Last year, we held our annual W Club Members' Choice Awards where W Club Members across the UK took part in blind tastings to determine the best drams of 2024. So far we've told you about the Awards themselves, and the Single Malt (Non-Age Statement) Category Winners, now get ready to find out more about the Single Malt 12 Years Old and Under winners!

How the Winners Are Determined

To determine the overall winner and each category winner, the members were asked to score each dram out of 100, based on four categories:

‘Nose/Aroma’ - This asks members to judge how good the whisky smells, and what it smells of. Popular answers to this include things like 'vanilla', 'cooking spices', and 'dark fruits'.

‘Mouthfeel & Taste’ - This asks members to judge how the whisky tastes, what flavours they can detect, and what texture the whisky has. Texture or 'Mouthfeel' seems like an odd question to ask about a drink, but once you've gotten to know the whiskies of the world, you'll find some, for example, feel more oily than others, or perhaps crisper.

‘Finish’ - This asks members to judge the aftertaste of whisky; how long and what type of flavours remain in the mouth after they've swallowed a sip. Much like mouthfeel, this can sometimes take a bit of practice to pinpoint, but common finish reviews include descriptions such as 'lingering', 'dry', and 'smoky'.

‘Overall impression’ - This asks members to take the whisky as a whole. Yes, it smelled of pineapple upsidedown cake, tasted like caramelised figs with a velvet mouthfeel, and had a softly smoked finish, but did you like it? Would you have bought this yourself after sampling? Is it something you'd reccommend to a friend?

The Single Malt (Non-Age Statement) Category

Winning bottles chosen for this category are all Single Malt releases that have been matured for 12 Years or less. But before we dive into the winners, let's cover what Single Malt means.

Simply put, a single malt whisky is a bottling which has been produced from a single distillery, and has been made using one variety of malted grain, usually barley. This differs from single cask whiskies, which are the product of just one whisky cask, as single malts are often a blend of whiskies taken from several casks. It also differs from whiskies labelled as blended whiskies which are created from a combination of malts from different distilleries.

The Category Winners

Our 'Single Malt 12 Years Old and Under' overall category winner is....

Bushmills 10 Year Old

Bushmills 10 Year Old is an Irish single malt whiskey, triple distilled from 100% malted barley and matured for at least 10 years in sherry and bourbon seasoned barrels. An award-winning staple, this is delightful dram when served neat; add in an ice cube or two for the perfect summertime whiskey!

"To me, this showcases that signature Bushmills honey note better than any other expression. It’s a perfect earthy, mellowed sweetness that intermingles perfectly with toasted oak and cocoa." - Charlotte, Glasgow Office

Our Gold Medalists in the category are...

Deanston 12 Year Old

When Deanston distillery formally opened in 1967, the previous cotton mill's location on the banks of the River Teith made it the ideal home for a distillery; the constant cool temperature in the weaving shed being perfect for maturation. No modern technology is used in the making of this special single malt.

This expression is aged for at least 12 years in ex-bourbon casks creating beautiful sweet honeyed notes that is unmistakibly Deanston. There are rich fruit notes with barley sugar, vanilla, malty spices, and finishing up with warming cloves. This whisky is free from chill filtration, natural in colour and bottled at 46.3% abv.

anCnoc 12 Year Old

The anCnoc 12 year old is an award-winning single malt. Perfect for every occasion, this versatile Highland whisky represents a traditional distillery using modern methods. Matured in a combination of second fill American oak, ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, this whisky boasts a light, yet complex character.

The nose is gentle and fresh with citrus fruits and sweet notes of honeycomb. A creamy, velvety butter mouthfeel warms the palate and makes for a long and fruity finish. A trace of sea-salt spray reflects the distinctive house-style of anCnoc.

"My first venture into single malt whisky many years ago. Creamy vanilla with a hint of honey sweetness – this dram is extremely moreish!" - Lee, The Whisky Shop Trentham

Talisker 10 Year Old

Deep and stormy like the ocean crashing over the rocky shores of its island distillery, Talisker is the only Single Malt Scotch Whisky rugged enough to call the Isle of Skye its home. Talisker 10 year old is still the classic expression of this powerful, coastal malt.

This is a big, dry, peaty and peppery whisky, ideal for those cold winter nights. Huge, long, warming and peppery in the finish, with an appetising sweetness.