With its usual lack of fanfare (followed by a lot of internet-based raging), the latest edition of ‘The World’s Leading Whisky Guide’ has landed – Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2020.

It’s a big year for Jim. It’s 2020 and matching up (just in time), he has hit a milestone – breaking the 20,000 mark of total whiskies tasted since the first edition appeared in 2003. Whether you agree with his scores and favourites or not, you have to agree that he’s tried a lot of whisky.

Print copies of the Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2020 will be arriving imminently, but in the meantime, let’s get on to the thing that everyone wants to know: who are the big winners this year.

The Winners

Jim Murray’s 2020 World Whisky of the Year

1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Second Finest Whisky in the World

William Larue Weller 125.7 Proof – 2018 Release

Third Finest Whisky in the World

Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye 128.8 Proof – 2018 Release

Single Cask of the Year

Nantou Omar Cask Strength Bourbon Cask #11140804

Thoughts

Despite the expected presence of some of last year’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection in the line-up, this is still an interesting selection.

1792 is far from the biggest name in American whiskey, but the last decade has seen the distillery that makes it – Barton – develop and become a much better-known player. The fact that it was bought by Sazerac – owners of Buffalo Trace – in 2009, giving them the backing they needed to grow, will no doubt set conspiracy theories running across the internet.

Much more interesting to me is the single cask of the year – a whisky from Taiwan’s second distillery, Nantou. While Kavalan has been paving the way around the world for whisky from Taiwan, the state-owned Nantou distillery has been quietly impressing whisky fans. Its whisky is hard to get, and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change any time soon – Nantou is a small operation which can’t distil all year round due to the heat and humidity during spring and summer.

The Omar range – bourbon- and sherry-cask single malts – are well-balanced and tasty whiskies, but it’s the single casks where the distillery really shines. Hopefully, this nod from Jim will lead to more of them making their way to the UK.

The Winners 2020

The winners list is much more than just the top four. The bible covers whisky from across the world and Jim sometimes uncovers a hidden gem, as well as reaffirming his (and, in a lot of cases, our) favourites.

You can find all the winners we have in stock on our Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019 page.

Scotch Whisky

Scotch Whisky of the Year

Glen Grant Aged 18 Years Rare Edition

Single Malt of the Year (Multiple Casks)

Glen Grant Aged 18 Years Rare Edition

Single Malt of the Year (Single Cask)

The Macphail 1949 China Special Edition 1

Scotch Blend of the Year

Ballantine’s 17 Years Old

Scotch Grain of the Year

The Last Drop Dumbarton 1977

Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year

Glen Castle Blended Malt 1990

Single Malt Scotch Whisky

No Age Statement

Glen Grant Rothes Chronicles Cask Haven

10 Years & Under (Multiple Casks)

Glen Grant Aged 10 Years

10 Years & Under (Single Cask)

Annandale Man O’ Sword

11-15 Years (Multiple Casks)

Glen Grant Aged 15 Years Batch Strength

11-15 Years (Single Cask)

Signatory Vintage Edradour Ballechin 12 Year Old

16-21 Years (Multiple Casks)

Glen Grant Aged 18 Years Rare Edition

16-21 Years (Single Cask)

Whisky Castle Glen Spey Aged 21 Years

22-27 Years (Multiple Casks)

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage 1996

22-27 Years (Single Cask)

The Whisky Shop Glendronach Aged 26 Years

28-34 Years (Multiple Casks)

Ben Nevis 32 Years Old 1966

28-34 Years (Single Cask)

Gordon & MacPhail Inverleven 1985

35-40 Years (Multiple Casks)

Port Ellen 39 Years Old

35-40 Years (Single Cask)

Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1978 W18

41 Years & Over (Multiple Casks)

Glen Scotia 45 Year Old

41 Years & Over (Single Cask)

The Macphail 1949 China Special Edition 1

Blended Scotch Whisky

No Age Statement (Standard)

Ballantine’s Finest

No Age Statement (Premium)

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare

5-12 Years

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old

13-18 Years

Ballantine’s 17 Years Old

19 – 25 Years

Dewar’s Aged 25 Years The Signature

26 – 50 Years

The Last Drop 56 Year Old Blend

Irish Whiskey

Irish Whiskey of the Year

Redbreast Aged 12 Years Cask Strength

Irish Pot Still Whiskey of the Year

Redbreast Aged 12 Years Cask Strength

Irish Single Malt of the Year

Bushmills Aged 21 Years

Irish Blend of the Year

Jameson

Irish Single Cask of the Year

Kinahan’s Special Release Project 11 Year Old

American Whiskey

Bourbon of the Year

1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Rye of the Year

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 128.8 Proof

US Micro Whisky of the Year

Garrison Brothers Balmorhea

US Micro Whisky of the Year (Runner Up)

291 Barrel Proof Colorado Whiskey Aged 2 Years

Bourbon

No Age Statement (Multiple Barrels)

1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

No Age Statement (Single Barrel)

Colonel E H Taylor Single Barrel Bottled In Bond

9 Years and Under

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel

10-12 Years

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Aged 12 Years

11-15 Years

Pappy Van Winkle 15 Years Old

16-20 Years

Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

21 Years and Over

Pappy Van Winkle 23 Years Old

Rye

No Age Statement

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 128.8 Proof

Up to 10 Years

Knob Creek Cask Strength

11-15 Years

Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 Years Old

Over 15 Years

Sazerac 18 Years Old

Single Cask

Knob Creek Single Barrel Select

Canadian Whisky

Canadian Whisky of the Year

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

Japanese Whisky

Japanese Whisky of the Year

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt

Single Malt of the Year (MB)

The Matsui Mizunara Cask

European Whisky

European Whisky of the Year (Multiple)

Thy Whisky No. 9 Bøg Single Malt (Denmark)

European Whisky of the Year (Single)

Penderyn Single Cask no. M75-32 (Wales)

World Whisky

Asian Whisky of the Year

Nantou Distillery Omar Bourbon Cask #11140804 (Taiwan)

Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year

Bakery Hill Peated Malt Cask Strength (Australia)