IWSC - International Wine & Spirit Competition

We caught up with spirits communicator and journalist Reece Sims (@reecesims ) after a day of judging fruit (and milk!) spirits.⁠ ⁠ Founder of Flavor Camp (@flavorcamp ), an online platform dedicated to mixology education, Reece was the perfect person to chat to about the many different types of spirits and flavours she had come across during the judging period.⁠ ⁠ Watch the reel now to hear her verdict.⁠ ⁠ The IWSC 2026 London Spirits Judging results will be announced on 12th June.⁠ ⁠ #IWSCLondon #IWSCJudging

What is the next big thing in rum?⁠ ⁠ Following on from days 1&2 of our IWSC 2026 London Spirits Judging, we sat down with writer, presenter, and drinks consultant Ian Burrell (@therumambassador ) to learn more about the latest trends in rum and what we should look out for.⁠ ⁠ Watch the reel now to learn more.⁠ ⁠ The IWSC 2026 London Spirits Judging is currently still taking place. Spirits results will be announced on 12th June. Watch this space.⁠ ⁠ #IWSCJudging #IWSCLondon

What do Dawn Davies (@dawndaviesmw ) and Richard Paterson (@richard.paterson.thedalmore ) agree on?⁠ ⁠ The IWSC 2026 Spirits Judging has kicked off! Over the past couple of days we've been judging Scotch - a category that continues to delight and surprise. ⁠ ⁠ Watch our reel now to discover Dawn and Richard's insights from their recent judging experiences.⁠ ⁠ #IWSCLondon #IWSCJudging

We're in The Times! 🚨⁠ ⁠ Last week we were delighted to invite writer Andrew Ellson (@ellsonandrew ) to our wine judging to get a behind-the-scenes look at everything that takes place during judging week. ⁠ ⁠ Speaking with William Drew (@will.sg.drew ), Managing Director of A21 UK (@a21presents ), Andrew learnt more about our positioning within the world of wine and spirits, and the standing that the UK has as a leading host of international drinks competitions.⁠ ⁠ From heated panel debates, to the mystique behind all the blind tasted glasses, Andrew's article perfectly captures the expertise, care and integrity behind the IWSC judging process.⁠ ⁠ Read the article now at the link in our bio.⁠ ⁠ #IWSCLondon #IWSCJudging

On Thursday 11th June at 12pm SAST (11am GMT), we will be hosting a webinar for Cap Classique producers focused on entering the UK market.⁠ ⁠ In just 45 minutes, this insightful conversation will give you practical insights on where Cap Classique sits today, what buyers are looking for, what styles and price points are gaining traction, and how to position your wines for success.⁠ ⁠ Speakers include:⁠ David Kermode (@mrvinosaurus ): Writer and presenter⁠ Victoria Mason MW (@victoriathewinebuyer ): South African Buyer at The Wine Society and IWSC Judging Committee member⁠ Elizabeth Kelly MW (@bethkelly_mw ): Product Development Manager at Tesco⁠ Alexandra Mawson (@alexandra.mawson ): Champagne and Sparkling Wine Buyer at Waitrose⁠ ⁠ Claim your complimentary ticket now at the link in our bio.

Camille Vidal (@mindfullycami ) sits down with Claire Warner (@helloclairewarner ) to discuss what they enjoyed from this year's 2026 IWSC No & Low and Mid-Strength Judging. ⁠ ⁠ The pair discuss how sugar can often be overpowering, and how producers should instead be confident in their use of alternative flavours and botanicals.⁠ ⁠ Watch the video to hear their thoughts and read the blog in our link in bio to learn more.⁠ ⁠ Our 2026 IWSC Judging is still in full swing. Keep an eye on our socials for updates on Week 3: Spirits Judging.⁠ ⁠ #IWSCLondon #IWSCJudging

Following on from last week's wine judging, we're excited to keep the momentum going over at London Wine Fair (@london_wine_fair ) where we will be exhibiting a selection of Gold medal winning wines from last year's IWSC Margaret River Judging.⁠ ⁠ Featuring a selection of award-winning wines that exemplify the region’s world-class standards, we're offering visitors of London Wine Fair the chance to learn more at our relaxed, walk-around tasting station.⁠ ⁠ Head to @london_wine_fair now to purchase your tickets - and see you on 20 May, in the Pop-up area of #lwf

We recently caught up with presenter and writer Ortis Deley (@ortisdeley ) who's been sipping away at a gem from last year's IWSC Judging.⁠ ⁠ With the IWSC 2026 London Spirits Judging in full swing, we were excited to learn more about this silver medal winning example from Passenger Gin.⁠ ⁠ Ortis explains why the flavour profile and texture behind this gin makes it so great, giving us further insight into the sort of things our judges may be looking for.⁠ ⁠ Learn more about Passenger Gin at the link into our bio. Follow their page @passengergin for more.⁠ ⁠ #sponsored

That's a wrap on the 2026 IWSC London Wine Judging!⁠ ⁠ We've continued on our quest judging the wines of the world this week, with bottles from South America to Central Europe and beyond being blind tasted by some of the most respected names in the industry. Of the wines tried, we noted the following insights:⁠ ⁠ 🍷Australia showed consistency across the board, with Alex Hunt MW noting "there isn't one grape, one style or one region dominating." From Barossa Shiraz to elegant Pinot Noir, Australia impressed with depth, typicity and strong regional identity.⁠ ⁠ 🍾Champagne and Sparkling wine revealed elegance over power. “We’ve found gold-winning examples across a multitude of styles," said Essi Avellan MW (@essiavellan ) who noted a rise in impressive Blanc de Noirs, with fresher, fruit-driven styles leading the way. Crémant also continues to gain momentum.⁠ ⁠ 🍷Across France we saw fruit purity and restraint, with a shift towards less oak, more freshness and drinkability. "The wines that stood out let the fruit and terroir shine through." - Mick O'Connell MW (@mickoconnellmw ).⁠ ⁠ 🍷Emerging regions in South America impressed, with Uruguay and Brazil producing excellent bottles. Argentina is currently seeing a shift towards lighter styles, whilst Chile is in constant evolution. ⁠ ⁠ 🍷Central & Eastern Europe remains a fascinating area for discovery. In Greece Assyrtiko from Santorini stood out, whilst Croatian whites and Hungarian sweet wines also delivered quality.⁠ ⁠ 🍷Fortified Wines were "a joy to judge", with Madeira and Colheita Port showing incredible complexity, depth and balance.⁠ ⁠ For a more detailed breakdown on the second week of wine judging, head to the link in our bio.⁠ ⁠ The results from the IWSC 2026 London Judging will be revealed on 20th May. Keep an eye on our socials to stay up-to-date.⁠

Read all about it 📖⁠ ⁠ We were super delighted with the press that we received during last year's IWSC Judging in Kentucky. Many of our medal winners were included in over 216 online features, reaching a global audience of drinks enthusiasts and consumers.⁠ ⁠ We can't wait to see what we'll read before, during and after this year's Kentucky campaign. Interested in applying? Entries for the IWSC 2026 Kentucky Judging are open until midnight Friday 8th May.⁠ ⁠ Enter now at the link in our bio.

As yesterday saw multiple glasses of Champagne enter the judging room, we caught up with Essi Avellan MW (@essiavellan ) to find out which styles really stood out at the IWSC 2026 London Judging.⁠ ⁠ Watch now to discover more.⁠ Don’t miss our Wine results announcement on 20 May. ⁠ #IWSCJudging #IWSCLondon

We're heading to London Wine Fair!⁠ ⁠ On 20 May, the IWSC will be hosting a pop-up tasting area, dedicated to two of our Global Judging destinations, one of which is Austria.⁠ ⁠ Our walk-around tasting will feature medal-winning wines from the 2025 IWSC Austria Judging, offering a compelling snapshot of regional identity, winemaking excellence, and the IWSC’s rigorous Global Judging standards.⁠ ⁠ Head to @london_wine_fair now to purchase your tickets - and see you on 20 May, in the pop-up tasting area.⁠ ⁠ Stay tuned as we reveal another exciting region which we will be spotlighting at LWF this year.