The World Whiskies Awards, one of the world’s most respected whisky competitions, have recognized the “excellence” of Belgian whiskies.

Judges awarded no less than six medals to products from two Belgian distilleries: Distillerie de Waterloo and Den Os Spirits.

The awards are said to confirm the growing prominence of Belgian whisky on the international stage, highlighting both historical expertise and creative approaches to spirit production.

They also honour the entrepreneurial project of Edward Martin, a fourth-generation brewer with a passion for brewing and distilling.

At Ferme de Mont-Saint-Jean, on the historic Waterloo battlefield, Martin officially launched whisky production in 2017 after honing his distillation expertise at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.

The distillery, on the Waterloo-Braine l’Alleud border, is based on a traditional, artisanal approach, drawing inspiration from Waterloo beers brewed on-site to create high-quality distillates, which are then aged in oak casks using time-honoured methods.

The last few years have been marked by an extension of Belgian brewing expertise into the realm of fruity and rare whiskies.

Den Os’s Single Cask whiskies are crafted with a strong influence from traditional brewing methods, emphasizing select grains and open fermentation, which imparts distinctive aromatic profiles to their spirits.

This approach and the quality of their products made a splash at the World Whisky Awards, where the brewer’s Single Cask expressions were awarded two medals.

The awards received by Waterloo and Den Os, based in Bruges, are said to testify to the creativity, high quality standards, and authenticity of Belgian whiskies. 

“They also reinforce the appeal of Belgian craft spirits in a global context where innovation and local identity are increasingly valued,” said a source.

Category Winner :  Waterloo Rum Cask & Waterloo Single Grain “The Brancardier”

Silver : Waterloo The Nurse Single Grain, Waterloo The Brewer Single Malt & Den Os Single Cask Single Grain