Bardstown Bourbon Company Receives International Award for American Whiskey
Bardstown Bourbon Company earned the American Whiskey Trophy at the 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition for its Lochs of Jura release. The product achieved 99 points, highlighting its unique blend.
Kentucky/USA – Bardstown Bourbon Company has received a significant award in the whiskey world for a new release that bridges American whiskey and Scotch styles. The Bardstown-based company's Lochs of Jura Barrel Finish won the American Whiskey Trophy at the 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).
Earning 99 points, the limited-release Lochs of Jura achieved the highest score in this year's IWSC North American judging. Judges described the whiskey as "exceptionally well-balanced and full of character," noting notes of cinnamon and spiced vanilla on the nose, along with orange peel and caramel.
The product is a 104-proof (52% ABV) blend of straight bourbon and rye whiskeys aged between 10 and 12 years. It comprises 49 percent 11-year-old Indiana bourbon, 30 percent 10-year-old Indiana rye, and 21 percent 12-year-old Kentucky bourbon.
Bardstown further aged the blend for 32 months in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks that previously held single malt Scotch from Scotland’s Isle of Jura. According to Dan Callaway, master blender at Lofted Spirits (Bardstown's parent company), the barrels' origin imparts a unique flavor fingerprint to the whiskey.
The award-winning whiskey signifies the company's focus on creating innovative products that respect tradition while exploring novel flavor profiles.