The International Wine & Spirits Competition Releases Results for the North American Spirits and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) categories

Five Spirits Take Gold Outstanding, Including a 99 point Bourbon

LONDON (June 16, 2026) — The Olympics of the Drink Industry concluded in the Bourbon Capital of the World as spirits industry professionals from around the globe descended upon Bardstown, KY, to judge the IWSC’s (International Wine & Spirits Competition) North American Whiskey, Ready to Drink (RTD) competition on June 4-5, 2026.  After two days of sipping, spitting, and double-blind judging, they have released the results.

This is the first year the IWSC judging included the Rum category, and of those submitted, two rum entries achieved Gold Outstanding status.

Only Five Spirits Reached Gold Outstanding

• 99 Points – Lochs of Jura Barrel 10 YO Bourbon Whiskey by Bardstown Bourbon Company (Available at retail later this summer)
• 98 Points – Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond 4 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey by Willett Distillery
• 98 Points – Coors Whiskey Company Blended American Malt Whiskey 8 Years by Coors Spirits Company

The IWSC is considered the most prestigious of the spirit award competitions, with a very low overall medal rate, making it all the more meaningful for those brands that do take home the honors.  This year, only 1.3% of entrants received the top honor of Gold Outstanding at the North American competition.  A gold outstanding means the brand has scored between 98-100 points and is described as “an outstanding spirit with a naturally exceptional balance, complexity and power. An example that immediately sets itself apart from others in the category.”

Medals awarded include Gold Outstanding,Gold, Silver and Bronze.  In addition to the Gold Outstanding medals, judges also awarded 44 Gold medals and 176 Silver medals across all categories.

Overall, the judges were impressed by the quality of the submissions and the increasing diversity across North America’s spirits industry.  “Each year, there are more unique submissions and excellent liquids,” continued Davies. “The future looks very exciting for U.S. Whiskey, it was really good to see some whiskeys that were super balanced with some really great oak integration, and generally high quality, particularly within the Bourbon and Rye categories.” 

Top-scoring products advance to the prestigious Trophy Judging round. Winners are revealed at the IWSC Awards Celebration in November 2026 in London.

For a complete list of the 2026 North American tasting results, visit IWSC 2026 tasting results | IWSC

About the IWSC

Since 1969, the IWSC has set the global standard for beverage excellence. Known as the “Olympics of the drinks industry,” the IWSC evaluates more than 12,000 entries annually from 90-plus countries. Judges are key decision-makers in the industry, including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, Master Distillers and Senior Buyers. These experts assess wines, spirits and alternative drinks using a rigorous panel process that ensures fair evaluation. The IWSC stands out for its expert judging, consistent attention, comprehensive categories and global recognition. For producers, it offers benchmarking, recognition and business connections. For consumers, IWSC medals guide excellence in a wide selection of drinks.

Partners of IWSC’s Global Judging in Kentucky include: James B. Beam Distilling Co., Maker’s Mark, Angel’s Envy⁠, Heaven Hill Brands, Kentucky Eagle, Glencairn, Total Wine & More, Mint Experiences, and Buzick Construction.

About the IWSC Competition Global Judging

Since 2022, the IWSC has held in situ Global Judging events, an initiative introduced by Strategy and Business Development Director Christelle Guibert. The IWSC is proud to be the first international drinks competition to institute a series such as this. Until today, wine and spirits have been judged in Italy, Austria, Georgia, Turkey, Italy, Argentina, Australia, the United States, South Africa and China. The competition is committed to the initiative due to the opportunities it gives all producers in a region to take part, no matter what their size is, and allows for the drinks entered to be judged in context by judges who are up to date with the region and its most recent developments.

Isle of Raasay Distillery

Raasay Hungarian Oak Limited Release

ABV: 50% 70 c

The third installment from Isle of Raasay Distillery’s Oak Species Maturation Series, which places the spotlight firmly on the botanical species of oak. This year’s expression highlights the distinctive character of Hungarian Quercus petraea, sourced from the Zemplén Mountains. Selected not as virgin oak like previous releases, but in the form of seasoned ex-Oloroso sherry barriques. Peated and unpeated spirit, made with 100% Scottish barley, are matured separatley in this distinctive cask type. Hungarian oak is renowned for its slow growth and exceptionally tight grain, allowing for a more controlled interaction between spirit and wood. This results in a whisky of remarkable depth and balance, where spice, sweetness and smoke are intricately layered. 

Raasay Distillery, opened in 2017 on the Isle of Raasay off Scotland’s west coast, is a small, modern craft distillery known for producing lightly peated single malt shaped by the island’s rugged maritime climate. Its whisky is made from local mineral-rich water, long fermentation, and a mix of peated and unpeated spirit matured in a distinctive combination of casks such as rye, Chinkapin oak, and Bordeaux red wine, giving it layers of smoke, spice, and dark fruit. The distillery sits in a restored Victorian house with sweeping views across to Skye, and its visitor experience blends contemporary design with island heritage, making it one of Scotland’s most scenic and characterful new-wave whisky destinations.

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH CONNOISSEURS’ CLUB

Purveyors of “The Water of Life”!

1-2 carefully chosen bottles every quarter

Background information & tasting notes

Total product cost of up to $115 at a savings of up to 40% off SRP (before shipping & taxes)

Shipped directly or available for store pick-up

To learn more and sign up for any of the clubs, just click HERE

The whats and whyfores of grain whisky

Grain whisky is a very broad category indeed and, oddly, the simplest way to explain it is to start by defining what it isn’t. In Scotland, malt whisky must be made from 100% malted barley and distilled in a copper pot still. Any other form of whisky in Scotland is grain whisky. Column stills are vastly more efficient than pot stills, and unmalted wheat or maize is cheaper than malted barley, which has led to a reflexive snobbery about the category.

Learn more

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Our August Outturn is live and with it 25 plus new casks – each one a unique whisky with a story rooted in oak.

If you cast your mind back to the most basic parts of whisky-making you’ll know that Scotch whisky can only be matured in oak casks. Ergo, no oak, no whisky. But if you’ve ever looked at the cask types in our Outturn, you’ll notice there are quite a few to choose from.

This month we’ll be breaking down some of those cask types to show the importance and the diversity that oak brings to the world of whisky. It’s time to get into the wood stuff.

TAKE ME TO THE BOTTLES

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

There are many ways to shape a whisky. At Tamdhu, we’ve chosen one, and we see it through without compromise. Every drop we make is matured exclusively in Oloroso sherry casks. For Cigar Malt, we take that commitment further still.

This is a whisky drawn entirely from first-fill European oak. Nothing else. It forms the first chapter in our Points of Distinction, a closer look at the decisions that shape the character of Tamdhu.

THE CIGAR MALT SERIES

European oak brings a certain authority to maturation. It’s richer, more structured, and unapologetically full in character. From these casks come notes of dried fruits, dark chocolate, and warming spice, layers that build slowly, and stay with you long after the first sip. First fill casks, in particular, offer the oak at its most articulate. They haven’t yet softened. They speak clearly, and they speak with intent. For Cigar Malt, that clarity matters.

Whisky and cigars have long shared the same moment – unhurried, and quietly indulgent.

The Cigar Malt series was created in recognition of that tradition. Not to stand apart from it, but to play its part with precision.

Such a pairing calls for a whisky with presence. One that neither fades nor overwhelms, but holds its place with quiet confidence.

By drawing entirely from first-fill European oak, we achieve that balance – depth without excess, structure without sharpness. A dram that complements the moment, and the company it keeps.

Across each edition, the principle remains unchanged: first-fill European oak, selected with care. What evolves is the way that character is expressed.

Cigar Malt I – A bold beginning. Rich with dark fruits and layered spice, it set the foundation for the series- demonstrating the depth and structure European oak can bring when left uncompromised. Now sold out, it remains a defining first step.

Cigar Malt II – Greater composure emerges. The influence of the oak becomes more measured, with notes of dried fig, orange peel, and soft spice carried on a more rounded, balanced palate.

Cigar Malt III – Complexity deepens. A darker register comes to the fore, think treacle, polished oak, and warming spice, yet with a precision that brings clarity to each layer.

Cigar Malt IV – The most assured expression to date. Here, richness and refinement find their stride together. Notes of dark chocolate, dried fruit, and gentle spice unfold with control and poise, offering a whisky that is both structured and elegantly composed.

There is a temptation, at times, to do more. We prefer to go deeper. By focusing entirely on first-fill European oak, Cigar Malt reveals just how much character can be drawn from a single, well-chosen path. That’s our first point of distinction. And it’s one we’re proud to stand by.

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Certificate in Sensory Appreciation Returns

Who needs to add the yellow EWA pin badge to their collection? We’re chuffed to be offering the one-day Sensory course at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Queen Street venue again with new dates for May and September 2027 available now. Led by the inimitable Vic Cameron, you can expect lively discussion peppered with plenty of fun exercises to challenge your senses. An example? The same smoky whisky fresh from the freezer, sampled in stages right through to room temperature… yum!

📖 Book Now

Old Particular

Paradise in Smoke Collection

ralfy review 1139 Extras – Narrowing our search for the next buy !