The highest scoring category winners advance to the Championship Round in early June when the American Spirits Council of Tasters determine the Whisk(e)y, White Spirit, Brandy, and Liqueur of the Year. The winners of categories that ended in ties will also be determined in taste offs at that time. The taste off and Championship Round will be televised on the Fred Minnick YouTube Channel on a date to be announced.
Whisk(e)y
Best Straight Bourbon
Weller Full Proof
Championship Finalist

Best Wheat Bourbon
Category Taste-off
Legends Barrel Proof Wheated Bourbon 115
Championship Finalist

Balcones Texas Wheated Bourbon
Championship Finalist

Best Small Batch Bourbon | Up to 5 Years
Ironroot Harbinger Tri-Barrel

Best Small Batch Bourbon | 6 to 10 Years
Category Taste-off
Barrell Bourbon Batch 028
Championship Finalist

Stagg Jr.
Championship Finalist

Parker’s Heritage Collection 14th Edition
Championship Finalist

Best Small Batch Bourbon | 11 Years and Older
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920

Best Single Barrel Bourbon | Up to 10 Years
Category Taste-off
Boone County Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon
Championship Finalist

King’s Family Distillery Tennessee Bourbon
Championship Finalist

Best Single Barrel Bourbon | Over 10 Years
King of Kentucky

Best Blend of Straight Bourbon
Category Taste-off
Pursuit United
Championship Finalist

Bardstown Discovery Series 4
Championship Finalist

Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon
Category Taste-off
Four Gate The Kelvin Collaboration III
Championship Finalist

Litchfield Port Cask Finished Bourbon Whiskey
Championship Finalist

291 Colorado Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Aspen Staves, Small Batch
Championship Finalist

Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre
Championship Finalist

291 Colorado Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Aspen Staves, Barrel Proof Single Barrel
Championship Finalist

Best American Whiskey
Uncle Nearest 1884

Best Craft Bourbon
Category Taste-off
Whiskey Acres Blue Popcorn Bourbon
Championship Finalist

Chattanooga Whiskey Cask 111 (Straight Bourbon Whiskey)
Championship Finalist

Starlight Distillery Single Barrel Bourbon
Championship Finalist

Best Tennessee Whiskey
George Dickel Single Barrel Aged at Least 15 Years
Championship Finalist

Best Corn Whiskey
Ironroot Hubris
Championship Finalist

Best Wheat Whiskey
Lone Elm Whiskey Straight Wheat Single Barrel Cask Strength
Championship Finalist

Best Flavored Whiskey
MUHLENBERG Apple Pie Mühl Whiskey

Best Moonshine | Flavored
Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine

Best Special Barrel-Finished Whiskey
Barrell Dovetail
Championship Finalist

Best American Rye Whiskey
Category Taste-off
Elijah Craig Rye
Championship Finalist

Dad’s Hat Straight Rye Whiskey Founder’s Single Barrel Selection
Championship Finalist

The Senator Rye
Championship Finalist

Best Craft Rye
Category Taste-off
Chattanooga Whiskey 99 Rye (Straight Rye Malt Whiskey)
Championship Finalist

Journeyman Last Feather Rye
Championship Finalist

Rock Town Arkansas Straight Rye Whiskey
Championship Finalist

Kings County Distillery Empire Rye
Championship Finalist

Best Blend of Straight Rye
Stellum Rye
Championship Finalist

Best Special Barrel-Finished Rye
Category Taste-off
King’s Family Distillery Ryeconic
Championship Finalist

Milam & Greene Port Finished Rye
Championship Finalist

Best American Single Malt
Category Taste-off
Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey Golden Edition
Championship Finalist

Balcones Mirador
Championship Finalist

Best Canadian Whisky
Paradigm Spirits First Edition Whisky
Championship Finalist

Best Blended Irish Whiskey
The Legendary Dark Silkie Irish Whiskey

Best Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Redbreast 15 Year Old
Championship Finalist

Best Whiskey - Other
Sagamore Spirit Distillers Select Armagnac Cask Aged

Best Light Whiskey
King's Family Distillery Single Barrel Select
Championship Finalist

Best Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement
Category Taste-off
Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or Sauternes Cask Finish
Championship Finalist

Ardbeg An Oa
Championship Finalist

Best Single Malt Scotch – Up to 12 Years -
Glenmorangie Lasanta Sherry Finish 12 Year Old
Championship Finalist

Best Single Malt Scotch- 13 to 19 Years
Category Taste-off
The Glen Grant 18 Year Old
Championship Finalist

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Port Cask 14 Years OId
Championship Finalist

Best Japanese Whisky
Nikka Whisky From The Barrel
Championship Finalist

Best World Whisky
Cotswolds Founder’s Choice
Championship Finalist

White Spirit
Best Vodka
Category Taste-off
Drift Vodka
Championship Finalist

Square One Organic Rye Vodka
Championship Finalist

Best Flavored (Corn) Vodka | Cucumber
Cutwater Horchata Vodka

Best Aquavit
Long Road Original Aquavit
Championship Finalist

Best Gin
Category Taste-off
Blind Bettie Gin
Championship Finalist

Watershed Four Peel Gin
Championship Finalist

H Clark Distillery Tennessee Dry Gin
Championship Finalist

Best Flavored Gin
Archipelago Barrel Reserve Gin

Best Unaged Rum
Cutwater Three Sheets White Rum

Best Aged Rum
Cutwater Barrel Aged Rum

Best Over-Proof Rum
Ron Colón Salvadoreño Rum High Proof 111
Championship Finalist

Best Flavored Rum
Cutwater Bali Hai Pineapple Flavored Tiki Gold Rum

Best Unaged Tequila
Cutwater Tequila Blanco
Championship Finalist

Best Reposado Tequila
Cutwater Tequila Reposado
Championship Finalist

Best Anejo Tequila
El Rey Anejo
Championship Finalist

Best Flavored Tequila
El Rey Silver Pineapple Coconut Tequila

Best Blanco Blue Agave Tequila
Lunazul Blanco

Best Mezcal
Mezcal Vago Elote
Championship Finalist

Best Barrel Finished Gin
Trillium Pink Pinot Gin
Championship Finalist

Brandy
Best Armagnac
Chateau Arton Millésime 2010- Haut Armagnac
Championship Finalist

Best Apple Brandy
Hood Crest Apple Brandy

Best Grape Brandy
Christian Brothers VS
Championship Finalist

Best Pear Brandy
Starlight Distillery Pear Brandy
Championship Finalist

Best Grappa
Hood Crest Distillers Grappa
Championship Finalist

Best Eau-de-Vie Brandy
Öömrang Cherry Brandy

Best Liqueur | Other
Best Liqueur | Herbal/Botanical
Ghost Coast Herbal Bitters
Championship Finalist

Best Liqueur | Coffee
Somrus Coffee Cream Liqueur
Championship Finalist

Best Liqueur | Cream/Dairy
Carolans Salted Caramel
Championship Finalist

Best Liqueur | Fruit
PAMA
Championship Finalist

Best Liqueur | Nut
Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur
Championship Finalist

Best Liqueurs | Others
Narano
Championship Finalist

Best Ready-to-Drink Cocktail
Cutwater White Russian

Best Mixers Non-Alcoholic
Cutwater Ginger Beer Premium Cocktail Mixer
