McLaren Packaging, based in Port Glasgow and long established as a specialist supplier to the Scotch whisky industry, has congratulated the winners of the World Whiskies Awards 2026.
As sponsor of the Brand Ambassador and Design categories, McLaren is proud to support the people, creativity and innovation that continue to shape the global whisky industry.
The world whisky brand ambassador award was won by Roland Ng from Komasa Kanosuke Distillery, and the design award was won by Lark Distillery, a producer of Australian whisky and liqueurs in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The awards were announced at a ceremony held at the Waldorf, London at an event bringing together members of the global whisky community for an evening of celebration and reflection.
The World Whiskies Awards reward the patience, creativity, and dedication represented in a whisky bottle. The 2026 competition has seen World’s Best titles conferred on both well-established brands from countries with long histories with the spirit, such as Bowmore and Ballantine’s of Scotland, as well as younger distilleries from the new frontiers of production, including Australia, Belgium, and China.
Michael McLaren, Sales & Marketing Director, McLaren Packaging, said, “Congratulations to Roland and Lark for winning these coveted awards. We are delighted to continue our support for these awards to shine a light on the important role played by packaging in premium drinks branding and marketing. The creation of innovative packaging solutions and the development of innovative production processes with an emphasis on recyclability are key to our customers’ ongoing success. We continue to be impressed by the standard of entries at these awards showcasing the essential role the people and relationships they create play in the success of whisky. Both Roland and Lark’s success demonstrate that the whisky sector is well placed to exploit growth opportunities through fostering connections with the media, trade and consumers alike across the globe.”
Bradley Weir, chair of judges for the World Whiskies Awards and editor of Whisky Magazine, added, “Looking at this year’s list of winners, it’s apparent how lucky we are to have so many incredible brands working at the top of their game right now. What has been most exciting about this year is how truly global the World’s Best have been. We have winners from Australia, Japan, US, Scotland, Spain and many more, emphasising the strength of whisky production worldwide.”
