oak casks that previously held Australian red wines, mostly from Barossa Valley wineries. Given the aforementioned plaudits for Starward from my colleagues, I might now confidently write Mark and Adam off as tasteless cretins and resolve never to drink another Australian whisky. Matt Chambers, whisky and spirits writer, and co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog, chaired a team consisting of: Renata Ma, of Grain & Glass, and a whisky specialist; and Herchelle Perez Terrado, founder of Drinks Partnership. Closures producer Talis was the official sponsor of The World Whisky Masters

Lawrenny Estate Distillery won two Golds for its Cellar Collection Sherry Cask and Cellar Collection Bourbon Cask bottlings. The former was enjoyed for its “burnt toffee, fortified wine, plum syrup on the nose”. We double distill our single malt whisky using Australian malted barley. Borrowing from the craft brewing scene, we ferment our barley with brewers’ yeast for an extra bold flavour.There is a high degree of quality expected when a cask has been chosen as good enough to be released in this form. Let’s see how it measures up. Starward Single Barrel Australian Whisky – Review In my imagination, this was the best of both worlds: novel, but tried-and-true. Starward has the seal of approval from two team members whom I very much respect. At the same time, I don’t see Australian whisky every day. And this one from a wine cask! I am entertained! Nova: This is an 82-proof single malt aged for three years in red wine barrels. It won Double Gold medals at SFWSC.