Masterson's 10 Year Old Rye has been named the Canadian Whisky of the Year. Such is the judgment of the seventh annual Canadian Whisky Awards held this weekend in Victoria, B.C., where distillers, blenders and fans alike came together to celebrate and raise a glass to the passion and craftsmanship of Canadian rye whisky.

Chairman of the judges, Davin de Kergommeaux, described the winner, "as that rare combination of balance, complexity and robust flavour that exemplifies the best traditions of rye whisky. It is at once spicy, muscular, with an ever-so elegant nose and palate. It is this combination that has spurred the unprecedented interest and demand for Canadian whisky. Indeed, when the rye whisky renaissance took off in the US five years ago, it was Canadian distillers who supplied much of the whisky, and of these, Masterson's is one of the best."

As the country's preeminent Canadian whisky competition, the independent and blind judging panel, served up some surprise honours to relative newcomers like Toronto's Stalk & Barrel Rye and Twelve Barrels from Ottawa, which took home top spot as the Domestic Value Whisky of the Year. Long-established brands like Crown Royal, Gooderham & Worts, and Forty Creek were also well represented, taking home numerous distinctions for their continued innovation and well-established commitment to quality.

If this year's record setting submissions are any indication, Canadian whisky fans the world over have an extremely exciting 2017 to look forward to.

The list of all the winners is now available at http://www.canadianwhisky.org

About the Canadian Whisky Awards
The Canadian Whisky Awards recognize the very best Canadian whiskies and encourage distillers to maintain the highest standards for making whisky. To qualify, the whisky must be distilled and matured in Canada. An independent panel of whisky writers, bloggers, and journalists selects the winners after tasting each whisky blind. Operated on a not-for-profit basis, the Canadian Whisky Awards are fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry.

Source: PR Newswire