The best spirits from the IWSC 2026

It’s a time of year where you might be seeking out one very special bottle for the spirits lover in your life. Or perhaps you’re looking to restock your home bar with the best spirits ahead of party season. However you’ve landed here, you’re in the right place: the IWSC (International Wine and Spirit Competition) has just named the best spirits of 2026. A total of 23 trophies were awarded for the top whiskies, Cognac, gin, Tequila, mezcal and more.

The spirits on this list were all awarded with a gold medal from the IWSC 2026 by a line-up of expert judges who tasted each entry blind before scoring each spirit out of 100. To be awarded with a gold medal, spirits had to score 95 points or more. All gold medal winners were subsequently entered into a further blind tasting to decide which bottle should be named the best in show within each category.

If the array of deliciousness is overwhelming, tasting notes written by the judges are available below to help steer you in the right direction (but really, how can you go wrong?). From an American whisky that smells of cinnamon, vanilla, orange peel and caramel to a special-edition rum offering cashew, baking spices, toffee and banana on the palate, these exceptional spirits are serving plenty of the lip-smacking flavours that this time of year begs for.

Scroll down to explore our list of the top spirits of 2026 according to the IWSC.

The 23 top spirits of 2026 according to the IWSC

Top bourbon: Willett Distillery’s Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond 4 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Top American whiskey: Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Lochs of Jura Barrel 10 YO American Whiskey
Top Irish whiskey: Teeling Whiskey’s Distillery Exclusive 20 YO Mongolian Oak Cask Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Top worldwide whiskey: Wan Ja Shan Distillery’s Dawu Malt Blended Whiskey
Top single malt Scotch whisky under 20 YO: Bowmore 9 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Top single malt Scotch whisky over 20 YO: East Asia Whisky Company’s 35 YO Manta Ray Genesis Bunnahabhain Distillery Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Top blended Scotch whisky: Chivas Brothers’ Royal Salute 21 YO Signature Blended Scotch Whisky
Top classic gin: Niseko Distillery Ohoro Standard Gin
Top contemporary gin: The Lao Distilling Company’s Lao Gin
Top flavoured gin: Nong Distillery Dried Smoked Longan Gin
Top rum: Hampden Estate Great House Distillery Edition 2025 Rum
Top vodka: Alexandrion Saber Distilleries’ 1789 Alexander Vodka
Top mezcal: Meanwhile Drinks’ Pensador Ensamble Joven Artesanal Mezcal
Top Tequila: El Tesoro Reposado Tequila
Top Cognac: Hermitage Cognacs Vintage 1945 Cognac
Top grape brandy: Podrum Palic 1896’s Baraba Lozovaca
Top fruit spirit: Brana Clémentine Corse Eau De Vie
Top baijiu: Guizhou Century Shi Zhanggui Winery Co.’s Shizhanggui Zhenkunsha Baijiu
Top shochu: Sanwa Shurui’s Iichiko Saiten Shochu
Top Soju: Hwasimjujo Miraon Still Young Single Rice Soju
Top liqueur: Soplica Pistacchio & White Chocolate Liqueur
Top bitters: Antica Distilleria Quaglia Fernet
Top pastis: Brana Pastis Basque

HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE SPIRITS?

We operate a regimented, rigorous spirits tasting process. That means that each spirit sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC spirit judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the drinks industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.

HOW DO WE SCORE THESE SPIRITS?

Only the best spirits sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, spirits have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver winners must have scored 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.

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Club O is the go-to platform for wine and spirit lovers. Based in London, our editorial team tells informative, inspirational stories from the world of wine and spirits, gastronomy and travel, as well as covering recommendations and the latest trends in drink.