A bottle of Yamazaki 25 YO Japanese Single Malt Whisky
The International Spirits Challenge (ISC) is one of the most rigorous and respected blind-tasting competitions in the global drinks industry. In 2026, from a field of thousands of entries spanning every major whisky-producing nation, the judges awarded exactly 726 medals across the whisky and whiskey categories. Yet among that vast sea of Bronze, Silver, and Gold, only eleven whiskies earned the competition’s ultimate accolade: the Double Gold.
These eleven bottles represent the pinnacle of their respective categories, spanning the meticulously aged single malts of Japan, the revitalized lowland distilleries of Scotland, the rich pot-still traditions of Ireland, and one extraordinary, high-proof American bargain. Here is a closer look at the eleven Double Gold whiskies from 2026, complete with brief background information and my comprehensive tasting notes.
Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 25 Years Old, 43% ABV, 700 ml. Double Gold
The Yamazaki 25-YO is the crown jewel of Suntory’s founding distillery. Originally composed almost entirely of sherry-cask-matured whisky, the modern iteration, relaunched in recent years, is a complex, multi-layered blend that incorporates rare Mizunara Japanese oak casks alongside Spanish and American oak. It is a masterpiece of blending and extended maturation.
