Why the IWSC?

" We put all of our heart and soul, time and effort into making what we hope are the world's best cocktails. It's complex and consuming, and realistically we know that most consumers will have no idea that the product sitting on the shelf next to ours is a poor imitation. So it's fundamental to our business to find a way to communicate the 'why' to consumer and category managers alike. The 'why' is this RTD cocktail better than the other, the 'why' should I select this one to sit on a shelf or take off a shelf ahead of the next. That 'why' is clearly communicated through our success at the IWSC. There's no other program as respected in the world, with some of the world's most credentialed and respected judges, we're honoured to have won back-to-back Producer Trophies and can't understate the importance to our business of the accolade. "

Matt Sanger Managing Director, Curatif

2023 & 2022 RTD Producer Trophy

" We couldn’t be more excited to enter one of the premier award organizations in the world. As we entered the UK market in 2023, we knew the awards would have an impact on brand awareness and allow us the opportunity to share our brand with an entirely new community. When we won the award for highest rated bourbon in the world, our team was beyond honored. To close out the year as the Worldwide Whiskey Producer of the Year, it was an exciting milestone for the entire organization and truly a special accomplishment to celebrate the amazing work from our team. "

Brandon Smith Brand Manager, Bardstown Bourbon Company

2023 Worldwide Whiskey Producer Trophy

"

Winning the Fruit Spirits Producer of the Year award at a prestigious competition like the IWSC provides instant credibility. It reinforces the trust that consumers and industry professionals have in our brand and products. The recognition from the IWSC generates media attention and can lead to increased visibility for our brand. It can open doors to new markets and distribution channels. In a crowded market, an IWSC win sets us apart from the competition. It's a valuable point of differentiation that can sway consumer choices.

"

Aleksandar Runchev Oenologist, PODRUM PALIĆ 1896 DOO

2023 Fruit Spirits Producer Trophy

"

The IWSC is an important competition and has been since we launched Four Pillars in 2013.  Whilst it is the ideal opportunity to benchmark our gins against the best in the world, we also value the feedback on some of our smaller batches and innovations. The judging panels are exceptional and the format of the show is second to none. 

"

Cameron Mackenzie Co-Founder & Head Distiller, Four Pillars Gin

2023 International Gin Producer Trophy

"

Among the world's leading spirits competitions, the IWSC has a particularly long history. It is a great honor for us to have been awarded the Shochu Producer Trophy in 2023, which means that we are highly regarded as a 'shochu producer' by the world's spirits experts. Participation in the IWSC has value beyond the competition itself. We will use this award as a driving force to continue to develop our products with confidence and expand globally. With "Tradition", "Innovation" and "Heritage" as our firm axes, we will continue our efforts to spread honkaku shochu around the world.

"

Team at, HAMADA SYUZOU Co., Ltd

2023 Shochu Producer Trophy

"

We have a very dedicated team, with some members who have been with us for much of the journey. This award is a fitting reward and recognition for their efforts, as much an achievement for them professionally as for Cherubino. We hope that this award puts Australia firmly back into focus as there are many producers that also deserve such an award and recognition.

"

Larry & Edwina Cherubino Founders, Cherubino

2023 Outstanding Wine Producer, 2023 White Wine Producer Trophy

" We have spent a considerable amount of time researching wine awards across all our key markets, and prioritised the IWSC Awards because they are so highly-regarded in the drinks industry – not just in the UK, but around the world.  We could see that doing well – whether it be getting a gold medal or a Trophy – can be very impactful.  We are already known as a sustainable and regenerative organic wine brand, so to be recognised like this for our quality as well is immensely gratifying and something which further spreads the benefits of working regeneratively to the wider wine community. "

Susan-Anne Cosgrove Vice President of Global Marketing, Origins Organic Imports (Domaine Bousquet)

2023 Red Wine Producer Trophy

"

We entered the IWSC because of the competition's strong standing within the spirits world, the rigorous judging process and panel, and especially due to the IWSC's attention to the non-alcoholic category. Many competitions have been slow to really embrace NA drinks, often lumping us together with other categories that don't really make any sense. At the IWSC we felt we had a fair place at the table, and were being judged appropriately.
The Producer Trophy recognition is a huge deal for us. It adds significantly to our consumer trust with a mention in our Instagram bio, on stickers that we'll begin adding to bottles soon, and it leads my sales emails.

"

Ian Blessing Co-Founder & Owner, All The Bitter

2023 Low & No Spirits Producer Trophy

"

We get approached by many spirit competitions all over the world and when we evaluated the benefits of each one, we decided that entering our brands in IWSC is no-brainer! When you consider the longevity of the competition, the knowledgeable, experienced and talented judges and of course the quality of the entries this is a competition where winning a medal means a lot. It’s not one of the contests where everyone gets a medal and winning a Gold, Silver or Bronze actually means something! Lastly, the exposure winning medals at IWSC – much less Rum Producer of the Year – brings is priceless.

"

Alexander Kong Commercial Manager - Spirits, Worthy Park Estate

Rum Producer Trophy 2023

" “Despite the export challenges over recent years, we have experienced incredible growth across Tomatin’s whisky portfolio here in the UK and beyond - and this really is a fantastic moment for us to take-stock and celebrate just how far we’ve come. We have worked incredibly hard on our product range over the years; and we continue to commit ourselves to crafting the very best tasting Highland whisky, so it’s brilliant to be recognised in this way by IWSC”. "

Stephen Bremner Managing Director, Tomatin

2022 Outstanding Spirits Producer

"In a competition where the bar is high – the IWSC wine judging process is fair but demanding so achieving a medal is meaningful."

Rebecca Palmer Wine Buyer, Corney & Barrow

Judge

" One of the biggest successes we can point to off the back of our IWSC awards, are the largescale customers we have won as a direct result of the award. "

John Hall Founder & Distiller, Trevethan Distillery

2021 UK Gin Producer Trophy

"

Some of the most discerning and demanding palates in the spirits industry can be found at the IWSC’s judging sessions, so achieving any kind of medal is no mean feat!

"

Guy Hodcroft Spirits Buyer, Bordeaux Index

Judge

"

The IWSC is judged by a very broad range of people who have a great depth of experience in the industry. If they're going ‘this is good’, it gives you [the producer] a very solid sense of – ‘yes I'm on the right track.’ 

"

Nick King New Product Development Manager, WSET

"

An IWSC accolade is one of the key pieces of getting your name out there, to actually tell people not only that you exist but also that you have quality, that you are a great product.

"

Billy Abbott Whisky and fine spirits expert, The Whisky Exchange

2022 Spirits Communicator of the Year, shortlist

" The IWSC is a great platform to benchmark your wines against some of the best, and the coverage you can get off the back of it is incredible. "

The winemaking team Langham Wine Estate

Sparkling Wine Producer 2020

" There are a lot of spirits competitions out there these days. Pretty soon we might even need a competition for the best competitions! If ever such a day arrived, it’s a safe bet that the IWSC would take home a 'double gold'. "

Brad Japhe Writer, Forbes

Read more

" Awards give trust – not everybody is familiar with Cognac, so it’s important that they can trust awards, especially when they are famous like IWSC. "

Francis Abécassis Owner, ABK6, France

Brandy Producer 2019

" IWSC has been there for 50 years, so it’s the main recognition in the wine industry, and everyone knows it. Our award will help the business for sure. "

Gaelle Goossens Winemaker, Champagne Veuve Clicquot, France

Sparkling Wine Producer 2019

" When we’re talking to new partners, having this award to say that our spirits are great quality makes a difference when at the negotiation table. "

Nick Ravenhall Managing Director, ATOM Brands, UK

UK Gin Producer 2019

" I like the breadth that IWSC offers. No longer are we just focusing on the major players, we’re looking at new regions where wine can be great. "

Madeline Puckette Co-founder, Wine Folly, USA

Wine Communicator 2019

" This award will help my business a lot. I’m an export producer, so I sell more than one third in export markets, and IWSC is well-known around the world. "

Rudi Rabl Winemaker, Weingut Rabl, Austria

White Wine Producer 2019

" IWSC helped us to realise that we were on the right track at such an early and influential time in our growth as a craft spirits producer. "

Michael Harris Director, Mountain Distilling Company, Australia

Gold 2019

" IWSC is a standard and a benchmark for quality, which is independent and utilises the best in the industry to judge the best in the industry. "

Jamie Matthewson Buying Manager, Waitrose, UK

Wine Supermarket 2019

" IWSC is the pinnacle. We work hard to encourage brands to join our portfolio, so for them to see that we’ve won this award is very helpful. "

David Hood General Manager, Spirit Cartel, UK

Spirits Distributor 2019

" IWSC not only heavily influences our buying decisions, but makes decisions easier. If you’ve tried a good wine, of course you’re going to buy it. "

Stefan Neumann MS Head Sommelier, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Judge

" The response to our award from gin drinkers in Finland and further beyond was fantastic, and our sales over the years have grown over five-fold. "

Miika Lipiäinen CEO, Kyrö Distillery, Finland

Gold and silver medals 2019

" IWSC is the most relevant wine award in the world. This is the only one we enter, to measure ourselves against our peers in the industry. "

Abrie Beeslaar Winemaker, Kanonkop, South Africa

Outstanding Wine Producer 2019

" Wine awards are super important. You’re judged at a similar level to other wines and to come out on top means that people trust what you’re doing. "

Tamara Roberts CEO, Ridgeview Wine Estate, UK

IWSC President 2020