Gonxhe named World’s Best Unaged Brandy
The Albanian premium spirit scored a double victory at the World Drinks Awards gala held in London last May: it was named World’s Best (Specialty) Brandy and won the World’s Best Brandy Design award.
The 2026 World Drinks Awards marked a major milestone for the Franco-Albanian brand. After winning a gold medal in the Non-Aged Brandy category and the title of Style Winner in May, Albania’s most glamorous spirit was named the world’s best non-aged brandy at the World Drinks Awards gala dinner held at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London.
The World Drinks Awards is a prestigious global competition that recognises the finest spirits from around the world. This annual event involves a rigorous tasting process that identifies, honours, and promotes the most exceptional drinks, as well as the craftsmanship, creativity, and dedication of people behind the brands
PréThe co-founders of Gonxhe (and executives of SpiritMax, the French company that markets the brand), Ani Hoxha and Nicolas Pécherot, accepted this award with great joy and pride—the first in history for a spirit produced in Albania. During this evening, they received a second award: the world title for the Best brandy design — with the label of Gonxhe, featuring a double-sided playing card format, with a femme fatale on one side and a skull on the other—being widely praised.
These awards recognize a journey that began in 2019, spanning Tirana and Paris, during which the couple developed the product, design, and brand identity before launching it on the French market in the spring of 2023. Gonxhe’s distinctive face has thus appeared on the signature cocktail menus of several exclusive establishments in the French capital. With Gonxhe, it is the traditional Albanian craftsmanship that goes into the production of this raki, made in Korça from Perla (grape variety), that is also internationally recognized. Gonxhe won over the jury with its powerful nose and its flavor profile that is both floral and fruity.
As the first Albanian brandy to be exported to the French market and now enjoying international recognition, Gonxhe is setting its sights even higher. The brand recently participated in the Interwine & Spirits Asia 2026 trade show in Guangzhou and is preparing to enter the Chinese market.
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