Standout Storytelling Made Impact with Judges at WSWA's Access LIVE

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) crowned Edmond's Honor Vanilla Madagascar Bourbon the winner of the 2026 Brand Battle Tournament at Access LIVE, the wine and spirits industry's premier convention held this year at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

Presented on the Main Stage to a packed audience and a panel of top-tier judges, Brand Battle gives emerging brands the opportunity to pitch their stories, products and market strategies. The 2026 edition was the competition's tenth year, and the competition was fiercer (and more flavorful) than ever.

Bourbon and Vanilla, a Legacy Reclaimed

Edmond's Honor produces a premium bourbon infused with Madagascar vanilla, delivering a rich and balanced flavor designed to elevate every pour. But it wasn't just the product's taste that won over the judges — it was the story behind the name.

Tracie Franklin, Edmond's Honor's Liquid Curator, introduced the audience to Edmond Albius, the 12-year-old enslaved boy who discovered how to hand-pollinate vanilla orchids. Despite vanilla being the most popular flavor globally, Albius's name has largely been forgotten.

"What's incredible about this win is that it's in honor of Edmond Albius," Franklin said after the contest. "His name is forgotten to history, yet vanilla is the number one flavor in the world. So being able to know that with this win, it's going to empower us to share this story and this legacy with the world."

Co-presenter Steven Brown, Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales & Finance at Pronghorn, praised the team effort supporting the presentation. "Tracie did an amazing job of putting this liquid in a bottle," he said. "This is not just for me and Tracie — we were just the ones on stage."

A Field Full of Flavor and Innovation

The 2026 competition featured a wide range of emerging brands representing the full spectrum of beverage innovation:

• Oishii Spritz (RTD - Sake), presented by Buzzy Sklar, introduced the first all-natural, zero-sugar sake-based canned cocktail.
• Dulce Oro (Agave Spirits), from Jordan Anderson, delivered a smooth, honey-infused tequila inspired by luxury sipping occasions.
• aryloom (Hemp), with Mack Hueber presenting, offered a THC beverage produces on a fifth-generation apple orchard.
• Ice & Co Southern Hard Tea (RTD), from Geoff Ice, celebrated Southern storytelling with spiked fruit teas brewed in Tennessee.
• Culch Vodka, presented by Madison Barker and Anthony Zraly, combined premium quality with purpose, supporting the Billion Oyster Project.

Each brand had just four minutes to deliver a pitch while judges sampled the product and reviewed key facts. A short Q&A followed, and final scoring combined judges' evaluations with audience votes to determine the winner.

Judging Panel Reflects Industry Power and Perspective

The 2026 Brand Battle judging panel represented diverse perspectives from across the three-tier system:

• Clark Calvert, Vice President of Sales, Lipman Brothers
• Megan Iaccino, Director of Marketing, Great Lakes Wine & Spirits
• Michael Page, Beverage Development Specialist, Breakthru Beverage Group
• Lacey Sadoff, President and fourth-generation owner, Badger Liquor
• Dan Mucciolo, Vice President of Spirits, Reyes Beverage Group
• Gary Gruver, Director of Global Operations for National and Global Beverage and Restaurant Brands, Marriott International

After the event, Gruver reflected on the caliber of the contest. "It was a great competition, with big diversity of products and presenters. We saw some old classics reimagined and some exciting new flavors brought to the market."

He praised the champion for standing out across every metric. "We were especially impressed by the approachability of the product, the concentration of the flavor, and not coming across as too sweet. Also, the energy of that crew was infectious. They were well prepared and their passion really came through."

A Decade of Discovering the Next Big Brand

For ten years, now, WSWA's Brand Battle has helped propel brands into broader recognition and distribution. The tournament is a cornerstone of WSWA's commitment to supporting emerging voices, ideas and products in the beverage alcohol space.

"Brand Battle is more than a competition — it's a launchpad," said Francis Creighton, WSWA's President and CEO. "And in this milestone year, we saw perhaps the most powerful example yet of what happens when quality product, purpose and passion come together."

About WSWA's Access LIVE
WSWA's Access LIVE is the largest U.S. event uniting all tiers of the beverage alcohol industry. Featuring buy-sell engagements, high-level information panels, wine and spirits competitions, and C-suite-level networking, this event has been a premier destination for beverage alcohol wholesalers, suppliers and now retailers since its inception in 1943. To learn more, please visit accesslive.wswa.org or connect with us across our social platforms on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube or follow us at #AccessLIVE26.

MEDIA CONTACT
Christy Moran
Senior Vice President, Communications & Marketing
christy.moran@wswa.org | (202) 669-3293

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SOURCE Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America