Just in case you are not already a fan of one the best Whisky Blogs on the internet, What Does John Know? or Malt Advocate magazine, here are some highlights of the Malt Advocate Whisky Awards being revealed, day by day, on his site. Click on the headings of each category to be linked to the original site categories.

Top Ten New Whiskies:

Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection, 1995 Vintage, “American Oak Chips Seasoned”, 45% ABV

Compass Box Flaming Heart, 10th Anniversary Bottling, 48.9% ABV

Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve, 40% ABV

George T. Stagg, 71.5% ABV

GlenDronach Grandeur, 31 year old, 45.8% ABV

Glenfarclas, 40 year old, 46% ABV

Glengassaugh, 40 year old, 44.6% ABV

The Glenlivet Cellar Collection, 1973 vintage, 49% ABV

Sazerac Rye, 18 year old, 45% ABV

William Larue Weller, 63.3% ABV

Distillery of the Year:

Heaven Hill

World Whisky of the Year:

Amrut Fusion

Scotch Whisky Single Malt of the Year:

Glenfarclas 40 year old

Scotch Whisky Blend* of the Year:

Compass Box “Flaming Heart”

* Here Blends encompass both vattings and blends, otherwise known as Blended Malt Whisky and Blended Scotch Whisky.  Blended Malt has multiple single malts, Blended Scotch has multiple single malts and grain whisky.

Irish Whiskey of the Year:

Redbreast 12 year old

Canadian Whisky of the Year:

Forty Creek Confederation Oak

American Whiskey of the Year:

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (2010 Release)

Artisan Whisky of the Year:

Kilchoman (Summer 2010 Release)

Best Buy Whisk(e)y of the Year:

Tie – Evan Williams & Very Old Barton 6 Year Old Bottled in Bond

All right, well now you have your shopping list for 2011. Enjoy!