KO Distilling Earns Best in Show, Best in Class at Virginia’s 2026 First Landing Cup

KO Distilling Bare Knuckle Cask Strength Rye Whiskey takes home the 2026 First Landing Cup, earning the highest score among all entries in all categories.

KO Distilling announced today that it has earned Best in Class for its Bare Knuckle Cask Strength Rye Whiskey and Battle Standard 142 Gin, with both brands earning Gold Medals during the 2026 First Landing Cup. Bare Knuckle Cask Strength Rye Whiskey also earned a higher score than any other entered spirit, and as a result was presented with the 2026 First Landing Cup, making it the best of the best.

KO Distiller’s Reserve Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Bare Knuckle Cask Strength Straight Wheat Whiskey both earned Gold Medals and were named best in their categories. No other Virginia distillery earned four Gold Medals.

Organized by the Virginia Distillers Association and the Virginia Spirits Board, the First Landing Cup celebrates Virginia-made spirits that exemplify excellence in craftsmanship, innovation, and quality. Named after the historic 1607 landing at Cape Henry — the birthplace of American distilling — the 2026 competition drew more than 100 entries across multiple categories, all judged blind by a panel of nationally recognized spirits experts.

“Since we opened our doors 11 years ago, we have focused on producing quality artisan spirits that express the terroir of Virginia and showcase the skills of our team,” said Bill Karlson, Co-Founder of KO Distilling. “We are honored by these accolades and look forward to raising a glass of the best that Virginia has to offer with our team and our customers.”

2026 First Landing Results

Bare Knuckle Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey

• Best in Show, Winner 2026 First Landing Cup
• Best in Class (Whiskey)
• Best in Category (Rye Whiskey)
• Gold Medal

120-125 Proof / $49.99 (750mL)

Battle Standard 142 Gin (Navy Strength)

• Best in Class Category (Contemporary Gin)
• Racoon’s Pick – highest quality for the value
• Gold Medal

114 Proof / $34.99 (750mL)

KO Distiller’s Reserve Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey

• Best in Category (Bourbon)
• Gold Medal

100 Proof / $69.99 (750mL)

Bare Knuckle Cask Strength Straight Wheat Whiskey

• Best in Category (Wheat Whiskey)
• Gold Medal

120-125 Proof / $49.99 (750mL)

All Gold Medal award-winning products will be highlighted as part of the First Landing Cup Virginia-made spirits promotion taking place at select Virginia ABC stores starting in June.

About Virginia Distillers Association

The Virginia Distillers Association was founded to serve as a unifying voice for the Virginia spirits industry. Its mission is to advance the legislative interests of Virginia distillers and to educate its members on regulatory compliance in collaboration with the Virginia ABC. The Association strives to foster a thriving community of Virginia spirits producers dedicated to crafting world-class products for consumers across the Commonwealth and around the world.

About Virginia Spirits Board

The Virginia legislature established the Virginia Spirits Board in 2020. The purpose of the Spirits Board is to allocate funds to projects that expand spirits distilling research, education, and promotion of the growing of grains and the production of spirits in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Spirits Board is one of 16 commodity boards within the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

About KO Distilling

Founded by long-time friends and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy classmates Bill Karlson, “K,” and John O’Mara, “O,” KO Distilling is a craft producer of clear, unaged spirits, including three gins and a white whiskey, and aged small-batch whiskeys. Produced in Manassas, Virginia, at a state-of-the-art distillery, KO spirits are currently available online, at retail outlets in Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Delaware, as well as at select U.S. Coast Guard Exchange stores.