Recent News
The World's Best Finished Bourbons of 2026
The World Whiskies Awards America 2026 has spoken, and finished bourbon is no longer a side conversation. Two expressions have claimed the title of World's Best Finished Bourbon this year, split between Kentucky and Non-Kentucky categories, and together they make a compelling case that the art of f
World's Best Bourbon Just Went to an Indie Kentucky Distillery
For years, the big names in bourbon have dominated the conversation. Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark — these are the brands that show up on best lists, line the back bars at serious whiskey spots, and fill the shelves of collectors. So when a smaller, independent distillery out of Newport,
Colorado Whiskey Beats the World in Its First Year
There's a moment in every underdog story where you stop and ask yourself whether what just happened was real. For Onyx & Amber, that moment came at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, when Copper Buffalo was named the World's Best American Style Whiskey at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards —
Heaven Hill Dominates 2026 World Whisky Awards
Heaven Hill had a night to remember on February 12 at The Brown Hotel in Louisville, walking away from the 2026 World Whiskies Awards America and Icons of Whisky America ceremony with more hardware than any other name in the room. For a company that has been quietly stacking wins for years, this la
VDC Blue Ridge Just Won the World's Top American Single Malt Honor
The American single malt category has been picking up steam for years now, quietly building a reputation that puts it shoulder to shoulder with scotch and bourbon on the global stage. But every once in a while, a bottle comes along that forces the whisky world to sit up and pay real attention. That
15 STARS Bourbon Takes Home Two Trophies at 2025 John Barleycorn Awards
The 2025 John Barleycorn Awards results are in, and one bourbon brand walked away with not one but two major wins. 15 STARS, a whiskey brand built around the art of blending, earned both Blender of the Year and Best Bourbon honors this spring, a double victory that puts the label squarely in the na
A Small Batch Rye Earned VinePair's Top 2026 Nod
There was a time when rye whiskey meant one thing: a spirit born in Kentucky or Pennsylvania, blended quietly from anonymous barrels, and bottled without much explanation about where it actually came from. Those days are fading fast. A small Vermont-based outfit called Lost Lantern is making sure o
New Riff's Big Win Shakes Up the Bourbon World
The bourbon landscape just got a serious shake-up, and the source might surprise even seasoned whiskey drinkers. New Riff Distilling, a relatively young operation based out of Newport, Kentucky, has been named the producer of the World's Best Bourbon at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards. The ceremony
Vanilla Bourbon Takes Top Prize in Industry Contest
A bourbon infused with Madagascar vanilla beat out five other up-and-coming beverages to win the 2026 Brand Battle Tournament at a major industry convention in Las Vegas. The competition, held at Caesars Forum during Access LIVE, marked its tenth anniversary with what organizers called one of the t
Spirits Industry Gears Up for Landmark Awards
The cocktail world's most prestigious recognition program has officially opened its doors for the 2026 season, marking two full decades of honoring the people and places that have shaped how Americans—and the rest of the world—enjoy their drinks. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation announced tha