We have our Whisky Championships 2025 winner: Bruichladdich!
For the third time in the competition’s five-year history, the Islay whisky maker has taken the crown.
How it played out
This year’s Whisky Championships smashed records, with a staggering 81,183 votes cast, the biggest turnout we’ve ever seen.
The tournament kicked off with 32 whiskies from around the world. By the time we reached the last 16, only one non-Scotch was still standing: Yamazaki, flying the flag for Japan.
From there, it turned into a full-blown Islay turf war. The semi-finals saw four island heavyweights – Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bunnahabhain, and Bruichladdich – scrapping for bragging rights.
There were shocks along the way, too, with Ardnamurchan knocking out Redbreast in a revealing Whisky Championships upset. But when the votes were counted in the final, it was Bruichladdich who came out on top, securing its fourth title in five years.
Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie is the flagship expression of the distillery
Either Bruichladdich or Bunnahabhain
This win cements Bruichladdich’s place in Whisky Championships history, now sharing the crown only with Bunnahabhain in the competition’s five-year history:
2025 – Bruichladdich
2024 – Bunnahabhain
2023 – Bruichladdich
2022 – Bruichladdich
2021 – Bunnahabhain
You sure love Bruichladdich Distillery
Why do people love Bruichladdich?
Winning three championships in five years via popular vote means one thing is for sure: people love their Bruichladdich.
Why?
For starters, there’s the transparency. Bruichladdich’s obsession with provenance, terroir, and barley varieties isn’t just marketing fluff. It’s printed on the bottle, it’s traceable, and it’s tasted in the glass.
The distillery has championed Islay-grown barley since 2004, pushed the boundaries with cask types, and bottled everything at natural colour and without chill filtration. Then there’s the range: unpeated Bruichladdich, heavily peated Port Charlotte, and the peat monsters of Octomore. Whatever your peat preference, they’ve got you covered.
And, perhaps most importantly, the whisky’s simply delicious: expressive, characterful, and with a balance of coastal freshness and complexity that keeps people coming back.
The brand makes whisky with integrity
Why does Islay always dominate?
Five years of the Whisky Championships have taught us one thing: never bet against Islay.
In a field that included world-class Speysiders to international giants, the island single malts consistently outmuscle the competition.
Part of it is the cult status. The smoky, maritime style is addictive to those who love it. But there’s also a depth of brand loyalty here you just don’t see elsewhere. When Islay fans vote, they really vote.
Just ask David Brodie, the Whisky Championships #1 cheerleader and a one-man-Bunna-bandwagon machine.
The Islay distilleries reign supreme
Will that ever change?
Possibly. But it’ll take a whisky with the pulling power to unite fans across styles. Lots of distilleries beyond Islay have their own significant followings. More need to come out and show support.
If you didn’t see your favourite brand make it, then you know what to do. Take a leaf out of Brodie’s book.
But for now, the road to victory still runs straight through the peat bogs of Islay.
Whisky Championships 2025 Highlights
From the victor:
Bruichladdich 18 Year Old – Re/Define
Celebrate Bruichladdich’s victory with its first-ever 18-year-old single malt. Made entirely from post-revival spirit, it’s crafted from Islay, organic, and Scottish mainland barley, all fully traceable. It was aged mainly in bourbon casks with a touch of Sauternes and Port, then married for nine months before bottling at 50% ABV without chill filtration or colouring. It comes presented in sustainably designed packaging, and the bottle contains 60% recycled glass and is fully recyclable with a paper pulp outer.
NOW WITH £30 OFF!
From our worthy runner-up:
Bunnahabhain 21 Year Old Cask Strength – 2024 Edition
Bunnahabhain came within a whisker of reclaiming its crown in the 2025 Whisky Championships, finishing runner-up to Bruichladdich in an all-Islay final. This 2024 edition of the 21 Year Old Cask Strength shows exactly why it’s such a crowd favourite. It’s rich, sherried dram full of dried fruit, dark chocolate, roasted nuts, and a touch of coastal salt. A powerful yet elegant slice of Bunnahabhain character.
NOW WITH A FREE DRAM OF BUNNAHABHAIN 40 YEAR OLD (WORTH £2250 AS A FULL BOTTLE) PLUS GLASS AND COASTER.
The semi-finalists:
Lagavulin fought its way to the 2025 Whisky Championships semi-finals, making plenty of fans along the way. This Distillers Edition takes the classic smoky, maritime Lagavulin 16 profile and gives it a sweet twist, thanks to finishing in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. A dram that shows why Lagavulin is a perennial powerhouse.
NOW WITH £10 OFF!
The people’s peat bomb. Laphroaig stormed through the early rounds of the 2025 Whisky Championships because people love the Islay single malt’s unapologetic style. The 10 is your intro to its towering peat smoke, medicinal iodine, and seaweed balanced by a sweet, malty core. It’s a whisky that demands an opinion, and clearly, the voters gave theirs.
NOW WITH £5 OFF!
