Kiwon, a domestic single malt whiskey brand, has won the top award at a prestigious international spirits competition in the United States for the second consecutive year.
Kiwon Whiskey Distillery announced on November 10 that it received the 'Best of Class' award in the 'Other Single Malt Whiskey' category at the '2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC)' awards ceremony held on November 8 in San Francisco.
Founded in 2000, the SFWSC evaluates products through a blind tasting method that does not disclose brand or producer information. The Best of Class award is given to the top products that advance from the double gold category after further judging.
Kiwon previously won the same top award last year with its 'Kiwon Signature,' marking its success in securing the honor for two years in a row.
This year, Kiwon not only received individual product awards but also made headlines for having three out of six finalists in the Other Single Malt Whiskey category. Competing products included 'Kiwon Hae,' a duty-free exclusive, 'Kiwon Byeol,' and the high-proof 'Kiwon Tiger Cask Strength,' which faced off against Taiwan's Kavalan 'Solist.'
All eight products submitted by Kiwon this year received medals, including five double golds, two golds, and one silver.
The 'Kiwon Hae' that reached the finals is a single malt whiskey aged in sherry and wine casks. Judges noted its cherry aroma complemented by toffee, cocoa, and roasted almond flavors, with a lingering hint of apricot. This product is available at duty-free shops in Incheon, Gimpo, Jeju, and Gimhae airports, as well as online and in-flight duty-free stores.
Building on its international competition success, Kiwon is also expanding its reach into overseas markets. The distillery began operations in June 2020 in Namyangju, making it Korea's first single malt whiskey distillery. It is characterized by utilizing the distinct four seasons and significant temperature variations in Namyangju for whiskey aging.
Founded by Korean-American CEO Do Jeong-han, Kiwon collaborates with Scottish master distiller Andrew Sand and local distillers to develop its products. Currently, Kiwon has expanded to 14 countries, including the UK, US, and Japan, and has won over 80 awards at international spirits competitions.
Do expressed his satisfaction, stating, "I am glad to show that last year's win was not just a stroke of luck by achieving this recognition again on the same stage. The fact that three out of the six finalists were Korean whiskeys reflects the recognition of Korean whiskey as a whole, not just one distillery."
Kiwon has also been selected as one of the six finalists for the '2026 Distillery of the Year' at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), competing against Taiwan's Kavalan, China's Laizhou, and Australia's Archers. The final results will be announced on November 24 in London.
Additionally, Kiwon was named the Best Korean Single Malt at the 'World Whiskies Awards (WWA) 2026.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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