The San Francisco World Spirits Competition celebrated its 22th iteration back in April, and this time around it was bigger than ever. “With over 5000 entries from 40 countries we are by leaps and bounds the largest and longest running blind judging event [in the world],” according to Amanda Blue, president of the event. “This year cemented our status as the preeminent spirits competition in the world.

Benromach 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch

This Speyside stunner is matured exclusively in first-fill Oloroso Sherry butts and bottled at a cask strength of 57.1% ABV. It is a rich and rounded malt from a 125 year old distillery which is today managed by the talented folks of Gordon & MacPhail—the legendary independent bottler out of Elgin, Scotland.

And ponder this: you can still actually purchase a bottle for under a $1000. That reads as a bargain for 40-year-old single malt these days. So don’t expect the price to hold much longer after news of this award spreads. The uptick underscores the economic engine driving this newfangled “competition-industrial complex.”