Iowa Bourbon Wins Double Gold at 2026 Spirits Contest
Iowa's rich agricultural tradition and commitment to craftsmanship are earning major international recognition. Cedar Ridge Distillery has won a prestigious Double Gold medal at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Amontillado Sherry Finished Bourbon, proving that world-class spirits don't just come from Kentucky or the coasts.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is widely regarded as the most prestigious and influential spirits judging event in the industry. Expert judges blind-taste thousands of entries from around the world. A Double Gold medal is the highest honor a spirit can receive, awarded only when every judge on a panel unanimously votes the entry as Gold or better. For producers, it is one of the strongest stamps of quality and craftsmanship a bottle can carry.
Iowa Craft Distilling Takes the Global Stage
Cedar Ridge Distillery, known for leveraging local grain and traditional methods, proved that Iowa's free market entrepreneurs can compete with anyone. This win highlights the strength of the state's agricultural economy and the growing demand for authentic, American-made products.
Iowa is not alone in representing the heartland. Several other Midwest distilleries took home top honors this year, showing that American craftsmanship thrives in the middle of the country. Other regional Double Gold winners include:
- Whiskey Acres Distilling Co Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey, Illinois
- Ghost Hollow Distillery Inc. Barrel Proof Madeira Seasoned Toasted Red Oak Finish Bourbon, Illinois
- Brother Justus American Single Malt Whiskey, Minnesota
- Lost Woods 110 American Single Malt Whiskey, Minnesota
- Dancing Goat Distillery The Spaniard Corn Whiskey, Wisconsin
Full List of 2026 Double Gold Whiskey Winners
This year's whiskey category was packed with standout winners spanning scotch, bourbon, rye, Irish, Japanese, Australian, Taiwanese, Korean and American single malt styles. Below is the full roundup of every whiskey to take home Double Gold at the 2026 SFWSC.
Scotch Whisky
- 1933 Macleod's 21 Year Old Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- 1933 Macleod's 25 Year Old Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- 1933 Macleod's 28 Year Old Sherry Cask Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Aberfeldy Madeira Cask 16 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Aberfeldy Madeira Cask 21 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Aberfeldy Sherry Cask 25 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Aberlour 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Banffshire
- Aberlour A'bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Banffshire
- Ardbeg 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay
- Benriach The Original Ten Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Benriach The Thirty Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Benriach The Twelve Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Benromach 10 Year Old Blended Scotch, Moray
- Bowmore 18-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay
- Bowmore 25-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay
- Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay
- Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Single Malt Scotch, Islay
- Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay
- Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair Single Malt Scotch, Islay
- CRN57 18 Year Old Blended Scotch, Moray
- CRN57 30 Year Old Blended Scotch, Moray
- Deanston 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Dewar's 16 Year Old Blended Scotch
- Dewar's Double Double 21 Year Old Blended Scotch
- Dewar's Double Double 26 Year Old Blended Scotch
- Dewar's Double Double 27 Year Old Blended Scotch
- Dewar's Double Double 30 Year Old Blended Scotch
- Dewar's Double Double 32 Years Old Blended Scotch
- Fruitful Spirits Enviable 36 Years Old Triple Cask Blended Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Glen Scotia 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Campbeltown
- Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Campbeltown
- Glen Scotia Limited Edition Peated Ruby Port Finished Single Malt Scotch, Campbeltown
- Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Glenglassaugh 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Glenglassaugh Portsoy Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Glenglassaugh Sandend Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Glengoyne 15 Year Old Pedro Xíménez Cask Edition Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Glenmorangie The Altus 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Glenmorangie The Infinita 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Glenmorangie The Original 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- GLEN MORAY 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- GLEN MORAY 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- GLEN MORAY Smoky 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Highland Park 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Orkney
- Highland Park Cask Strength: Heather Single Malt Scotch, Orkney
- InchDairnie Distillery KinGlassie Double Matured Aged 8 Years Fife Single Malt Scotch, Lowlands
- InchDairnie Distillery KinGlassie Raw Fife Aged 8 Years Single Malt Scotch, Lowlands
- Isle of Skye 21 Year Old Blended Scotch
- Isle of Skye 30 Year Old Blended Scotch
- Lagavulin Sweet Peat 11 Year Old Single Malt Scotch
- Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Inchmoan Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Inchmurrin Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Loch Lomond Remarkable Alchemy 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Loch Lomond Remarkable Copper Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Loch Lomond Waypoint Series 31 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Lochlea Distillery Dark Briar Single Malt Scotch, South Ayrshire
- Lochlea Distillery Orchard & Oak Single Malt Scotch, South Ayrshire
- Lochlea Distillery Our Barley Single Malt Scotch, South Ayrshire
- Lochlea Distillery Smoke Without Fire Single Malt Scotch, South Ayrshire
- MacNair's Boutique House of Spirits Lum Reek 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch
- Meikle Tòir The Original Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Meikle Tòir The Sherry One Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Noble Rebel Hazelnut Harmony Blended Malt Scotch
- Noble Rebel Smoky Symphony Blended Malt Scotch
- Rosebank 32 Year Old Lowland Single Malt Scotch, Lowlands
- Rosebank Remarkable Cask Release One Single Malt Scotch, Lowlands
- Royal Brackla Oloroso Palo Cortado & Pedro Ximenez 21 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Royal Brackla Palo Cortado 18 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Royal Brackla Pedro Ximenez 25 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- Sassenach Spirits Spirit of Home Scotch
- Scapa 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Kirkwall
- Smokehead Islay 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay
- Tamdhu Speyside 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Tamdhu Speyside 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Tamdhu Speyside Distinction Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Talisker Magma 47-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch, Isle of Skye
- The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- The GlenAllachie 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- The Glendronach Aged 12 Years Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- The Glendronach Aged 18 Years Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- The Glendronach Aged 21 Years Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- The Glendronach Ode to the Valley Single Malt Scotch, Highlands
- The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Jamaica Edition Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- The Glenlivet 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, Speyside
- The Glenrothes 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Speyside
- The Glenrothes 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Speyside
- The ImpEx Collection 2008 17 Year Old Linkwood Chateau Margaux Red Wine Barrique #14547 Single Cask Scotch, Speyside
- The Singleton of Dufftown 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- The Singleton of Dufftown 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- The Singleton of Glendullan 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside
- Tobermory 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islands
- Ledaig 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islands
Bourbon
- 1845 Distilling Co Preemption Double Oak Texas Straight Bourbon, Texas
- 1845 Distilling Co Preemption Reverence Texas Straight Bourbon, Texas
- 1845 Distilling Co Preemption Texas Wheated Bourbon Bottled in Bond, Texas
- Angel's Envy 2026 Cask Strength Bourbon, Kentucky
- Arizona Craft Beverage Quindecim Bourbon, Arizona
- Augusta Distillery Small Batch Kentucky Bourbon, Kentucky
- Barrel Global Peaky Blinders Bourbon, Kentucky
- Barrell Craft Spirits 12 Year Old Finished in Toasted American Oak Bourbon, Kentucky
- Barrell Craft Spirits Cigar Blend Bourbon, Kentucky
- Blade & Bow 12 Year Old Solera Reserve Small Batch Bourbon
- Blanton's Original 93 Proof Single Barrel Bourbon, Kentucky
- Blanton's Straight From The Barrel Cask Strength Single Barrel Bourbon, Kentucky
- Bronze Bull Spirits Batch #7 Bourbon Finished in Armagnac and Orange Liqueur Barrels, North Carolina
- Brother's Bond Cask Strength Straight Bourbon, Indiana
- Burton James Bourbon - Batch 2, Kentucky
- Cedar Ridge Distillery Amontillado Sherry Finished Bourbon, Iowa
- Chattanooga Whiskey Cask 111 Batch 26B16R Bourbon, Tennessee
- Conviction Founder's Reserve Small Batch Bourbon, North Carolina
- Conviction Single Barrel Small Batch Bourbon, North Carolina
- Edmond's Honor Madagascar Vanilla Bourbon, Tennessee
- Fathertime Bourbon The Caboose Small Batch: Empty Nester Strength, Kentucky
- Filmland Spirits Moonlight Mayhem!2 The White Port Wolf Bourbon, Indiana
- Fireside 8 Bourbon, Colorado
- Four Branches Founders Reserve Bourbon, Kentucky
- Fox & Oden Double Oaked Straight Bourbon, Michigan
- Gervasi Spirits Rum Barrel Bourbon, Ohio
- Ghost Hollow Distillery Inc. Barrel Proof Madeira Seasoned Toasted Red Oak Finish Bourbon, Illinois
- Golden Beaver Distillery Pacific Flyway Single Barrel Bourbon, California
- Green River Whiskey Distillery Select #1 Toasted Double Oak Bourbon, Kentucky
- Highline Spirits Bourbon, Michigan
- Highline Spirits Small Batch Bourbon, Michigan
- Hoot + Howl Spirits Armagnac Cask Bourbon, Colorado
- James B. Beam Distilling Co. Baker's 13 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Kentucky
- James B. Beam Distilling Co. Baker's 7 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Kentucky
- Jos. A. Magnus & Co. Triple Cask Finished Straight Bourbon, Michigan
- Kentucky Credential Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Kentucky
- Kentucky Senator Bourbon Jim Bunning, Kentucky
- Maker's Mark 46 Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Kentucky
- Maker's Mark Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Kentucky
- Maker's Mark Private Selection