Korean whisky conquers Britain's toughest judges

GoldenBlue's award-winning whisky lineup / Courtesy of GoldenBlue

A Korean whisky producer has swept one of the world's most respected spirits competitions, with every product it entered winning a medal in the United Kingdom, underscoring the growing international appeal of Korean-made whisky.

GoldenBlue said Monday that all four whiskies it submitted to the 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) received awards, earning three silver medals and one bronze medal.

The company entered GoldenBlue The Sapphire, GoldenBlue The Diamond, GoldenBlue Quartz and Phantom The Original Reserve.

GoldenBlue The Diamond received 94 points to win a silver medal, while GoldenBlue The Sapphire earned 92 points for another silver medal.

The company said the two flagship products have now received IWSC awards for 12 consecutive years since GoldenBlue first entered the competition in 2015.

GoldenBlue Quartz, developed for younger consumers and Korea's growing home drinking market, also received a silver medal with 90 points.

Phantom The Original Reserve, a whisky with 35 percent alcohol by volume, received a bronze medal, completing a clean sweep for the company's entries.

GoldenBlue said the results highlight the strength of its blending technology after its products passed the IWSC's evaluation by an international panel of spirits experts.

The company said the recognition also demonstrates the competitiveness of both its premium lineup and newer products aimed at expanding its consumer base.

Established in the United Kingdom in 1969, the IWSC is regarded as one of the world's premier wine and spirits competitions, with judging based on a 100-point scoring system by industry specialists.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.