One of the oldest and most respected competitions in the spirits industry, the International Spirits Challenge (ISC), launched in 1995, has published its results for the 2026 edition — its 31st year running. The panel of industry professionals awarded a total of 726 medals to whiskies entered in the competition, split across six categories: American, Canadian, Irish, Japanese, Scotch and “worldwide” for whiskies produced elsewhere. The high number of awards reflects both the growing diversity of whisky producers globally and the fierce competition between established houses and newer entrants. Unlike consumer-driven competitions such as the SIP Awards, the ISC bases its verdicts exclusively on blind tastings conducted by industry professionals, which gives it particular standing among distillers and collectors. Retailers and importers, including in Eastern Europe, closely follow the results as a benchmark for selecting which whiskies to bring to shelves.
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Source: thewhiskeywash.com