The 2026 ASCOT Awards crowned Aberlour A'bunadh Best Single Malt Scotch and overall Best In Class Scotch. The American Spirits Council of Tasters, founded in 2021 by Fred Minnick, honored a diverse lineup: Glenmorangie The Altus 25, Chivas Regal 18, Scapa 16 and Ardbeg 10, showcasing Scotch’s refusal to fit a single style.
The 2026 ASCOT Awards have picked their Best In Class Scotch Whisky, and the winner is Aberlour A'bunadh. Among other whisky bottles to be honored are Glenmorangie The Altus 25, Chivas Regal 18, Scapa 16 and Ardbeg 10. These featured whiskies are standout single malts and blends from Scotland's top distilleries and emerged as double platinum winners.
The ASCOTs started in 2021, founded by whiskey writer and judge Fred Minnick. The name stands for American Spirits Council of Tasters, and the competition began with a panel of 27 expert tasters. It's grown to cover spirits from around the world, not just American ones.
The judging works like a playoff. Whisky bottles first earn Double Platinum, Platinum or Gold medals. The Double Platinum winners then compete against each other until one Best In Class is picked per category. All the Best In Class winners then go head-to-head for the overall Best In Show title.
Aberlour A'bunadh once again proved why it has such a loyal following. It has emerged as the Best Single Malt Scotch (Taste-Off Winner). Bottled at cask strength and matured exclusively in Oloroso sherry casks, it delivers a rich, full-bodied profile packed with dried fruits, dark chocolate, spices and toasted oak. That bold, traditional character earned it the title of Best Single Malt Scotch at the 2026 ASCOT Awards.
Aged 25 years, The Altus shows off the elegance Glenmorangie is known for. It emerged as the Double Platinum Taste-Off finalist. Layers of orchard fruit, vanilla, honey and gentle spice make the Glenmorangie The Altus 25 Year Old a well-balanced dram, which earned it both a Double Platinum medal and a spot in the final taste-off.
Single malts usually get the spotlight, but Chivas Regal 18 Year Old made the case for blend whiskies. With notes of dark chocolate, dried fruit, butterscotch and soft smoke, Chivas Regal 18 Year Old took home Best Blended Scotch Whisky award this year.
Made on Orkney, Scapa 16 impressed judges with a refined mix of orchard fruit, creamy vanilla and a light maritime edge. It won the Double Platinum award and this reflects growing interest in quieter, more elegant island malts.
Ardbeg 10 Year Old remains one of the most distinctive whisky bottles out there, and that's exactly why it's an icon. Peat smoke, citrus and a coastal saltiness define the Islay style, and it picked up another major medal, Double Platinum, at this year's ASCOT Awards.
What's striking about this year's list isn't just the winners themselves. What stands out is how little they have in common. Aberlour A'bunadh whisky takes the overall Scotch title into the Best In Show round now, but really, this year's real story is the range on display.