Canadian whisky rarely gets the attention given to Scotch or bourbon, but the best Canadian whisky brands in the world in 2026 have made a strong case for themselves at the World Whisky Masters. Canadian whiskies produced 6 Golds and 5 Silvers, with the winners ranging from familiar names such as Gibson's Finest, Seagram's and WhistlePig. For anyone looking beyond the usual whisky capitals, these bottles are an excellent place to start. Here are the 5 best whisky brands 2026 from Canada that won gold at The World Whisky Masters including Gibson's Finest, Seagram's, and WhistlePig.
From classic Canadian whisky blends to bold rye whiskies, these are the five Gold-winning bottles that stood out at this year’s World Whisky Masters.
Gibson's Finest Bold Whisky
Gibson's Finest Rare Whisky
Seagram's VO Black Whisky
WhistlePig PiggyBack 100% Rye Whiskey
WhistlePig Small Batch Rye 10 Year Whiskey
Gibson’s Finest Bold whisky is the sort of spirit that makes a strong first impression without demanding too much ceremony. An eight-year-old blend of corn, rye and malted barley whiskies, it brings together vanilla, maple sweetness, fruit, oak and rye spice.
Produced at Hiram Walker’s distillery in Windsor, Ontario, the whisky was designed with mixing in mind, but the Gold medal suggests it has enough character to hold its own neat, too. The judges highlighted stewed apple, caramel, burnt sugar and cocoa.
Award: Gold
ABV: 46%
Gibson's Finest Bold Price: Around CA$35 / £19 / US$23
If Bold is the lively younger sibling, Gibson's Finest Rare whisky takes a slower, softer approach. At 12 years old, it brings more time in oak to the glass, with flavours of fruit, caramel, butterscotch, citrus and gentle spice.
Award: Gold
ABV: 40%
Gibson's Finest Rare Price: Around CA$36 / £19 / US$24
Seagram's VO Black whisky is proof that a spirit does not need an elaborate backstory or luxury price tag to impress a judging panel. Bottled at 45% ABV and without an age statement, it is a higher-proof version of the classic Canadian blend.
Seagram's VO Black whisky's profile leans towards citrus, caramel, baking spice and white pepper. The judges found it particularly crowd-friendly, making it an easy option for drinkers who prefer approachable whisky with a little extra weight.
Award: Gold
ABV: 45%
Seagram’s VO Black Price: Around CA$38 / £21 / US$26
WhistlePig PiggyBack 100% Rye whiskey is where the Canadian story gets more interesting. Although WhistlePig is based in Vermont, the whisky itself is made from Canadian rye and further matured before being bottled in the US.
The six-year-old whisky is made entirely from rye and aged in new charred oak. At 48.28% ABV, it is considerably more powerful than the standard Canadian blend, with cinnamon, black pepper, citrus, cocoa, cardamom and vanilla shaping the profile.
Award: Gold
ABV: 48.28%
WhistlePig PiggyBack 100% Rye Price: Around CA$56 / £43 / US$38
The WhistlePig Small Batch Rye 10 Year Old whiskey has an interesting place in the brand’s history: it was the whisky that helped establish WhistlePig.
This WhistlePig Small Batch Rye whiskey is bottled at 50% ABV, with orange peel, anise, mint, caramel, oak and rye spice giving it considerably more depth than a straightforward blend. Its Canadian roots remain an important part of WhistlePig's early identity, even as the company has developed its own distilling operation in Vermont.
Award: Gold
ABV: 50%
WhistlePig Small Batch Rye 10 Year Old Price: Around CA$133 / £72 / US$90
Note: Whisky prices are approximate and can vary by market, retailer and availability. The World Whisky Masters is part of The Spirits Business’ Global Spirits Masters Competitions, which uses independent expert judges and blind tasting to assess entries.