A Proud Moment for Brave New Spirits at the World Whiskies Award 2026

We’re very pleased to share that this year’s World Whiskies Awards — held in Edinburgh at the historic Signet Library — delivered a strong evening for Brave New Spirits. Not only did several of our bottlings win top honours, but the wider Brave New Spirits family walked away with two major company-level awards: Independent Bottler of the Year and Sales Team of the Year. For our small Glasgow-based team, that’s a meaningful moment of recognition and of genuine pride.

The Awards gathering brought together leading figures from across Scotland’s whisky scene, celebrating craftsmanship, innovation and the depth of the industry.

WhiskyHeroes – “The Untamed Grace” earns Gold & Category Winner

One of the standout highlights for us was the success of our WhiskyHeroes release.

The Untamed Grace — 10-year-old Ardmore (Ardlair), matured in a 1st-fill PX Sherry Hogshead has became  Gold & Category Winner in the Single Cask Single Malt, 12 Years & Under, Scotch Highlands category.

We’re delighted that this bold, expressive dram from our heroes-led collection was recognised for its distinctive character and quality.

Cask Masters – Recognition Across Malt and Grain Expressions

Our Cask Masters series also performed well, collecting honours across multiple categories:

North British 13 Years Old — Gold + Category Winner, Single Cask Single Grain, 13-20 Years, Scotland category.

Glenglassaugh 11 Years Old — Bronze, Single Cask Single Malt, 12 Years & Under, Scotch Highlands category.

Caol Ila 13 Years Old, Château Chizay Cask Finish — Silver, Single Cask Single Malt, 13-20 Years, Scotch Islay category.

These results reflect not only the quality of the casks we’ve selected, but the breadth of styles we strive to bring to the Cask Masters portfolio — from coastal Islay finishes to rich grain maturation.

A Moment That Means a Lot

While awards don’t define our work, they do offer a welcome chance to pause and appreciate the people and partnerships behind every bottle — from the distilleries we collaborate with to the community who support our releases.

For us, the recognition as Independent Bottler of the Year and Sales Team of the Year feels particularly meaningful. Brave New Spirits has never been a traditional indie bottler. We’re known for taking a more creative path — from bold label designs to character-led storytelling and a more playful approach to presenting whisky.

Because of that, these awards feel especially encouraging. They acknowledge the quality of the liquid, but also the spirit of innovation that drives our team.

Looking Ahead

As the organisers noted in their official announcement, this year’s awards highlighted Scotland’s whisky makers “from long-established distilleries to new and inventive independent bottlers.” It’s inspiring to be recognised among them.

We look forward to building on this momentum — exploring new casks, developing new ideas and continuing to share distinctive, character-driven whisky with our community around the world.

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