Single malt Scotch whiskies had a particularly strong showing at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) 2026, where some special whisky bottles walked away with the Gold Outstanding medals. The winners were not confined to one familiar style, either. There were mature Highland malts, Speyside favourites, an unusually finished Deanston and even a 35-year-old Bunnahabhain from an independent bottler. Here are the 5 best single malt Scotch whiskies 2026 including Glengoyne 17 YO Scottish Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Deanston Orange Wine Cask 17 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky, to 35 YO Manta Ray Genesis Bunnahabhain Distillery Single Malt Scotch Whisky, and The GlenAllachie 18 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky to Mythical Beasts Aberlour 13 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Glengoyne 17 YO Scottish Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky was among the big winners at this year's IWSC. The judges found creme caramel and sweet plum on the nose, followed by milk chocolate and orange marmalade on the palate as being quite appealing. A drier, lingering finish keeps all that sweetness in check, making this an interesting bottle for anyone who likes their Scotch rich without becoming overly heavy.
Glengoyne 17 YO Scottish Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award: Gold Outstanding 2026.
Orange wine and Scotch whisky don't cross paths every day, which immediately makes the Deanston Orange Wine Cask 17 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky one of the more unusual bottles in the 2026 results. The judges picked up coffee and fruitcake aromas, with candied green fruit, raisins and figs appearing on the palate before a dry, woody and gently spiced finish.
Deanston Orange Wine Cask 17 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award: Gold Outstanding 2026.
At 35 years old, Manta Ray Genesis brings serious age to this list. The Manta Ray Genesis Bunnahabhain 35 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky comes from Bunnahabhain Distillery stock and was bottled by East Asia Whisky Company. Its IWSC tasting profile moves from lemon biscuit and chamomile into floral notes, creamy pastry and tropical fruit, giving this old Islay malt a rather different personality from the heavily peated whiskies often associated with the island.
Manta Ray Genesis Bunnahabhain 35 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award: Gold Outstanding 2026
The GlenAllachie 18 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky keeps things firmly in rich Speyside territory. Caramel, toffee, dark cherry and almond lead into apple pie and creamy toffee, while marzipan, cinnamon and butterscotch carry through the finish. The combination was enough to earn it one of the IWSC's highest distinctions for Scotch whisky in 2026.
GlenAllachie 18 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award: Gold Outstanding 2026.
Independent bottler Spiritfilled's Mythical Beasts Aberlour 13 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the youngest here, but certainly not the quietest. Bottled at 58% ABV, it brings together tobacco leaf, cocoa nibs and coffee before moving into sweeter territory with cinder toffee, stroopwafel, vanilla and spice.
Mythical Beasts Aberlour 13 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award: Gold Outstanding 2026.
The IWSC 2026 results show just how broad single malt Scotch whiskies have become. A 13-year-old independently bottled Aberlour whisky can sit alongside a 35-year-old Bunnahabhain, while unconventional cask choices such as Deanston's Orange Wine Cask can earn the same top-level recognition as more traditional expressions. If anything, the winners in 2026 prove that there is no one recipe for award-winning single malt Scotch whiskies beyond getting the whisky itself right.