Nestled in Wellington, South Africa, far from the misty glens of Scotland or Kentucky’s rolling hills, the James Sedgwick Distillery is quietly crafting world-class whiskies. The distillery’s Three Ships brand recently secured an impressive trio of medals at the World Whiskies Awards 2025, challenging long-held notions about where exceptional whisky can be produced.
This achievement not only highlights South Africa’s emerging credentials in the spirits world but also reflects a broader shift in consumer curiosity. As whisky enthusiasts increasingly venture beyond familiar labels and storied distilleries, many are asking: who exactly is behind Three Ships, and how has this relatively unknown operation managed to produce multiple award-winning expressions whilst remaining largely beneath the global radar?
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The Rise of Three Ships
When Three Ships launched in 1977, it navigated uncharted waters as Africa’s first commercial whisky producer. The brand was initially produced by Stellenbosch Farmers Winery, before production was moved to the James Sedgwick Distillery in the early 1990s.
The James Sedgwick Distillery, established in Wellington in 1886 by the sons of a British sea captain, evolved from producing brandies and fortified wines to whisky-making. The transformation accelerated under Andy Watts, an English cricketer-turned-distiller who took the helm in 1991 after training in Scotland. Watts pioneered the rare practice of producing both malt and grain whiskies under one roof, developing methods specifically tailored to South Africa’s distinctive climate.
Like its namesake captain who understood great voyages require multiple vessels, Three Ships embraced the principles of vision, tenacity, and bravery—charting new courses while weathering storms of skepticism. Rather than mimicking northern hemisphere approaches, Watts crafted a uniquely South African whisky identity that turned the challenges of local conditions into advantages.
The Award-Winning Whiskies
Three Ships’ recent World Whiskies Awards success showcases the distillery’s range of expertise, with each medal-winning expression offering a distinctive South African take on whisky traditions.
The standout Bourbon Cask, launched in 2023 and crowned both ‘World’s Best South African Blended’ and ‘Category Winner’, represents the distillery’s newest triumph. Aged for a minimum of three years in American oak ex-bourbon casks, this 43% ABV expression delivers a rich tapestry of vanilla and dried apricot on the nose, while the palate unfolds with layers of caramel, white pepper, and banana, concluding with a smooth, sweet and spicy finish.
The Three Ships Premium Select 5 Year Old, which earned a Silver medal, holds a special place in the distillery’s history since its 1991 debut. Previously named World’s Best Blended Whisky in 2012, this meticulously crafted blend of grain and malt whiskies matures in selected American oak casks. Its smoky, fruity nose gives way to ripe pears and peat on the palate, concluding with a clean, fresh finish marked by warm spice.
Completing the trio is the Bronze medal-winning Three Ships Select—the original expression that started it all in 1977. Aged for at least three years in American oak, this foundational whisky offers light smoke and floral notes that develop into a fruity, fragrant palate with subtle oakiness, finishing with an elegant balance of smoke and fruit.
Beyond Traditional Whisky Nations
While Scotland, Ireland, America, Canada, and Japan have long dominated the whisky landscape, a quiet revolution has been brewing across unexpected corners of the globe. Distilleries from Taiwan’s Kavalan to India’s Amrut, Australia’s Sullivan’s Cove and South Africa’s Three Ships are earning acclaim at international competitions, gradually redrawing the global whisky map.
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What makes these emerging whisky nations particularly fascinating is how their distinct environments transform familiar processes. South Africa’s warmer climate accelerates maturation while extracting bolder flavors from oak barrels. Three Ships’ use of local yellow maize creates a distinctively sweeter, creamier spirit with honeyed cereal notes than might be found elsewhere.
As the whisky world continues to expand, whisky drinkers increasingly look for something a little different. This isn’t to say that innovation happening within established regions (see Dewar’s new Stone Toasted Series as an example), but rather to celebrate the delicious new whiskies emerging from unexpected countries. Three Ships stands as evidence that sometimes the most remarkable flavors emerge from the least expected sources. So, next time you are looking for something new, why not venture outside the bounds of tradition and sip on a South African whisky?
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