Yesterday saw the annual release of the newest Malt Maniacs Awards. They were two days late, but for such a vast endeavour based on amateur’s activities, hats off!

The first thing I realized was how few of the whiskies they’ve tasted the last couple of months I have tried too. From the gold medal list I only tried the Pl1 by Elements of Islay and that one is, by far, the cheapest on there. Two from the silver medals and four from the bronze league.

The gold medals:

• Glendronach 40yo 1972/2012 (50.2%, OB for LMDW, C#713, oloroso sherry butt, 476 Bts.)
• Glengoyne 1972/2012 (55.5%, Malts of Scotland, C#12044, sherry hogshead, 254 Bts.)
• Glendronach 40yo 1971/2011 (47.5%, OB for Taiwan, C#1248, PX sherry puncheon, 545 Bts.)
• Karuizawa ‘Noh’ 28yo 1983/2012 (57.2%, OB, C#7576, sherry butt, 571 Bts.)
• Glenfarclas 1990/2011 (57%, OB The Family Casks for TSMC Taiwan, C#5098, 596 Bts.)
• Glendronach 41yo 1971/2012 (48.9%, OB, C#1247, PX sherry puncheon, 529 Bts.)
• Longmorn 44yo 1967/2011 (48.3%, G&M Book of Kells for LMDW, C#592)
• Karuizawa 1984/2012 (61.6%, Number One Drinks, “Single Cask”, C#3692, sherry butt, 359 Bts.)
• Glen Grant 58yo 1953 (47.9%, Gordon & McPhail Book of Kells for LMDW, C#2604, sherry butt, 294 Bts.)
• Elements of Islay ‘Pl1′ (60%, The Whisky Exchange, ‘Port Charlotte’)
• Benriach 27yo 1984/2012 (52.2%, OB, Hogshead, C#4050, tawny port finish, 283 Bts.)
• Yamazaki ‘Sherry Cask’ (48%, OB, NAS, 2011*)

The one things that immediately stands out is the vast amount of sherry casks in there. Technically the only non-sherry cask is a Port finished BenRiach (to which I am now hugely curious).

The other thing I noticed on this list (and further down to silver and bronze medals too) is that I should get around to trying more LMDW bottlings, since they seem to score significant prizes every year.

Something of interest from further down the list: There is a remarkable amount of standard bottlings on there. I saw the Glengoyne 12, Lagavulin 16, GlenDronach 18.

Now I of course am not 100% up to speed as how people see the Malt Maniacs and how they decide which bottles to enter the competition, but apparently the sherry casks are far more popular and probably seen as more luxurious. I find it funny how this is the exact opposite direction of where my interests lie at the moment.

What I find a bit odd is that all kinds of whisky are entered in the competition; Grains, Single Malts, Blends and Single Pot Still. The styles I completely miss are Bourbon and Rye. I refuse to believe that not a single Rye or Bourbon would make that list, especially with the amount of super premiums that come out in that category (Buffalo Trace Antiques, anyone?).

So, the list is a nice thing to glance over and be surprised about some picks, but in the end it is, of course, the Nth awards list. I still think everyone should make their own way in whisky and find their own preferences. If this list helps, good. If it doesn’t, fine as well.

Oh, and if you want a bottle of that Port Charlotte on the Gold Medals list, be quick about it. Terrific stuff and probably gone before the end of the week!