Fife-based whisky bottler Spiritfilled is celebrating a major accolade after its Mythical Beasts range secured top honours at the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC).
An Aberlour 13-year-old single malt, finished in a Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry cask, impressed judges at this year’s ceremony in London, earning an exceptional 98 points and a coveted Gold Outstanding award. The score places it among the highest-rated Scotch whiskies of the year, with only six expressions achieving the top mark.
The IWSC, regarded as a global benchmark for quality since its founding in 1969, brought together expert judging panels from 30 countries. Spirits were assessed blind in numbered glasses, with awards ranging from Bronze (85–89 points) through to Gold Outstanding (98–100). Each Gold medal winner was also re-tasted by an independent committee member for final validation.
Nearly 550 Scotch whiskies were recognised in this year’s competition, underlining both the depth of the category and the increasing demand for high-quality yet accessible spirits. Judges highlighted a growing trend towards innovation balanced by structure, maturity and craftsmanship – qualities clearly demonstrated in Spiritfilled’s award-winning expression.
The Aberlour release forms part of a five-bottle collection launched to mark Spiritfilled’s fifth anniversary. Founded in 2021 by Russell Spratley and Ross Archer, the independent bottler has quickly established a reputation for selecting character-driven single casks, with Scotland rugby international Finn Russell serving as brand ambassador.
Russell Spratley, co-founder of Spiritfilled, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to see Mythical Beasts recognised with such an outstanding score at the IWSC. To receive 98 points for our Aberlour 13-year-old PX cask finish, especially in such a competitive category, is a huge moment for Spiritfilled and a real testament to the quality of whisky we’re selecting and bottling.
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“Mythical Beasts was created to showcase exceptional Scotch with a sense of character, story and craft, so to have one of our releases placed among the very best this year is incredibly rewarding. As we celebrate our fifth anniversary, this award gives us real confidence in the direction we’re taking and we’re excited to keep building on that momentum.”
More information on the Mythical Beasts range can be found at: https://www.spiritfilled.co.uk/collections/our-single-cask-whiskies
