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Some of the most talked-about whiskies come from places you might not expect. The Melbourne International Spirits Competition 2026 awarded Gold with 95 points to five whisky bottles from Argentina, Scotland and Australia. If you are hunting for bottles that impressed the judges, start with these 5 best whiskies of 2026: Brook Brothers Single Malt Lenga Whisky, Loch Lomond Original Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Levenside 10-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Domador de Sombras Single Malt Whisky and Hunter's End Australian Whisky.
Brook Brothers is building a reputation for whisky in Argentina's Mendoza region. Founded by Australian entrepreneur Matthew Brook, the distillery experiments with lenga wood sourced from Tierra del Fuego. The tasting notes include vanilla, fresh fruit, toasted cereal, caramel, oak and spice. The producer has not specified whether the whisky is fully matured in lenga casks or finished in the wood.
Brook Brothers Single Malt Lenga Whisky Award: Gold with 95 points.
Loch Lomond Original is a Scottish single malt whisky made using both straight-neck and traditional swan-neck stills. The spirits are combined before maturation in first-fill, refill and re-charred American oak casks. Bottled at 40% ABV with no age statement, it offers peach, pear, citrus, vanilla and honey, balanced by biscuit, oak spice and a gentle smoky note.
Loch Lomond Original Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award: Gold with 95 points.
Sold under the Coles Liquor label, Levenside 10 is a Highland single malt mat whisky ured for ten years in ex-bourbon casks. It is lightly peated, with candied ginger, sweet peach, citrus, honey, orange blossom, Highland toffee and sugared almonds. The whisky has also been recognised at other spirits competitions.
Levenside 10-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky Award: Gold with 95 points.
Luciano Palumbo produces Domador de Sombras in Guaymallen, Mendoza. Palumbo is an agronomist and the founder of the Argentina Spirits Awards, and he has worked with locally produced spirits with an emphasis on regional identity. Tasting notes include red fruit, plum, jam and oak. The whisky's age and alcohol strength have not been disclosed, and it is mostly available in Argentina.
Domador de Sombras Single Malt Whisky Award: Gold with 95 points.
Hunter's End is an Australian grain whisky sold through Coles Liquor and bottled at 38% ABV. Its tasting notes include green apple, pear, honey, vanilla, lemon and pepper. The distillery has not been publicly identified, so little is known about its production. Hunter's End was also named Australian Whiskey of the Year.
Hunter's End Australian Whisky Award: Gold with 95 points.
Next time someone insists Scotland has the last word on whisky, hand them a glass from this list. Between Argentina's Brook Brothers and Australia's Hunter's End, these five gold medal winning whiskies suggest the map is wider than most of us think.
