IWSC Spirits & RTD Judging in Kentucky

The IWSC 2026 Spirits & RTD Judging returned to Kentucky for a third consecutive year, bringing together an international panel of experts to assess hundreds of entries from across the continent. The results showcased the continued strength of American whiskey, with bourbon accounting for nearly half of all medal-winning spirits and 25 bourbons achieving Gold or Gold Outstanding status. In total, 49 spirits earned Gold or Gold Outstanding medals, with just five receiving the coveted Gold Outstanding award.

Beyond bourbon, the judging highlighted the growing diversity of North America's spirits industry. Rum made a particularly strong impression in its first year as a standalone category, producing two Gold Outstanding winners, while rye whiskey and American malt whiskey also delivered standout performances. Medal-winning producers came from across the United States, Canada and Mexico, reflecting an industry that continues to innovate while maintaining a strong sense of quality, balance and regional identity.

Building on the success of recent years, the IWSC’s 2026 Kentucky judging welcomed an expanded range of entries from across the United States and the wider North American continent.

Eligible categories are clearly defined by region:

United States of America
All spirits, RTDs, and No, Low & Mid Strength spirits

North America (excluding the USA)
Whiskies, RTDs, and No, Low & Mid Strength spirits

This year’s judging was overseen by IWSC Judging Committee member Dawn Davies MW, bringing together leading voices from across spirits buying, bartending, education and media.

Dawn Davies MW - IWSC Judging Committee Member
Dawn Davies is Head Buyer at The Whisky Exchange and one of the most respected spirits buyers in the world. With extensive experience across retail and hospitality, she is known for her deep expertise in whisky and global spirits and is a regular judge at leading international competitions.

Georgie Bell - Co-founder of The Heart Cut
Georgie Bell is the Co-Founder of The Heart Cut and Baby Let’s Backstroke, and a respected whisky educator and consultant. Through tastings, events, and advocacy, she focuses on making whisky more approachable and inclusive while helping brands connect with new audiences.

Jack Beguedou - Founder of Hood Sommelier
Jack Beguedou, known as “Hood Sommelier,” is a spirits educator, digital creator, and cultural storyteller focused on making whiskey and fine spirits more accessible. Through tastings, events, and social media, he has built a large following for his engaging and inclusive approach to spirits education.

Molly Horn - Cocktail Strategy Manager at Total Wine & More
Molly Horn is Vice President of Mixology & Spirits Education at Total Wine & More. She leads cocktail and spirits education across the company’s national footprint and is widely recognized for her expertise in beverage program development and spirits training.

Reece Sims - Founder of Flavor Camp
Reece Sims is founder of Flavour Camp and publisher of The Flavour Report. Known for her innovative approach to sensory science and flavor education, she works with global brands and competitions as a judge, educator, and consultant.

Brad Japhe - Journalist and spirits consultant
Brad Japhe is an award-winning journalist and spirits writer whose work appears in publications including Forbes, Robb Report, and Bloomberg. Specializing in whisky and luxury spirits, he is one of the most widely read voices in drinks media and regularly serves as a judge at international competitions.

Owen Martin - Master Distiller, Angels Envy
A Master Distiller with an international background in brewing and distilling, Owen brings expertise in maturation, blending and finishing, with a focus on exploring new approaches within the heritage-rich bourbon category.

Tristan Stephenson - Bartender, author and podcast host
Tristan Stephenson is an award-winning bartender, author, and co-founder of The Curious Bartender. Known for his work in cocktail innovation, bar development, and spirits education, he is a leading voice in global cocktail culture and a regular judge at international competitions.

The IWSC Judging in Kentucky offers its entrants unprecedented opportunities to build industry connections, get new listings and increase their brand awareness via extensive media campaigns held in the US and internationally.

• We promote our winners globally, via year-round social media campaigns; weekly features in our consumer magazine Club Oenologique and on the IWSC website; as well as at international trade fairs and tastings. In 2026 we will be conducting a US focused PR campaign for this Global Judging event.
• IWSC winners are regularly featured in key media, from Forbes to Time Out and many others. Our Kentucky Judging results will be a part of our UK and global PR campaigns, maximizing the exposure for our North American winners.
• Kentucky entrants will benefit from the same rigorous judging process as in the UK judging, and will have access to the same medals, certificates and toolkits.
• We are one of the only competitions to reveal the names of the judges, connecting you to the key decision-makers.
• The IWSC is also the only industry award body to share constructive feedback with the non-winners.
• Producers entering the IWSC Spirits & RTD Judging in Kentucky will benefit from convenient local delivery of their entries.

Launched in 2024, the IWSC Bourbon Producer Trophy celebrates outstanding bourbon producers making a mark at the heart of American whiskey country. Awarded following our dedicated Kentucky judging, it recognises producers demonstrating exceptional quality, consistency and craftsmanship across their bourbon portfolio.

Every bourbon producer who enters into the IWSC and assessed during our Kentucky judging is automatically considered for this highly regarded Producer Trophy. Once judging is complete, the IWSC reviews results to identify a shortlist of the top-performing bourbon producers.

This shortlist is then carefully assessed by members of the IWSC Judging Committee, who select the overall winner of the 2026 Bourbon Producer Trophy.

The winning producer will be announced at the IWSC Awards Celebration in November 2026.

Entry deadline: 8 May 2026

IWSC Spirits & RTD Judging in Kentucky: 1-6 June 2026

Results announcement: 12 June 2026

Entry fee

Number of samples

Spirits: Please send 2 x bottles of each entry.

RTD: Please send 4 x cans (or 1ltr in total) of each entry.

(Please note, if your spirit/RTD is awarded a gold medal, we may request additional samples to be sent to the UK for our Trophy judging and the IWSC Awards Celebration).

Delivery address:
Kentucky Eagle
Attn: Jim Gann and IWSC
2440 Innovation Drive
Lexington, KY 40511

Please make sure to include the IWSC in the delivery address.

Delivery timeframe: 8 May - 22 May 2026 (WEEKDAYS ONLY)

Canadian Customers:

We have partnered with Helmsman for consolidated shipment from Canada - to use this service please fill this form  to secure your COLA waiver - you will receive an email with the next steps, invoice, and payment details.

If you have any further questions, please check our Kentucky FAQ or contact us.