The global spirits industry descended on Las Vegas this November. The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) is the oldest competition of its kind in North America, and at a recent awards gala, the 2025 Top Shelf Awards honored the “Best in Show” winners. These bottles survived a rigorous gauntlet. They faced blind tastings. They earned unanimous Double Gold medals. Finally, they beat out thousands of entries to stand alone at the top.
The winners this year are fascinating. We saw a “ghost” distillery rise from the dead. We saw a craft bourbon beat the giants. We even saw a mysterious hybrid whiskey take gold. So, let’s take a look at the best overall whisky winners from the Top Shelf Awards 2025.Â
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Rosebank 31 Year Old Legacy
Award: Best in Show Whisk(e)y / Best Single Malt Scotch (20+ Years)
Tasting Notes: Citrus bursts, vanilla, candied almonds, chamomile, berry, baked banana, sweet peach, oak, herbal notesÂ
Find Your Next Bottle: $3,125
This bottle is a liquid memorial. Rosebank was historically revered as the “King of the Lowlands.” The distillery sits on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal. However, the stills went silent in 1993. The site fell into disrepair for over two decades. Ian Macleod Distillers acquired the brand in 2017, and began a massive restoration project to bring the legend back to life.
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This 31-year-old expression comes from the final stocks distilled before that 1993 closure. It acts as a bridge between the “old” Rosebank and the new era.
The whisky showcases something of a paradox of whisky production. The distillery utilizes triple distillation. This technique usually creates a very light and floral spirit. But Rosebank combined this with worm tub condensers. These copper coils sit in cold water and provide less copper contact. That process adds a distinct weight and oiliness.
The result is a complex mix of floral high notes and a heavy texture. The spirit matured in refill casks to preserve this character. It was bottled at 48.1% ABV. It is a rare taste of a bygone era.
O.K.I. 15 Year Old Bourbon
Award: Best Overall Small Batch Bourbon / Best Small Batch Bourbon (11 Years+)
Tasting Notes: Toasted oak, caramel, dried fruit, length, full-bodiedÂ
Find Your Next Bottle: $299.99
O.K.I. (Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana) was acquired by local entrepreneurs Chad Brizendine and Jake Warm from New Riff Distilling in 2020. They shifted the focus toward premium curation. This 15-year-old release is their masterpiece. It also carries one of the most fascinating detective stories in modern American whiskey.
Some whiskey lovers speculate that this liquid is, in fact, “Buff Turkey” – a Buffalo Trace and Wild Turkey hybrid. The legend dates back to roughly 2009. Wild Turkey needed extra capacity during a renovation. They reportedly contracted Buffalo Trace to distill bourbon for them. Crucially, Buffalo Trace used Wild Turkey’s spicy mash bill (75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley) rather than their own wheated or low-rye recipes.
The result is a “Frankenstein” spirit in the best possible way. It was made on Buffalo Trace equipment but with a Wild Turkey recipe. The flavor profile did not perfectly match either distillery’s core brand. So, the barrels were sold to independent bottlers like O.K.I. Whisky Advocate confirmed that the O.K.I 16 Year Old is a Buff Turkey bottling.
Bottled at a potent 115 Proof (57.5% ABV), this bourbon offers a thick, oily mouthfeel typical of Frankfort distillation. However, it kicks with the spicy, nutty character of Lawrenceburg. Although I cannot find absolute confirmation of this bottling’s “Buff Turkey” status, chances are that it is a rare hybrid. If so, it offers a drinking experience that is literally impossible to replicate today.
Starlight Distillery Japanese Mizunara Reserve
Award: Best Overall Bourbon / Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon
Tasting Notes: French vanilla, baking spice, sandalwood, coconutÂ
Find Your Next Bottle: $399.99
This win marks a coming-of-age moment for the American craft sector. Starlight Distillery took home the top prize for bourbon. They beat out the biggest names in the industry to do it. The distillery is located at Huber’s Orchard & Winery in Indiana. The Huber family has farmed this land since 1843. They control every step of the process. They call this “grain-to-glass” production.
The winning bourbon is a blend of their proprietary mash bills. It was distilled in copper pot stills for a heavy and oily spirit. The whiskey aged for seven years in new American White Oak. Then it finished for six months in rare Japanese Mizunara casks.
Mizunara is notoriously difficult for coopers to work with. It is porous and brittle. However, it imparts unique flavors of sandalwood and coconut. Bottled at 116 Proof (58% ABV), this expression balances the sweet vanilla of Indiana bourbon with exotic aromatics. It proves that American craft whiskey is ready for the world stage.
Yellow Spot 12 Year Old
Award: Best Overall Irish Whiskey
Tasting Notes: Mown hay, black pepper, red bell peppers, nutmeg, clove oil, green tea, sweet honey, peaches, fresh coffee, creamy milk chocolate, crème brûlée, red apples, toasted oak, red grape, dry barley
Find Your Next Bottle: $105
Yellow Spot 12 Year Old is a tribute to a lost era of Irish whiskey. In the 19th century, Dublin merchants would buy new spirit from distilleries and mature it in their own underground cellars. Mitchell & Son, a family of wine merchants established in 1805, is the most famous of these “bonders.” They historically marked their barrels with daubs of colored paint to indicate age potential. A yellow spot signaled the barrel was destined for 12 years of aging.
Today, the whiskey is produced by Irish Distillers at the renowned Midleton Distillery in Cork. However, it is made in close collaboration with the Mitchell family to replicate those original bonded recipes. It is a Single Pot Still whiskey, a style unique to Ireland that uses both malted and unmalted barley. This combination creates a thick, creamy texture and a signature “pot still spice.”
What makes Yellow Spot unique is its sophisticated wood management. It is not just a finish; the liquid matures for the full 12 years in three distinct cask types: American bourbon barrels, Spanish sherry butts, and rare Spanish Malaga wine casks. The Malaga casks, which previously held sweet fortified wine, layer notes of honey, peaches, and apricot over the spicy 46% ABV spirit.
Isle of Skye 25 Year Old
Award: Best Overall Blended Scotch / Best Blended Scotch (16+ Years)
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, red apple, citrus, apricot, peat smoke, maltÂ
Find Your Next Bottle: $312
In a market dominated by the prestige of Single Malts, this victory serves as a critical correction. The Isle of Skye 25 Year Old reminds us that blending is an art form, not a compromise. Owned by Ian Macleod Distillers—the same family behind the Rosebank restoration—this brand pays homage to the rugged landscape of the Hebrides.
The blend is a trade secret, but the heart of the liquid is built on “Island” malts (historically sourced from Talisker) combined with refined Speyside malts and aged grain whiskies. At 25 years old, the grain component provides a sublime, creamy canvas of vanilla that softens the rugged edges of the malt.
The result is a “wisp” of peat smoke rather than a heavy, medicinal punch. It is savory and maritime but seamlessly integrated with notes of red apple and ginger. Bottled at 40% ABV, it impressed judges with its elegance and smoothness.
