Bourbon and Distillery News for June 20, 2026 | SFWSC, IWSC & Uncle Nearest

13 Bourbon Industry News Stories and Bourbon Litigation Updates You Need to Know!

Welcome to the latest edition of Bourbon Obsessed Bourbon and Distillery News! It’s been a busy couple of weeks in the bourbon world, so we have quite a bit to talk about!

Contents:

2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition — IWSC — North Carolina ABC — Alcohol Consumption — Barrel House Distilling — Willett — Cave City Distilling — SHĀNG — Bourbon Capital Diplomat — Bourbon Theft — Cargo Theft Bill — Heneman — Uncle Nearest

Bourbon and Distillery News For June 20, 2026

But First, Here’s what’s new on BourbonObsessed.com!

Well, mostly new…😉

• Maker’s Mark Star Hill Farm Wheat Whisky 2026 Review: Maker’s Mark Star Hill Farm Wheat Whisky 2026 returns with a new blend of wheat varieties, expanding beyond the soft red winter wheat featured in the inaugural release. Does the added grain diversity improve upon the 2025 edition? Read my review to find out!
• Kentucke County 12 Year Old American Whiskey Review: Kentucke County 12 Year Old American Whiskey by 15 STARS combines mature oak with classic bourbon flavors and a surprisingly approachable price. Aged for 12 years using both second-use and new charred oak, does it strike the right balance between age and drinkability? Read my Kentucke County 12 Year Old American Whiskey Review to find out!
• Green River Honey Finished Bourbon Review: Green River Honey Finished Bourbon takes a different approach to honey-finished whiskey. Starting with four-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon and finishing it with real locally sourced honey, the result is a whiskey that balances honey, fruit and spice while still allowing the bourbon character to shine through. Read my full review for all the details!
• Bourbon Calorie Calculator: (I’ve shared this one before, but it’s been a little while,) How many calories are really in your bourbon pour? Use this simple whiskey calorie calculator to see calories, grams of alcohol, and number of standard drinks based on pour size, proof, and number of pours—so you know exactly what’s in your glass. Calculate bourbon calories now!

OK, let’s move on to the news!

Bourbon and Distillery News for June 20, 2026

2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold Bourbon Winners and Best of Class Finalists

The 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition has announced this year’s Double Gold-winning bourbons and the Best of Class finalists selected from among those top-scoring entries. The annual competition is one of the largest and most influential spirits competitions in the world, with Double Gold medals awarded only when every judge on the panel gives a spirit a gold medal rating. Nonetheless, of more than 550 bourbon entries, 88 were awarded Double Gold medals. I asked ChatGPT to tally the published results by medal category, and it returned: 88 Double Gold, 138 Gold, 201 Silver and 29 Bronze for a total of 456 bourbon medal winners. Therefore, it would not make sense to list all the award winners here. To see the complete list of Double Gold winners and Best of Class finalists, read our full article.

Editor’s Note: I find these numbers helpful in giving meaning to the awards. It is also important to remember that winners are chosen only from products that are entered, so excellent bourbons may never be able to boast of winning an award. Not to be overlooked, there is a significant cost associated with participating in competitions. For example, the early bird entry fee for the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition was $450 per entry, with higher fees for later submissions. In addition, sample bottles must be provided by the brand.

IWSC Releases 2026 North American Spirits Results

The International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) has released the results of its 2026 North American judging, which was held June 4-5 in Bardstown, Kentucky. This year’s competition awarded Gold Outstanding status to just five spirits, representing only 1.3% of all entries. Gold Outstanding is reserved for spirits scoring between 98 and 100 points and is described by the IWSC as “an outstanding spirit with a naturally exceptional balance, complexity and power.”

The five Gold Outstanding winners were Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Lochs of Jura Barrel 10 YO Bourbon Whiskey (99 points), Willett Distillery’s Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond 4 YO Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (98 points), Coors Whiskey Company’s Blended American Malt Whiskey 8 Years (98 points), Banter White Rum (98 points), and Desert Diamond Distillery Gold Miner Barrel Reserve Platinum 10 YO Rum (98 points). Of the medal-winning bourbons in the published results, 2 won Gold Outstanding, 23 won Gold, 104 won Silver and 43 won Bronze. Top-scoring products will advance to the Trophy Judging round, with winners to be announced in London in November. See the best bourbons from the 2026 IWSC here.

North Carolina ABC Commission Considers Minimum Liquor Pricing

Sazerac and the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association are opposing a proposal by the North Carolina ABC Commission that would establish minimum prices for distilled spirits sold in the state. Under the proposal, products such as vodka, gin, bourbon, and other categories would be subject to mandatory baseline pricing based on bottle size.

Sazerac argues that the commission lacks the legal authority to impose minimum prices and has threatened legal action if the policy moves forward. Following industry criticism, the commission has ordered a study examining the proposal’s potential impact on public health, sales, the state’s alcohol market, and the commission’s legal authority. Source: Business North Carolina.

Editor’s Note: There are a couple of issues at play here. Interestingly, there are also a number of proposals under consideration to loosen some of North Carolina’s liquor laws, such as legalizing happy hours, expanding canned cocktail availability, and potentially loosening other long-standing restrictions, including Sunday sales. Arguments put forward for setting a minimum price include the health concern that lower prices could increase alcohol consumption, as implied by Chairman Hank Bauer’s statement: “However, we do not wish to create an environment that encourages overconsumption with bottom-line prices.” In addition, critics of the proposal have suggested that establishing a minimum price could help maintain revenues flowing through North Carolina’s ABC system, which might otherwise decline if liquor prices were reduced. Additional source: WFAE 90.7.

Global Beverage Alcohol Volumes Decline for Third Consecutive Year

IWSR, the global beverage alcohol data and analytics firm, reports that global beverage alcohol sales volumes declined by 2% in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of overall contraction. Beer, wine, and spirits all posted declines, while RTDs remained the only major category to grow. Wine volumes fell by 5%, dropping below spirits for the first time, while global spirits volumes declined by 3%.

Despite the broader downturn, several categories posted gains, including Tequila (+2%), Irish whiskey (+2%), Indian whisky (+4%), RTDs (+3%), and no-alcohol products across multiple segments. India remained the industry’s strongest growth market and is projected to rise from the world’s eighth-largest beverage alcohol market today to fifth place by 2035. Türkiye was also identified as one of Europe’s strongest growth markets, while IWSR expects future industry growth to increasingly come from developing markets as alcohol consumption continues to decline in many mature markets, including the United States and much of Western Europe. Source: IWSR.

Barrel House Distilling Opens New Cynthiana Distillery

Barrel House Distilling Co. will celebrate the grand opening of their new Cynthiana distillery on June 27. The event will include tours of the property, tastings of several Barrel House products, food vendors, and other activities. The new facility represents a significant expansion for the Lexington-based distillery and brings whiskey production to Cynthiana. More details can be found on the brand’s Facebook page.

Willett Begins Distilling at New Springfield Facility

Willett Distillery filled the first barrel at their new Springfield facility on June 18, officially beginning production operations at the site. The date was chosen to honor the birthday of the late Martha Kulsveen and connect the new facility with the family’s bourbon legacy.

The new 70,000-square-foot facility sits on 150 acres and currently includes a second distillery operation and barrel storage warehouses. Future phases of the project will include a visitor experience, while Willett’s existing visitor center, tours, tastings, bottling operations, and other activities will continue in Bardstown. Source: Willett Distillery Facebook Page.

Cave City Distilling Company Celebrates Grand Opening

Cave City Distilling Company will celebrate the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of their new distillery and tourism destination in Cave City on July 3 at 11:00 a.m. CST. The family-owned, veteran-owned distillery was founded by Luke and Creste Jean, and Wade and Chasidy Terry, and traces its roots to Balance Distilling Company in nearby Smiths Grove.

The distillery produces Mammoth Cave-branded bourbon, rum, gin, moonshine, and specialty spirits, and will offer tours, tastings, cocktails, and other visitor experiences. The grand opening celebration will feature complimentary tours, tastings, refreshments, and a public ribbon-cutting ceremony and will continue through July 4. Source: Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

SHĀNG Baijiu Whiskey

A new whiskey category was unveiled on June 15, 2026, at the Whiskey House of Kentucky. SHĀNG is being introduced as the world’s first baijiu whiskey, combining China’s iconic jiang xiang (sauce aroma) baijiu tradition with American whiskey craftsmanship. The lineup currently consists of two expressions: SHĀNG Dàn Yǎ, a baijiu whiskey matured in charred American oak barrels for one month to just under one year and bottled at 100 proof, and SHĀNG East + West, a 92-proof blend of baijiu whiskey and American red sorghum whiskey. We attended the launch event, learned how the spirit is produced, and participated in a guided tasting of both expressions. Learn all the details in our SHĀNG Baijiu Whiskey article.

Bourbon Capital Alliance Launches Bourbon Capital Diplomat Certification Experience

The Bourbon Capital Alliance has launched the Bourbon Capital Diplomat Certification Experience, a new educational program created with hospitality industry professionals in mind. The program is designed to deepen participants’ knowledge of Bardstown’s bourbon heritage, the history of the Bourbon Capital of the World®, and the ten partner distilleries that make up the Bourbon Capital Alliance.

Hosted at the Bourbon Capital Academy classroom in the Brindiamo Penthouse in historic Spalding Hall, the experience includes a proprietary hospitality-focused curriculum developed in collaboration with the Alliance’s partner distilleries and local stakeholders, four guided bourbon tastings, a take-home Diplomat Handbook, and a 50-question certification exam. Participants who successfully complete the program will earn the title of Certified Bourbon Capital Diplomat.

While developed for hospitality industry employees, the Bourbon Capital Alliance also encourages bourbon enthusiasts to participate. The program officially launches July 6 and will include ongoing educational opportunities and biannual Bourbon Capital Diplomat Summits. Classes will be available for booking at bourboncapitalacademy.com.

Many people have already heard the following news, since the story broke just after our last newsletter was published, but I figured that I should still include it:

Nearly 11,000 Bottles of Bourbon Stolen From Philadelphia Warehouse

Noble Oak Bourbon owner A21 Wine & Spirits announced that 10,800 bottles of bourbon, valued at approximately $500,000, were stolen from a Philadelphia warehouse in what the company described as “a coordinated cargo theft operation carried out in broad daylight.” According to Rob Koch, chief operating officer of Apogee 21 Holdings (the parent company of A21 Wine & Spirits), a semitrailer driver arrived at the warehouse, presented identification, and was loaded with 18 pallets of bourbon intended for commercial distribution. The shipment never reached its destination. Koch said he does not believe it was an inside job and instead pointed to cybercrime, explaining that criminals sometimes pose as legitimate shipping companies to fraudulently pick up loads. The Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI are investigating. Source: New York Times

And, in related news:

Industry Groups Urge Senate Action on Cargo Theft Bill

The recent theft of 10,800 bottles of Noble Oak Bourbon is one example of a growing cargo theft problem affecting the beverage industry. The National Beer Wholesalers Association warns that beverage and food products, including alcohol, were cargo thieves’ top targets in 2025, seeing “a nearly 50% spike” from 2024 and accounting for “over 20% of all supply chain theft.” On June 2, the Retail Industry Leaders Association said it had delivered a coalition letter signed by 191 businesses and associations urging the U.S. Senate to advance the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, which would establish an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center. The House has passed the legislation, but the Senate companion bill remains pending. Sources: National Beer Wholesalers Association, Retail Industry Leaders Association

We’ll wrap up this week’s Bourbon and Distillery News with a couple of legal items:

Former Executive’s Lawsuit Against Bardstown Bourbon Company Whistleblower Dismissed

Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Julie Kaelin has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by former Bardstown Bourbon Company Chief Commercial Officer Herb Heneman against former Human Resources Vice President Sylvia Sanders. The court also awarded Sanders her court costs.

Heneman’s lawsuit stemmed from allegations included in Sanders’ gender discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against Bardstown Bourbon Company, Lofted Spirits, and related defendants. In dismissing the case, Kaelin found that the challenged allegations were critical to Sanders’ underlying claims and noted that Nelson Circuit Court had previously declined to strike those allegations from the original complaint. The underlying discrimination lawsuit remains ongoing, and Sanders is currently appealing a separate order related to a counterclaim filed by Bardstown Bourbon Company. Source: Janet Patton, Lexington Herald-Leader.

Judge Approves Sale of Uncle Nearest Martha’s Vineyard Property

U.S. District Judge Charles E. Atchley Jr. has approved the sale of a Martha’s Vineyard property tied to Uncle Nearest for $2.595 million. The property, located in Edgartown, Massachusetts, is part of the receivership estate in the federal case filed by Farm Credit Mid-America PCA against Uncle Nearest Inc., Nearest Green Distillery Inc., Uncle Nearest Real Estate Holdings LLC, and other defendants.

Keith and Fawn Weaver opposed the sale, arguing that the property served as a valuable brand-building asset that helped Uncle Nearest market its products, maintain key relationships, and strengthen its presence in the historically significant Martha’s Vineyard community. The court acknowledged those benefits but concluded that they did not outweigh the ongoing costs of maintaining the property.

Although the sale was approved, Atchley ruled that no proceeds may be distributed to Farm Credit while the underlying litigation remains pending. Any proceeds remaining after satisfaction of the property’s first lien must be held and used for the benefit of the receivership estate. Source: Moore County Observer.

Well, that’s it! I hope you have enjoyed reading this week’s Bourbon and Distillery News! If you would like our newsletters delivered directly to your inbox, please sign up here. Our next New Bourbon Releases News will be published on Saturday June 27. In addition, the podcast and YouTube versions of this newsletter will go live on Monday June 22. If you enjoy our content, I would greatly appreciate if you would follow us on Instagram and Facebook. I hope you have a great weekend! See you next time! Cheers!🥃

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