This Kentucky Whiskey Outshines Jim Beam And Sazerac In 2026 International Taste Test

Nothing against Jim Beam, Sazerac, or other big names, but as many whiskey aficionados know, some of the best stuff often comes from smaller brands. At least, that's backed up by this year's International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC); per the results announced on October 5, 2026, it was Old Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond 4-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon from Willett Distillery that nabbed top honors as 2026's Best Bourbon, which will ensure it get a trophy at the official awards ceremony on November 24. Willett's been around since 1936, but if you're unfamiliar, that's because this particular bourbon is only sold in Kentucky. Despite having built up a following among whiskey enthusiasts, it's not among the award-winning bourbon brands every whiskey fan knows (yet), but that could be expected to change with this new win.

As for why it won, that's due to impressing the competition's panel of bourbon judges. According to their notes, a sip of Old Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond (the full name is important by the way, thanks to many similar-sounding bourbons from Bardstown, Kentucky, like the IWSC's 2026 Best American Whiskey winner, Bardstown Bourbon Company Lochs of Jura Barrel 10 YO American Whiskey) is bright and well-balanced, with plenty of character that lingers beautifully. Following double-blind testing rules, the panel gave it a stunning 98 points, which is a near-perfect score. The closest Sazerac whiskey, Straight Rye, and Jim Beam's Lineage 15 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, both got 95. Again though, if you want a taste — which you should always sip and savor instead of gulping– you'll just have to head to Kentucky to grab one for yourself. 

Old Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond 4 YO is on the younger side being aged four years, whereas the highest tier bourbons are often considered to be those aged for a decade or more. The mash bill is also rather interesting. Legally, all bourbons must be at least 51% corn, and most lean heavily into that. Willett's Old Bardstown does too at 72% corn, but it also contains more barley than bigger-name bourbons. It's 15% barley, whereas nearly all of the most popular bourbon whiskies contain 12% barley or lower. This gives Willett's prize-winning bourbon a flavorful edge with subtle-yet-present nutty depth.

The bourbon also carries the unique designation of being bottled-in-bond. This is a special title that is only achieved by coming from a single distillery in a single distilling season. All bottled-in-bond bourbons must also be aged at least four years in such a bonded warehouse and reach 100 proof exactly. And here's the real kicker: it's a budget bottle, especially when compared to other award-winning brands. The 2025 IWSC winner, Frank August Small Batch, was considered an outlier itself for being cheaper than most other top tier bourbons, and it retailed for around $70 at the time. A standard 750ml bottle of Old Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond Four Year Old will meanwhile run you less than $20 at Total Wine & More and sill under $30 at other liquor stores. Again though, that'll still just be in Kentucky as of 2026.