IWC Sake Competition 2026

Hiroshima, Japan

About the IWC Sake Competition

The International Wine Challenge (IWC) Sake Competition the world's most respected and rigorously judged platforms for sake.

Judged blind by an international panel of leading sake specialists, sommeliers, brewers and buyers, the competition provides producers with authoritative, independent assessment and meaningful global recognition.

Entries are assessed within clearly defined categories and styles, ensuring each sake is judged alongside comparable examples. Medals and trophies awarded by the IWC are recognised worldwide as trusted benchmarks of quality.

See our entry kit

Judging Panel

The IWC Sake Competition is judged by an international panel of highly respected sake experts.

👉 View the full Sake judging panel

Why Enter?

Sake producers enter the IWC to:

Benchmark their sake on an international stage against peers from across Japan and the world
Gain global visibility, with medal results reaching international press, importers and consumers
Increase brand value and credibility across domestic and export markets
Boost sales by using the internationally recognised IWC medal logos
Benefit from millions of pounds' worth of free publicity through the IWC's media reach and trade network

If you are awarded a medal, the news about your sake will reach far and wide, see our recent coverage:

News in 2026

New judging location: Hiroshima

The IWC Sake Competition 2026 will take place in Hiroshima, which is the Birth place of Ginjo and one of the historic sake-producing regions.

Reduced shipping costs

Judging in Japan allows producers to ship samples domestically, avoiding international shipping costs, customs procedures and delays.

Bottle requirement

Each sake entry requires 4 full bottles, reflecting the two-round judging process used by the IWC Sake Competition.

No international shipping required for Japan-based producers

Producers based in Japan can ship samples domestically only.

New category introduced for 2026

Flavoured Sake / Fruit-Infused Sake (FIS) - see below.

IWC Sake Awards 2025, Award Evening

New Category: Flavoured Sake / Fruit-Infused Sake (FIS)

This category is open to products that meet the following criteria:

All products entered must be entire sake (Seishu)-based! The base alcohol must consist entirely of Japanese sake (seishu).
Fruit character must be derived from:
- The addition of fruit juice, or
- Steeping or infusing fruit (or any other ingredients) in sake.
Ingredients such as matcha or black tea are also permitted.

Fruit profile selection (mandatory)

When entering, producers must select one of the following fruit profiles:

Plum (Umeshu)
Yuzu
Orange
Lemon
Mixed Citrus
Tangerine / Mandarin
Melon
Peach
Strawberry
Ginger
Cherry
Lychee
Pineapple
Other (fruit or ingredient must be specified)

Submitting a Flavoured / Fruit-Infused Sake

Select the category: base sake
Select "Production Style" as Flavoured sake/Infused Sake (FIS)
Select the fruit (for example, if it is yuzu, choose "Yuzu"). If the fruit is not listed, select "Other" and specify it in the provided field.
Declare:

Volume for base sake used in percentage:
Volume of fruit juice used in percentage:
Indicate the proportion of fruit, fruit juice, or other ingredients (matcha, black tea, etc. are permitted) in the "Fruit level" field, expressed as a percentage (%).
If its infusion is used, enter:
- 99% sake base
- 1% fruit (or tea etc..) infusion

For example, if fruit juice or other ingredients are added and the base Japanese sake accounts for 60% of the total volume while fruit juice and other ingredients make up 40%, this can be stated as Sake level: 60% and Fruit level: 40%.

※Products in which the base consists entirely of Japanese sake are eligible. Products that contain any alcohol other than sake—such as spirits or shochu—are not eligible for entry.

Sake Categories

Sake is judged across a comprehensive range of categories and sub-categories. Each entry is assessed blind alongside others of the same style.

Online entry closing dates

Japan: 17 April 2026
Outside Japan: 15 April 2026

Sample delivery deadlines

Japan: 9 May 2026

One-day receiving window only (morning delivery)
Yamato delivery highly recommended

Outside Japan: 27–30 April 2026

Incoterms: DDP only

Judging dates

Sake judging (medals): 18–20 May 2026
Trophy judging: 21 May 2026

Announcements

Medal announcement: 22 May 2026
Trophy announcement: 22 May 2026

Awards Dinner

8 September 2026

How to Enter Your Sake

The entry process follows the same steps as wine entries, with terminology adapted for sake.

Primary contact: Yuko Kato - yuko@iwcevents.com
Prepare 4 full bottles per entry
Submit entries online via the IWC entry system

After submitting your entry, you will receive:

An IWC barcode label
An English back label (to attach to bottles)
Detailed shipping guidelines

Shipping & Samples

Sample requirements

Standard entry: 4 full bottles per entry
Discovery Tasting (optional): 2 additional full bottles per sake

Shipping Addresses

From Japan

Delivery date: 9 May 2026 (morning only)

Higashihiroshima Arts and Culture Hall Kurara
Room 303
7-19 Saijo Sakaemachi
Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima 739-0015
Japan
IWC 2026 – Sake Tasting
FAO: Irie
Tel: +81 90 4222 1759

From Outside Japan

Delivery window: 27–30 April 2026
Incoterms: DDP only

6-28-6-202 NTPR
Shimouma, Setagaya-ku
Tokyo 154-0002
Japan
Shimouma Scapes Kizuki
SPAZIO IDEA
Tel: +81 90 4222 1759

Discovery Tasting

The Discovery Tasting offers additional opportunities for visibility and engagement with sommeliers and buyers. See more here.

Rules of Entry

General rules apply as per IWC wine entries
Entry fees, payment and deadlines as listed above
Criteria for entry: refer to the IWC Sake Entry Kit
Sample requirements and Discovery Tasting as outlined above

International Wine Challenge 2026

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