Renowned whisky writer Jim Murray has named Belgrove Distillery’s Peated Rye Whisky as the 2019 Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year and distillery owner Peter Bignell told TheShout he is very excited by the accolade.
Every year Murray releases his Whisky Bible, which contains detailed and professionally analysed notes on a wide range of whiskies; from leading brands through to lesser-known whiskies along with scores out of 100. This year’s Bible is the 16th edition and contains notes from more than 4500 whiskies from around the world, making Belgrove’s listing as the Southern Hemisphere’s Whisky of the Year even more impressive.
Speaking about the recognition, Bignell told TheShout: “A few weeks ago I won Whisky Magazine, Icons Of Whisky Australia ‘Craft Producer of the year 2019’ and now Jim Murray has awarded my Peated Rye Whisky ‘Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year 2019’.
“I am very excited to receive such accolades and they encourage me to pursue my passion and creativity even more.”
Belgrove’s first mention by Murray was in 2015 after their Rye Whisky received 94.5 points earning the ‘Liquid Gold’ status. Murray said the that the whisky was “perhaps the most concentrated rye arrival [he has] tasted for a couple of years from any part of the world: just so sharp, almost three dimensional.”
Belgrove is distributed in Australia by Nip of Courage and Sales and Marketing Manager Kathleen Davies told TheShout how delighted she was for Bignell in getting this recognition.
“It’s great to see Peter receive global recognition for his hard work. His innovative style and approach to distilling is refreshing and something that will inspire the industry for years to come,” Davies said.
Anyone interested in stocking the Southern Hemisphere’s Whisky of the Year should contact Nip of Courage.
