Tel Aviv-based distillery continues to build its legacy as a world-class whisky producer, securing a new major industry accolade.
M&H Distillery (Milk and Honey), Israel’s first and award-winning distillery, has received the accolade as the “Best Single Malt Whisky in the World” for its Element Sherry Cask at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards 2023 competition. Last month, M&H Distillery was also accredited “Craft Producer of the Year” and “Distiller of the Year” in “The Rest of the World” category of the same competition.
The World Whiskies Awards is one of the world’s most important whisky competitions, held every year in England, and featuring all of the world’s leading whisky brands. The competition comprises a panel of judges selecting winners for each category, following months-long blind tastings of approximately 6,000 different types of whiskies from the world’s top 60 distilleries.
This year’s winner for “Best Single Malt Whisky in the World” category was nominated to M&H’s Elements Sherry, a single malt whisky made primarily using oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks made in Spain, especially for the distillery as well as casks previously used to age American bourbon. Oloroso and PX sherry casks characterize the fruity flavors, rich aromas, with a special deep but natural color. The Elements Sherry is the first-ever single malt whisky matured in kosher sherry casks. Every winner in this category for at least 10 years was a limited edition rather than a core range whisky, such as Elements Sherry.
“We are truly delighted to receive this accolade, and this recognition is a real testament to our ongoing hard work. I’ve always wanted to create the best whisky in the world, and we are thrilled to receive unprecedented international acclaim for our whiskies. For us, this is just the beginning,” stated Gal Kalkshtein, founder and CEO of M&H Distillery. “We pride ourselves in creating whiskies to the highest possible standard, using a creative mindset to challenge traditional industry methods and leveraging Israel’s five unique distinct climate zones.”
The Elements Sherry is part of The Elements Series, a trilogy that highlights various aspects of the classic single malt whisky. Each of the three M&H Distillery “Elements” bottles contains a different cask element that elevates the whisky’s flavor to a new level: sherry casks, peated casks, and ex-red wine casks from Israel’s top winery.