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Rules of the game

Blind Tasting Competition 2025 Playbook

The Blind Tasting Competition will start October 1st, 2025. The competition will consist of 12 samples to be tasted in 12 days. Each day, the participants can fill in their best guess for the particular sample of that day until 22:00 Central European Time. Participants may change their guess for the sample of the day until 22:00 CET. After that time, the last guess that was entered will be the final entry.

You don't have to enter a guess every day and you may work ahead by tasting and entering whiskies for the following days.

At 22:00 the entry for that specific day will be closed, the whisky will be revealed, and the tasting results are presented.

Leaderboard

Each day, the leaderboard will display all participants by their chosen nicknames, with their results of the day and the total accumulated scores.

Your competition name

The goal of this competition is to bring whisky lovers from around the world together to try some amazing whiskies and make a discovery through a selection of drams. To ensure this, make sure to avoid any references to discrimination, violence, war or politics when choosing your nickname. Any chosen nickname that can be considered offensive in any way will be altered.

Competition rules

The samples represent one of six whisky regions: Campbeltown, the Highlands, Islay, the Lowlands, Speyside and Islands. In this competition we consider Islands as a separate region in Scotland.

• Each region is featured at least once during the competition
• Consecutive samples will never come from the same region
• All whiskies have an alcohol percentage of at least 40%
• All whiskies are single malt whiskies from Scotland
• A distillery will only appear once during the competition
• If the sample of the day is a No Age Specified (NAS) bottling and the age is also unknown to us, the participants will automatically score 20 points for guessing the age.
• In the unlikely event that there is no name of the distillery available on the bottle, we will use the name of which we are 99% certain, even if this concerns a “teaspooned” malt.
• In case of any discussion: the decision of the Best of Wines team is final.
• Some distilleries produce various whiskies. The specific name of the whisky will have to be entered. For example, Springbank Distillery also produces Longrow and Hazelburn. If the whisky of the day was a Hazelburn but a participant filled in Springbank, this will be viewed as incorrect. This also applies, for example, to the whiskies made at Loch Lomond and on the Isle of Mull. We want to emphasize this viewpoint, so that it is clear to all participants. These different whiskies have their own characteristics and styles and should be recognized as such to gain the full score.

How the scores are calculated

• The correct distillery (40 points)
• The correct region (20 points)
• The correct age (max 20 points, 10 points deduction for each year difference)
• Alcohol percentage (20 points, 1 point deducted for every 0.1% difference)

The rating of the sample of the day

You can rate every whisky you try in this field. You won't earn any points by this, but it gives you a nice overview of what you like in whisky.

Prizes

1st prize: A discount voucher to the value of €500,- plus a free participation in the blind tasting competition 2026
2nd prize: A discount voucher to the value of €250,- plus a free participation in the blind tasting competition 2026
3rd Prize: A discount voucher to the value of €100,- plus a free participation in the blind tasting competition 2026

The participants on the 4th and 5th place will receive a free participation in the blind tasting competition 2026.

Distilleries and their regions

Below the list of distilleries and their regions.

Campbeltown Glengyle (Kilkerran) Glen Scotia Longrow Springbank Hazelburn Highlands Aberfeldy Ardmore Ardnamurchan Balblair Ben Nevis Blair Athol Clynelish Croftengea Dalmore Dalwhinnie Deanston Dornoch Castle Edradour Fettercairn Glen Deveron Glen Ord Glen Garioch Glencadam Glendronach Glenglassaugh Glengoyne Glenmorangie Glenturret GlenWyvis Inchfad Inchmoan Inchmurrin Loch Lomond Macduff Nc'Nean Oban Old Pulteney Royal Lochnagar Teaninich Tomatin Tullibardine Ballechin Ben Wyvis Brora Glen Albyn Glen Mhor Glenesk Glenlochy Glenugie Glenury Royal Lochside Millburn North Port (Brechin) Wolfburn

Islands Abhainn Dearg Arran Highland Park Isle of Harris Jura Lagg Ledaig Raasay Scapa Talisker Tobermory Torabhaig Islay Ardbeg Ardnahoe Bowmore Bruichladdich Bunnahabhain Caol Ila Kilchoman Lagavulin Laphroaig Malt Mill Port Charlotte Port Ellen Lowlands Ailsa Bay Annandale Auchentoshan Ayrshire Bladnoch Daftmill Glen Flagler Glenkinchie Holyrood Inverleven Killyloch Kinclaith Ladyburn Lindores Abbey Littlemill Rosebank St. Magdalene Kingsbarns

Speyside Aberlour Allt-a-Bhainne Auchroisk Aultmore Balmenach Balvenie Banff BenRiach Benrinnes Benromach Braeval Caperdonich Cardhu Coleburn Convalmore Cragganmore Craigellachie Dailuaine Dallas Dhu Dalmunach Dufftown Glen Elgin Glen Grant Glen Keith Glen Moray Glen Spey Glenallachie Glenburgie Glendullan Glenfarclas Glenfiddich Glencraig The Glenlivet Glenlossie Glenrothes Glentauchers Imperial Distillery Inchgower Kininvie Knockando Knockdhu Linkwood Longmorn The Macallan Mannochmore Miltonduff Mortlach Mosstowie Parkmore Pittyvaich Royal Brackla Speyburn Speyside Distillery Starlaw (Glen Turner) Strathisla Strathmill Tamdhu Tamnavulin Tomintoul Tormore