Patagonian whisky awarded among the world's best

The family-run Madoc distillery, located in Dina Huapi near Bariloche, Argentina, has earned a gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Their "Single Cask Peated Ex-Cabernet Franc" whisky achieved an outstanding score of 93 points out of 100 at the event, widely regarded as one of the world's foremost spirits competitions.

This accolade is the sixth international award for Madoc, which is set to mark its tenth anniversary in October. The winning whisky is a lightly peated expression, meticulously crafted. Pablo Tognetti, the distillery's founder, explained that the barley undergoes a controlled five-day germination process, halted by hot air mixed with peat smoke to impart a lasting aroma. The "Single Cask" designation means the whisky comes from a single European oak barrel that previously held Cabernet Franc wine, yielding approximately 250 bottles of 750 ml each.

“

The barley undergoes a controlled five-day germination process that is stopped with hot air mixed with peat smoke, allowing the aroma to persist until the bottle.

Tognetti described the awarded expression as "slightly smoky" and an "introductory whisky for those not accustomed to the impact of a strong smoky flavor," noting its significant success. He shares his passion with his children, Celia, a biologist who assists at the distillery, and Conrado. Madoc has a consistent production of about 30 barrels annually, successfully placing Argentine whisky on the global map.

This is not Madoc's first recognition in San Francisco. In May 2018, their single malt whisky won a silver medal. They secured a double gold in 2019 for a classic whisky and repeated their success in 2024 with a peated variety. That same year, they also received silver and bronze medals at a major competition in London. Tognetti, a former experimental physicist and general manager of Arsat, began brewing beer in the 1980s after living in England and developed an interest in whisky in the mid-1990s. He founded Argentina's first malt whisky distillery, La Alazana, in 2011, and later established Madoc in 2016 with his wife Gloria.

“

We have produced an expression that is lightly smoky. It is an introductory whisky for those not accustomed to the impact of a strong smoky flavor, and we have had much success.