The International Wine & Spirit Competition has named its 2026 gin trophy winners, and the results are more surprising than the usual parade of familiar European names. According to IWSC and Food & Wine’s October 11, 2026 report, all three gin trophies went to distilleries in Asia.
Which gins won the top IWSC trophies
The 2026 IWSC trophy results named Ohoro Standard Gin from Niseko Distillery in Japan as the Classic Gin Trophy winner. IWSC’s published trophy list also shows that the bottle received a score of 99 out of 100, making it one of the standouts in this year’s spirits judging.
The Contemporary Gin Trophy went to Lao Gin from The Lao Distilling Company in Laos. IWSC’s results list that bottle as the category winner, and Food & Wine reported it earned 98 out of 100 in the competition.
The Flavoured Gin Trophy went to Dried Smoked Longan Gin from Nong Distillery Co. in Taiwan. According to IWSC’s trophy page and Food & Wine’s report, it also scored 98 out of 100. Taken together, the three results mean Asia swept the IWSC’s top gin trophies for 2026.
For shoppers and home bartenders, that matters because these awards often push lesser-known bottles into wider conversation. Even if these exact gins are not easy to find in every U.S. market, the results point to a growing interest in regional botanicals and styles that go beyond the classic London dry template.
Why these results may seem unexpected
Part of the surprise is that some readers may have seen a different list of “world’s best” gins tied to another competition. The confusion comes from mixing up the IWSC with the World Gin Awards, which are separate programs with different judging structures and different winners.
In this case, the IWSC article and trophy page are specific: the 2026 gin trophy winners were Ohoro Standard Gin, Lao Gin, and Dried Smoked Longan Gin. The German, Croatian, French, and Swiss bottles that appear on some other winners lists belong to the World Gin Awards, not the IWSC results covered here.
IWSC also framed the outcome as a sign of strong gin-making across Asia. In its announcement of the 2026 spirits trophy winners, the competition said all three gin trophies were awarded to spirits from Japan, Laos, and Taiwan.
That distinction matters if you track awards to decide what to buy, gift, or look for at a bar. A medal or trophy can mean very different things depending on the competition, category, and judging year, so the name of the awards program is just as important as the bottle itself.
What home bartenders can take from the 2026 winners
These results suggest that gin continues to broaden well beyond the flavors many U.S. drinkers first associate with juniper-heavy dry styles. IWSC’s own coverage of its 2026 spirits results said the gin field is evolving while staying rooted in technical quality, with local botanicals helping define newer expressions.
That is especially clear in a name like Dried Smoked Longan Gin, which signals a flavor profile built around a specific fruit rather than a generic “flavored gin” label. Lao Gin and Ohoro Standard Gin also stand out because their identities are closely tied to place, which has become a bigger part of how premium spirits are marketed and judged.
For home use, these awards can be a cue to branch out in simple drinks where the gin stays front and center. A Martini, Gin and Tonic, or highball-style serve can make it easier to notice what separates a classic style from a contemporary or flavored one.
If you are scanning shelves after these results, the safest move is to look for the exact bottle name and producer, not just the country or trophy category. The official IWSC 2026 winners are specific products from Niseko Distillery, The Lao Distilling Company, and Nong Distillery Co., and those are the names that match this year’s trophy list.