Eight times at the top - KWV named Brandy Producer of the Year at 2026 International Spirits Challenge

Trophies for KWV 20 and KWV XO cap an exceptional international awards year for the Paarl brandy producer.

KWV has done it again, claiming Brandy Producer of the Year at the 2026 International Spirits Challenge (ISC) in London for an eighth time. The latest win adds further weight to KWV’s standing as the World’s Most Awarded Brandy, with KWV 20 and KWV XO also taking category Trophies. Announced at the ISC Awards Ceremony at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, the result provides a significant international endorsement of South African brandy and rounds off a year in which KWV has repeatedly led the category across some of the world’s most respected blind-tasting competitions.

The Producer of the Year title follows KWV’s record medal performance in the first stage of this year’s ISC, when six of its brandies received Double Gold and three Gold. KWV 20 and KWV XO subsequently progressed to the competition’s highest category honour, each securing a Trophy.

KWV 20 took the Trophy for Potstill Grape Brandy 11 Years Old and Over - competing alongside Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, and Pisco - while KWV XO claimed the Trophy for Potstill Grape Brandy between 6 and 10 Years Old. Double Gold medals went to KWV 3, KWV 5, KWV 12 and KWV VSOP, with KWV 10, KWV 15 and KWV VS earning Gold.

At the ISC, a Trophy represents the highest award within a spirits category. Thousands of spirits from more than 70 countries enter the competition, with fewer than two per cent progressing to Trophy level. Judging is conducted blind by more than 70 independent industry experts, including master distillers, buyers, consultants and drinks writers.

For KWV Master Distiller Pieter de Bod, it is the breadth of the result that carries particular weight.

“Producer of the Year is an extraordinary honour because it speaks not to one great brandy, but to the standard of the portfolio as a whole. From our younger expressions through to brandies matured for two decades, the judges have recognised the same commitment to balance, character and quality.

“To receive this title for an eighth time is something our entire team and country can be immensely proud of. South African brandy has a distinctive quality story to tell internationally, and to see KWV consistently standing alongside the world’s finest spirits is a powerful affirmation of the work taking place in our cellar.”

The latest win crowns a remarkable 2026 for KWV Brandy. At the International Wine & Spirit Competition South Africa judging, KWV led the brandy results with five Gold medals, with KWV XO scoring 98 points, the highest score awarded to a brandy, and the only Gold Outstanding across the spirits judging. KWV XXO followed with 97 points.

KWV XO then continued its run at the Investec Trophy Spirits Show, where it was named both Best Brandy of Show and Best Potstill Brandy. KWV 10, KWV VS and KWV VSOP also received Gold medals.

For KWV XO in particular, the sequence is exceptional: 98 points at IWSC, Best Brandy of Show at Investec and now an ISC Trophy - that is three independent judging panels arriving at the same conclusion.

About KWV Brandy
KWV Brandy is produced in Paarl, South Africa, under the direction of Master Distiller Pieter de Bod and a specialist distilling and maturation team. Its portfolio spans a range of styles and age statements, from younger expressions to long-matured potstill brandies. KWV has built an exceptional international track record, including eight Brandy Producer of the Year titles at the International Spirits Challenge, most recently in 2026, when KWV 20 and KWV XO also received category Trophies.

About the International Spirits Challenge
The International Spirits Challenge (ISC) is one of the global spirits industry’s leading blind-tasting competitions. Established more than 30 years ago, it assesses entries by category, age, region and style under controlled conditions, with judging conducted by a panel of more than 70 independent industry experts, including master distillers, buyers, consultants and drinks writers. Fewer than 2% of entries progress to Trophy level, the highest honour awarded within an individual tasting category.