Japanese whisky has spent the better part of two decades reshaping its place in the global category, and the 2026 International Spirits Challenge offered another telling read on where things stand. From the established houses that drove the original wave of international acclaim to the newer craft distilleries that have sprung up across the archipelago in recent years, the field reflects a category still very much in motion and one that continues to reward close attention from drinkers and collectors alike.
The International Spirits Challenge is judged blind by panels of distillers, blenders and buyers, with medals awarded at four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Double Gold. The full list of 2026 Japanese whisky winners is set out below.
| Whisky | Medal |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT WHISKY 25 YEARS OLD | DOUBLE GOLD |
| THE HAKUSHU SINGLE MALT WHISKY PEATED MALT AGED 18 YEARS OLD | DOUBLE GOLD |
| THE HAKUSHU SINGLE MALT WHISKY 25 YEARS OLD | DOUBLE GOLD |
| YOICHI SINGLE MALT GRANDE | GOLD |
| YOICHI SINGLE MALT 10 YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| YOICHI SINGLE MALT | GOLD |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT WHISKY Story of the Distillery 2025 | GOLD |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT WHISKY SMOKY BATCH The Fourth | GOLD |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT WHISKY JAPAN EDITION | GOLD |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT WHISKY 18 YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT WHISKY 12 YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT WHISKY | GOLD |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT JAPANESE WHISKY MIZUNARA JAPANESE OAK CASK 25 YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT JAPANESE WHISKY MIZUNARA JAPANESE OAK CASK 18 YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| THE HAKUSHU SINGLE MALT WHISKY PEATED MALT SPANISH OAK | GOLD |
| THE HAKUSHU SINGLE MALT WHISKY Japanese Forest BITTERSWEET EDITION | GOLD |
| THE HAKUSHU SINGLE MALT WHISKY 18 YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| THE HAKUSHU SINGLE MALT WHISKY 12 YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| THE AKKESHI Single Malt Japanese Whisky Rikka | GOLD |
| THE AKKESHI Single Malt Japanese Whisky HOKUSAI NORTH COLORS Suirei | GOLD |
| SUNTORY WHISKY TOKI | GOLD |
| SUNTORY WHISKY KAKUBIN | GOLD |
| SUNTORY WHISKY HIBIKI SUNTORY WHISKY 100YEARS ANNIVERSARY BLEND | GOLD |
| SUNTORY WHISKY HIBIKI 30YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| SUNTORY WHISKY HIBIKI 21YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| SUNTORY WHISKY HIBIKI 12YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| Single Cask SABUROMARU Shokatsuryo No210153 | GOLD |
| SHINDO SINGLE MALT 7 | GOLD |
| SHINDO BLENDED 3 | GOLD |
| SHINDO BLENDED 2 | GOLD |
| SHINDO BLENDED 1 | GOLD |
| SABUROMARU V THE HIEROPHANT | GOLD |
| SABUROMARU SINGLE CASK MIZUNARA HEAD AGED 5 YEARS No200049 | GOLD |
| NIKKA COFFEY GRAIN WHISKY | GOLD |
| MIYAGIKYO SINGLE MALT GRANDE | GOLD |
| MIYAGIKYO SINGLE MALT 10 YEARS OLD | GOLD |
| KANOSUKE HIOKI POT STILL The Mellow Bar Reserve | GOLD |
| Japanese Single Malt Whisky Ontake 2025 | GOLD |
| Ichiro’s Malt&Grain Blended Japanese Whisky 2026 | GOLD |
| Ichiro’s Malt CHICHIBU 10y | GOLD |
| THE YUZA DISTILLERY YUZA Signature Blend | SILVER |
| THE YUZA DISTILLERY SINGLE MALT YUZA Bourbon Cask No.639 | SILVER |
| THE YUZA DISTILLERY SINGLE MALT YUZA Aged 6 Years | SILVER |
| THE YUZA DISTILLERY SINGLE MALT YUZA 2025 | SILVER |
| THE YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT WHISKY PEATED MALT SPANISH OAK | SILVER |
| THE HAKUSHU SINGLE MALT WHISKY Story of the Distillery 2025 | SILVER |
| THE HAKUSHU SINGLE MALT WHISKY | SILVER |
| The Fujisan Japanese Whisky | SILVER |
| THE AKKESHI Single Malt Japanese Whisky kamui whisky® yatotta₋kamui | SILVER |
| THE AKKESHI Single Blended Japanese Whisky Toji | SILVER |
| TAKETSURU PURE MALT GRANDE | SILVER |
| TAKETSURU PURE MALT | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY TOKI BLACK | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY SPECIAL RESERVE | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY ROYAL | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY OLD | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY HIBIKI JAPANESE HARMONY Master’s Select | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY HIBIKI JAPANESE HARMONY | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY HIBIKI BLENDER’S CHOICE | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY CHITA | SILVER |
| SUNTORY WHISKY AO | SILVER |
| Single Malt Whisky Cask OLOROSO SHERRY CASK 5 years peated | SILVER |
| Single Malt Whisky Cask MIZUNARA MATURATION 10 years | SILVER |
| Single Malt Tsunuki 2026 Edition | SILVER |
| Single Malt Nagahama Vino de Pago Red Wine Cask #1966 | SILVER |
| Single Malt Nagahama The Seventh Batch | SILVER |
| Single Malt Kuju The First | SILVER |
| Single Malt Kuju sora 2025 | SILVER |
| Single Malt Komagatake | SILVER |
| Single malt Japanese whisky YAMAGA The First | SILVER |
| Single Cask Strength Japanese Whisky Ontake | SILVER |
| SHINDO SINGLE MALT 6 | SILVER |
| SHINDO SINGLE MALT 5 | SILVER |
| SHINDO SINGLE MALT 4 | SILVER |
| SHINDO SINGLE MALT 3 | SILVER |
| SHINDO SINGLE MALT 1 | SILVER |
| SABUROMARU VI THE LOVERS CASK STRENGTH | SILVER |
| SABUROMARU VI THE LOVERS | SILVER |
| SABUROMARU V THE HIEROPHANT CASK STRENGTH | SILVER |
| Ryuka Japanese Single Malt Whisky 2025 | SILVER |
| RINTARO SINGLE MALT JAPANESE WHISKY SHERRY CASK | SILVER |
| RINTARO SINGLE MALT JAPANESE WHISKY MIZUNARA CASK | SILVER |
| MIYAGIKYO SINGLE MALT | SILVER |
| MARS The Y.A. #04 | SILVER |
| KANOSUKE DOUBLE DISTILLERY The Mellow Bar Reserve | SILVER |
| Ichiro’s Malt CHICHIBU Distillery Ⅱ | SILVER |
| Ichiro’s Malt CHICHIBU Double Distilleries | SILVER |
| Single Malt Nagahama Bordeaux White Wine Cask #1563 | BRONZE |
| SINGLE MALT Dessin Series Flora 2025 | BRONZE |
| SHINDO SINGLE MALT 2 | BRONZE |
| Hishida × Nagahama Synergy Blend – Blended Japanese Whisky | BRONZE |
| Hekinan Distillery Single Malt Limited Edition 02 Apple Blossoms at Dawn | BRONZE |
Latest On The Whiskey Wash
