The 2026 World Whiskies Awards America and Icons of Whisky America ceremony was held at The Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, on February 12, 2026. Members of the whiskey community came together to highlight and celebrate the achievements of the American whiskey industry.
Categories at this ceremony are exclusively for American whiskey, including bourbon and Tennessee whiskey. Winners will advance to the World Whiskies Awards Global Dinner in March to compete for the World’s Best titles against whiskies from all over the world.
Heaven Hill Distillery of Bardstown, Kentucky, took home five honors for the Icons of Whisky America awards, including Top Distiller of the Year, the third time the distillery has won this award. Heaven Hill also won the Sustainable Distiller and PR Team categories and received Highly Commended for both Distillery Manager and Production Team categories…