TWSC 2026 Announces Special Awards

The Tokyo Whisky and Spirits Competition (TWSC), Japan's only and Asia's largest spirits competition, has announced the recipients of its 'Best Distillery Award,' given to the most active distilleries over the past year. It also announced winners for the 'Best Category,' 'Best Cost Performance,' 'Best Design,' and 'Hall of Fame' from the TWSC 2026 entries.

The Best Distillery Award was selected through TWSC's independent research, with 28 distilleries honored this year. Twelve new categories were established, focusing on regions showing rapid growth such as Oceania, Thailand, and South Korea, as well as segments like World Gin and Craft Rum.

Furthermore, new awards for shochu breweries specializing in sweet potato, barley, rice, and awamori were established, with four breweries receiving the honor. Details of the winning distilleries will be featured in the official TWSC 2026 guidebook, scheduled for release in August.

(Distillery Award Winners List) Best Scotch Distillery: The Balvenie Distillery Best Scotch Craft Distillery: Ballindalloch Distillery Best Scotch SDGs: Kilchoman Distillery Best Irish Distillery: Bushmills Distillery Best Irish Craft Distillery: Ardara Distillery Best English Distillery: White Peak Distillery Best Oceanian Distillery: Greenbanks Distillery Best Asian Distillery: Kavalan Distillery Best Taiwanese Distillery: Maoweiki Distillery Best Indian Distillery: Piccadily Distilleries (Indri) Best Chinese Distillery: The Chuan Best Thai Distillery: Prakaan Distillery Best Korean Distillery: Ki One Distillery Best Japanese Distillery: Suntory Hakushu Distillery Best Japanese Craft Distillery: Yamaga Distillery Best Japanese Craft Grain Distillery: Yoshida Denzai Distillery Best Japanese SDGs: Tamano Ascend Distillery Best Japanese Innovation: Yabu Distillery Best Japanese Tourism: Saburomaru Distillery Best Japanese Terroir: Yasato Distillery Newcomer: Tano Distillery Best World Gin Distillery: Hendrick's Gin Distillery Best Japanese Craft Gin Distillery: Distillery Shakotan Blue Best Japanese Craft Rum Distillery: Ishigaki Distillery Best Sweet Potato Shochu Brewery: Nishi Shuzo Best Barley Shochu Brewery: Osuzuyama Distillery Best Rice Shochu Brewery: Torikai Distillery Best Awamori Brewery: Chuko Awamori Distillery