Tasmanian distillery Sullivan's Cove has been named the world's best single malt whisky at the World Whiskies Award held on Thursday night in London.

Sullivan's Cove's French Oak Cask variety was judged the global winner, as well as Australia's best, from a high-quality pool of single malt entries. They included Scotland's Bunnahabain, Aberfeldy, Glenkinchie and Glenlivet distilleries, as well as Japanese powerhouse Yamazaki.

Winner: Sullivan's Cove French Oak Cask.

The World Whiskies Award is considered the most prestigious in the world for whisky producers and the manager and part-owner of Sullivan's Cove, Patrick Maguire, said it would put Australia and Tasmania firmly on the world whisky map.

"It's the big one, there are a few big ones in the world such as the Jim Murray Whisky Bible and Liquid Gold awards, but the World Whiskies Award is it, that's the one everybody wants," Maguire said.