July 1, 2009, New York, NY – The city that is known as the world’s food and drinks capital, held its first competition of international spirits. The New York Spirits Awards were held on June 14 and 15 at the Javits Center in the heart of Manhattan. Knappogue Castle 1995 Single Malt Irish Whiskey emerged as the winner of all whiskies tasted and received the FDR Award, named for the US President credited with the repeal of Prohibition.
Over 250 brands from around the world were judged by a panel of 15 hands-on industry members who interact daily with the consumer, including buyers from top retail stores, bar owners and managers, bar chefs and sommeliers. Each spirit was tasted blind and scored on appearance, aroma, mouth feel, and finish.
Knappogue Castle 1995 competed with Irish Whiskies, single malt Scotches, and Bourbons and was judged to be the best of the category, receiving the FDR Award for Whiskies.
Like its founder, Mark Edwin Andrews, Knappogue is for those passionate about whiskies. The only vintage dated single malt Irish whiskey, Knappogue Castle is triple distilled one batch at a time in copper pot stills, then aged in bourbon casks until the whiskey reaches the right balance of flavor and mellowness. The 1995 vintage was distilled in 1995 and bottled in 2008. Unlike other whiskies, no artificial color is added, hence the light and golden color. Prior awards honoring Knappogue include a Gold Medal from the Beverage Testing Institute and a Platinum Medal from the World Beverage Competition along with high praise from the The Wine Enthusiast, Details, Saveur Magazine, NYT, WSJ and the Robb Report.
More about Knappogue Castle Whiskey
The Knappogue Castle legacy began with a man named Mark Edwin Andrews nearly half a century ago. His Knappogue Castle 1951, a pure pot still whiskey which was named after the castle in Ireland that he owned, is the oldest and rarest Irish whiskey in the world. His son, Mark Andrews, continued his father’s legacy by creating the Knappogue Castle series of Irish single malt whiskeys.
More about Castle Brands Inc.
Castle Brands is an emerging developer and international marketer of premium branded spirits within five categories of the spirits industry: vodka, rum, whiskey, tequila and liqueurs. Castle Brands’ portfolio includes Gosling’s Rum®, Knappogue Castle Whiskey®, Clontarf® Irish Whiskey, Jefferson’s™ and Jefferson’s Reserve® Bourbon, Sam Houston® Bourbon, Boru® Vodka, Tequila Tierras®, Celtic Crossing® Liqueur, Pallini® Limoncello™ and Brady’s® Irish Cream.
