Tokyo Whisky and Spirits Competition (TWSC) is the only Japanese and the largest Asian competition for Distilled Spirits. It is dedicated to evaluating whiskies and spirits from around the globe. Held annually in March since 2019, this competition is hosted by the Japan Whisky Research Center and focuses on showcasing spirits that suit Japanese tastes.

The judging process involves 300 industry experts and takes place in two phases: an initial remote screening in January and February, followed by the final round in Tokyo in March. In 2020, the event expanded into two categories: one for Western spirits and another for shochu. The top accolade awarded is Superior Gold, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals also being given.

TWSC judges entries through blind tasting, where the brand names are not revealed to the judges. This method is particularly rigorous and fair, distinguishing it from other world-renowned competitions. According to TWSC press release, 832 spirits were entered from around the world this year, with the awards being decided, based on scores of 295 experts in Japan. Each entry was judged by minimum of 8 judges.

This year marked the first time Brave New Spirits attended the competition, and we are excited to share our remarkable wins for both our Volume and Connoisseur brands.

We are thrilled to announce that both ‘Ivy by the Embers’ from our Cask Noir range and ‘High Priest’ from our Whisky of Voodoo range received the SUPERIOR GOLD AWARD. This year, the competition's highest accolade was awarded to 26 whiskies (4% of all entries), which is a huge achievement for our small team. ‘Ivy by the Embers’ is a bottling from Blair Athol distillery, 11yrs, matured in ex-Islay Bourbon cask, while ‘High Priest’ is a bottling from one of the distilleries in the Orkney Islands, 8yrs, matured in 1st fill Bordeaux Wine Barriques.

We are also proud of the following bottlings, which achieved GOLD AWARDS: ‘Hector Sound of Islay’ (Caol Ila distillery, 12yrs, matured in 1st fill Hospices de Nuits Wine Barrique), ‘Ghost of the Hill’ (Port Dundas distillery, 17yrs, matured in 1st fill Lafite Wine Barrique), and ‘Picnic on the Corner’ (Auchentoshan distillery, 12yrs, matured in 1st fill Marsala Barrique) from our Cask Noir range, as well as Eccose G. (12yrs Single Grain Whisky), Royal Cabinet (20yrs Blended Whisky), and Celtic Revival (12yrs Single Malt) from our Volume Brands.

Additionally, both of our Lighthouse Blended Whiskies received awards: the lightly peated release won Silver, and the unpeated release won Bronze. Our Highland Shepherd also earned a Silver medal.

We are incredibly proud of these achievements and grateful for the recognition at such a prestigious competition.

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