Irish whiskey has changed enormously over the past decade. Where the category once rested on just a few names, dozens of new distilleries have opened across the island, and long-dormant brands have been brought back to life, giving drinkers far more to choose from than ever before. That makes the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) results a useful guide to where the best of it now sits, and the 2026 winners are in.
Often called the Oscars of the spirits world, the SFWSC is where those bottles prove themselves. Held every year since 2000 by The Tasting Alliance, it’s the oldest and largest blind spirits competition anywhere, and a medal here ranks among the most coveted endorsements a distillery can earn. None of it rides on reputation: every whiskey is poured blind and tasted in flights of like styles, judged on the liquid alone with no brand, bottle, or price in view.
The awards are given in tiers, from Bronze, Silver, and Gold up to Double Gold and the rare Platinum, earned by taking Double Gold three years running.
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Below, you’ll find every award-winning Irish whiskey from the 2026 competition. Stay with The Whiskey Wash for more from “the Oscars of the spirit world.”
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| Whiskey | Medal |
| Ardara Distillery 2025 Edition Cask Strength Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| Craft Irish Whiskey The Donn Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| Egan’s Conviction 21 Blended Irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| MJM Co. irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| Spot Whiskey Blue Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| Spot Whiskey Yellow Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| Titanic Distillers 8 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| West Cork Irish Whiskey 7 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Double Gold |
| YUTUMOMO Milk Candy Whiskey | Double Gold |
| Dingle Distillery 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Gold |
| Dingle Distillery Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Gold |
| Redbreast 18 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Gold |
| Spot Whiskey Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Gold |
| Spot Whiskey Red Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Gold |
| Teeling Blackpitts Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Gold |
| Titanic Distillers 5 Year Old Pot Still Irish Whiskey: PX Finish | Gold |
| West Cork Bourbon Cask Blended Irish Whiskey | Gold |
| Yeats Irish Whiskey | Gold |
| Accord Stone Purpose & Provenance Blended Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Ardara Distillery 2025 Edition Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Copeland Green Label Banyuls & PX Cask Blended Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Copeland Merchan’ts Quay Blue Label Blended Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Dingle Distillery Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Dubliner Bourbon Cask Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Egan’s Conviction 10 Blended Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Finvara The King’s Gambit Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Ide & Stills Orange Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Jameson Orange Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Kilbrin Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Neit Mellow Spice Single Grain Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Neit Toffee Dreams Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Old Comber 7 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Roe & Co Signature Blended Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| The Whistler Triple Oak Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old Special Reserve Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey Original Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| West Cork Irish Whiskey Bourbon Cask 5 Year Old Blended Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| West Cork Irish Whiskey Maritime 5 Year Old Rum Cask Single Malt Irish Whiskey | Silver |
| Copeland 5 Year Old Single Grain Whiskey | Bronze |
