NEW ORLEANS, LA (July 21, 2026): The New Orleans Spirits Competition (NOSC), presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF), is pleased to announce the 2026 “Spirits of the Year” winners alongside the prestigious Distillery of the Year and Craft Distillery of the Year recipients, as part of its fifth annual competition at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
Since its founding in 2022, the New Orleans Spirits Competition has emerged as a premier international competition celebrating and recognizing best-in-class spirits from producers worldwide. Held during Tales of the Cocktail, this year’s NOSC featured judging across all spirits categories, domestic and international, including whiskey, gin, brandy, baijiu, vodka, rum, agave spirits, liqueurs, ready-to-drink cocktails, and non-alcoholic elixirs. NOSC is proud to partner with Imbibe Magazine as the competition’s official 2026 Media Partner.
In celebrating the Distillery of the Year, Craft Distillery of the Year, and Spirits of the Year, NOSC presents the following winners in each class:
2026 NOSC Distillery of the Year
- Distillery of the Year: Heaven Hill Distillery
2026 NOSC Craft Distillery of the Year
- Craft Distillery of the Year: Tamar Distillery/Mendocino Spirits
2026 NOSC Spirits of the Year Winners
- Agave Spirit of the Year: Casa Obsidiana Tequila Reposado, by Tierra de Agaves
- Whiskey of the Year: Low Gap Straight Bourbon, Old Fussbudget 8-Year-Old, by Tamar Distillery
- Brandy of the Year: Ferrand Cognac Double Cask, by Maison Ferrand
- Gin of the Year: Bluecoat American Dry Gin, by Heaven Hill Distillery
- Liqueur of the Year: Barrel Rested Eno Amaro, by Murrell’s Row Spirits
- Rum/Cane Spirit of the Year: Distiller’s Reserve Rum, by Circle Hook Distilling
- No & Low Elixir of the Year: Joy’s Island Spice Sorrel Hibiscus Elixir, by Spring Street Producers
- RTD of the Year: Naked & Famous, by Tip Top Proper Cocktails
- Specialty Spirit of the Year: Batch 22, by Downtime Cocktails
- Vodka of the Year: Zemzicki Polish Family Vodka, by Commerce Brewing
- Mixer/Syrup of the Year: 5-Spice Orange Bitters, by Bluegrass Bitters
NOSC also highlights its 2026 “Best of Category” winners, recognizing the top-rated spirit in each category, including Best Classic Gin, Best Tequila Reposado, Best Absinthe, and more.
2026 NOSC “Best of Category” Winners
Winners for the “Best of Category” can be viewed on
https://www.nolaspiritscomp.com/awards-26/best-of-category-26
2026 NOSC Packaging Award Winners
Packaging Excellence Awards for the New Orleans Spirits Competition can be viewed on
https://www.nolaspiritscomp.com/awards-26/packaging-excellence-26
2026 NOSC Final Medalists
Medalists for the New Orleans Spirits Competition can be viewed on
https://www.nolaspiritscomp.com/awards-26
New Orleans Spirits Competition Judges 2026
- Nancy Fraley, Master Whiskey & Rum Blender, International Consultant, Nosing Services
- Danny Ronen, Founder & CEO of DC Spirits
- ms. franky marshall, Bartender, Educator & Consultant
- Geoffrey Wilson, Leadership Staff at Turning Tables New Orleans
- H. Joseph Ehrmann, Proprietor of ELIXIR
- Martin Cate, Owner of Smuggler’s Cove, San Francisco
- Paul Clarke, Editor in Chief of Imbibe Magazine
- Tiffanie Barriere, Educator & Consultant; Member of the Tales of the Cocktail Grants Committee, James Beard Beverage Advisory Board Member of the Atlanta chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier
- Vivian Pei, Founder of Pei Sisters Projects
- Virginia Miller, Dining & Drinks Writer/Judge/Consultant
- Wayne Curtis, author & co-founder of New Orleans Spirits Competition
- Abigail Gullo, Guest Experience Sazerac House
- Ian Burrell, Global Rum Ambassador
- Isaac Shumway, Proprietor of California Gold Bar
- Stephanie Gonnet, West Bev Consulting
- Alexander Kong, Commercial Manager at Worthy Park Estate
- Christian Clark, Partner at California Gold Bar
- Roland Ng, General Manager, Americas, for Kanosuke Distillery
###
ABOUT THE JUDGING PROCESS
The judging was conducted in two rounds. In the first round, Judges were sent samples, identified by only category, ABV, and any other information needed to properly evaluate the spirits without tipping brand identities. The judges rated entries individually on a 100-point scale from their own space, entering scores remotely. Those scores were then averaged to determine medal winners. After the medals were decided, the top finishers in each category were selected for Best of Category recognition.
This preliminary round was held in June, after which the six highest-scoring spirits in Rum, Whiskey, and Liqueur advanced to the final round in their respective classes. Spirits of the Year were selected in publicly held blind tastings on Monday, July 20 in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail. These votes determined the best-of-class awards listed below.
ABOUT NEW ORLEANS SPIRITS COMPETITION:
Founded in 2022 by Andrew Faulkner, Matthew Sharpe, and Wayne Curtis, the New Orleans Spirits Competition is an international spirits competition bringing wider recognition to fine spirits from top-flight producers across the globe. NOSC was created because New Orleans, a world-class destination for beverages and cuisine, deserves a world-class spirits competition. The judging takes place in partnership with Tales of the Cocktail®, with more than three dozen prominent members of the spirits community serving as judges and assessing the quality of the spirits based on a strict set of criteria. All spirits are delivered blind to tasting panels, ensuring integrity and honesty.
For more information on New Orleans Spirits Competition, please visit New Orleans Spirits Competition’s website, email info@nolaspiritscomp.com, and follow along on social media: @nolaspiritscomp, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
ABOUT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL FOUNDATION:
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to advance the global hospitality industry and create a lasting impact in our host communities. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the industry. The pillars of the Foundation are to Educate, Advance, and Support the hospitality industry through programs that benefit individuals and organizations in the community and to make a lasting impact in the communities that host our events.
For more information on Tales of the Cocktail, please visit the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation website, Instagram, and Facebook
ABOUT IMBIBE MAGAZINE
Imbibe (@imbibe/imbibemagazine.com) is a multi-platform drinks destination combining an award-winning print and digital magazine, website, newsletter, podcast, books, and events, including the annual global charitable initiative, Negroni Week. Imbibe celebrates drinks as a distinct culinary category, exploring the people, places, cultures and flavors that make the world of drinks so fascinating. With wide-ranging recipes, reviews, how-tos, interviews, and stories, Imbibe is the go-to guide to drinks, from coffee to cocktails.
