The little distillery that could...did.

Family-run Okanagan Spirits is the 2025 World-Class Distillery in Worldwide Whisky, dominating the World Spirts Awards in Germany by winning a staggering 16 medals.

In a blind tasting showdown with the globe's top distilleries, Okanagan Spirits captured 11 gold medals, five silvers, and the World-Class Distillery title.

It's the second time this decade the Vernon-琉璃神社 distillery has snagged that honour.

"To represent Canada and claim the Worldwide Whisky designation again is a dream come true for our little family distillery," said Vernon's Tony Dyck, Okanagan Spirits president. "We鈥檙e just proud to be in the room with the world鈥檚 best.鈥�

CEO Tyler Dyck admitted they鈥檙e still picking their jaws off the floor.

鈥淭o sweep seven whisky categories and even nab gold for Poire Williams 鈥� a spirit that鈥檚 notoriously tough to nail 鈥� it鈥檚 beyond what we could鈥檝e imagined,鈥� he said.

It鈥檚 not just fancy stills or magic barrels (though their team, led by Chris Burke and Francois Joubert, clearly knows their stuff). Tyler鈥檚 quick to point the spotlight elsewhere.

鈥淥ur local farmers deserve a huge shout-out," he said. "The grain and fruit we use 鈥� it鈥檚 all 100 per cent B.C.-grown. That鈥檚 the backbone of everything we do.鈥�

From bourbon-style whisky, to single malt, rye, hopped whisky, gins, fruit liqueurs, and even Canada鈥檚 original genuine absinthe, their lineup of more than 50  is a love letter to the Okanagan.

The awards list reads like a victory lap: golds for everything from the Laird of Fintry Single-Malt (aged in double-wood casks) to a cigar-blended whisky that sounds like it belongs in a detective novel. They even took top honours for a pear brandy that鈥檚 defined as 'the Everest of distilling.'

Silver medals for a maple-br没l茅e rye and a raspberry liqueur didn鈥檛 hurt either.