This $25 Bottle Is the World’s Best Bourbon, According to the 2026 International Wine and Spirits Competition
Willett Distillery secured top honors at the 2026 International Wine and Spirits Competition, winning the Bourbon Trophy for its Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond 4 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Priced at $25, the bottled-in-bond whiskey outperformed numerous expensive competitors by securing 98 points and a Gold Outstanding medal at the judging event. The recognition highlights affordable options within the spirits market, drawing attention alongside concurrent results from the New York International Spirits Competition.
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- ✓ Willett Distillery's Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond 4 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey won the Bourbon Trophy at the 2026 International Wine and Spirits Competition.
- ✓ The $25 bottled-in-bond bourbon earned 98 points and a Gold Outstanding medal at the competition.
What changed
Willett Distillery won the Bourbon Trophy at the 2026 International Wine and Spirits Competition.
Live updates
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Willett Distillery Bourbon Named World Best at 2026 IWSC
Willett Distillery secured top honors at the 2026 International Wine and Spirits Competition, winning the Bourbon Trophy for its Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond 4 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Priced at $25, the bottled-in-bond whiskey outperformed numerous expensive competitors by securing 98 points and a Gold Outstanding medal at the judging event. The recognition highlights affordable options within the spirits market, drawing attention alongside concurrent results from the New York International Spirits Competition.
Why it matters
Spirit competitions evaluate thousands of entries blindly to rank quality across price points. Affordable winners frequently experience surges in consumer demand and secondary market pricing following major industry awards. The International Wine and Spirits Competition serves as a prominent global benchmark for distillers.
What is confirmed
- Willett Distillery's Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond 4 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey won the Bourbon Trophy at the 2026 International Wine and Spirits Competition.
- The $25 bottled-in-bond bourbon earned 98 points and a Gold Outstanding medal at the competition.
What to watch next
- Consumer retail availability and potential price shifts for Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond following the award
- Additional category winners announced by the International Wine and Spirits Competition
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (12)
- Food & Wine — This $25 Bottle Is the World’s Best Bourbon, According to the 2026 International Wine and Spirits Competition
- Wine-Searcher — The World's Best Bourbons of 2026
- The Whiskey Wash — The Best Rye Whiskey From The New York International Spirits Competition 2026
- Yahoo — How Much Should You Spend On A Good Bottle Of Bourbon In 2026?
- The Whiskey Wash — The Best Value Bourbons From The New York International Spirits Competition 2026
- forbes.com — The Top Bourbons From The 2026 IWSC Judging
- www.aol.com — This $25 Bottle Is the World’s Best Bourbon, According to the ...
- boozenetworks.com — The World’s Best Bourbon for $25, According to IWSC 2026
- www.chowhound.com — This Kentucky Whiskey Outshines Jim Beam And Sazerac In 2026 ...
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- biztoc.com — This $25 Bottle Is the World’s Best Bourbon, According to the ...
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