2026 Best in Category

The Winners advance to Best in Class

Best Small Batch Bourbon

Taste-Off!

Rue Bourbon

Barrel King The G Spot #118 – Wharehouse G Barrels – Single Rickhouse Blend – By Jarrod Record

WINNER!

Best Wheated Bourbon

Taste-Off!

Holladay Soft Red Wheat Rickhouse Proof Bourbon

Southern Star Cask Strength Paragon Wheated Bourbon

WINNER!

W. L. Weller Antique 107

Best Straight Bourbon

Taste-Off!

Wheel Horse Barrel Master Bourbon

WINNER!

Old Dominick 8 Years Old Reserve Bourbon

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C925

Best Craft Bourbon

Winner!

Kentucky Peerless Henry Kraver Old Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon

Best Single Barrel Pick

Winner! (This winner is not eligible to compete for Best Bourbon.)

Bourbon Club of Arkansas - Elliott Brothers Reserve

Best Extra Age Bourbon 11+

Winner!

George T. Stagg

Best Blend of Straight Bourbon

Taste-Off!

Dark Arts Barely Legal Bourbon – Small Batch, Cask Strength

WINNER!

Sergeants Valor Anniversary Small Batch Bourbon

Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon

Taste-Off!

Dark Arts The Empyrean– Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Red Port and White Port Wine Casks

Dark Arts Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Toasted Mizunara Oak Staves

Barrell Bourbon Cigar Blend

WINNER!

Best Single Barrel Bourbon

Taste-Off! (This winner is not eligible to compete for Best Bourbon.)

Starlight Distillery Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

WINNER!

Crittenden’s Cut Above Eight Year Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Best Blend Of Straight Whiskeys

Taste-Off!

Coors Whiskey Co. Blended American Malt Whiskey

The Tennessee Collective

WINNER!

Best American Whiskey

Winner!

Traveller Full Proof

Best Special Barrel Finished American Whiskey

Winner!

291 XIV Colorado Whiskey

Best Craft American Whiskey

Winner!

Talnua Distillery American White Oak Whiskey Bottled in Bond

Best American Rye

Taste-Off!

Thomas H. Handy

WINNER!

Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof Blended Rye Whiskey

Best Craft Rye

Winner!

Black Band Cask Strength Rye

Best Special Barrel-Finished Rye

Taste-Off!

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series – KY Straight Rye Whiskey

Drumkey Spirits Rye’d Cymbal – by Jason Callori of The Mash and Drum

WINNER!

Best Blend of Straight Rye

Taste-Off!

Widow Jane Paradigm Rye Whiskey

Pursuit United Barrel Proof Rye

WINNER!

Best Single Barrel Rye

Taste-Off! (This winner is not eligible to compete for Best in Show.)

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey

Ponfeigh Westsylvania Rye

WINNER!

Best American Rye 11+ Years

Winner!

Circle City 12 year Straight Rye Whiskey Batch 2

Best Tennessee Whiskey

Winner!

Leiper’s Fork Distillery Bottled-In-Bond Tennessee Whiskey Batch 22

Best Rice Whiskey

Winner!

J.T. Meleck High Proof Small Batch American Rice Whiskey

Best Wheat Whiskey

Winner!

Bernheim Barrel Proof B925

Best Light Whiskey

Winner!

Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve 15-Year-Old Barrel Proof

Best Flavored Whiskey

Winner!

Five Springs Blood Orange Infused Bourbon

Best American Single Malt

Winner!

Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 12 year

Best Single Malt Scotch

Taste-Off!

Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky

WINNER!

Glenmorangie The Altus 25 Years Old

Best Blended Scotch

Winner!

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

Best Irish Whiskey

Winner!

Red Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Best Indian Whiskey

Winner!

Indri Dru Cask Strength Single Malt Indian Whisky

Best Canadian Whiskey

Winner!

WhistlePig Estate Oak Rye Aged 15 Years

2026 Best in Category White Spirit

Best Blanco Tequila

Winner!

DESNUDA Blanco Organic Tequila

Best Reposado Tequila

Winner!

Tequila Ocho Reposado

Best Ãnejo Tequila

Winner!

1800 Guachimonton

Best Mezcal

Taste-Off!

Mezcal Vago Espadin Joel Barriga

WINNER!

Mezcal Vago Elote

Best Gin

Taste-Off!

Black Band Gin

WINNER!

Devil’s Grin Gin

Guided Trail Gin

Vexed Gin

Best Vodka

Winner!

Woody Creek 100% Potato Vodka

Best Flavored Vodka

Taste-Off!

Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka

WINNER!

The Original Pickle Shot Spicy Pickle

Best Rum

Winner!

Myers’s Signature Cask Collection T.H. Handy

Best Brandy

Winner!

The Distillarium Sky Captain Brandy 8 Years

Best Cognac

Winner!

Martell VS

Best Liqueur

Winner!

Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur

2026 Best in Class

The Winners will compete for Whiskey of the Year.

Bourbon of the Year

Taste-Off!

Wheel Horse Barrel Master Bourbon

BEST STRAIGHT BOURBON

Barrel King The G Spot #118 – Wharehouse G Barrels – Single Rickhouse Blend – By Jarrod Record

BEST SMALL BATCH BOURBON

Southern Star Cask Strength Paragon Wheated Bourbon

BEST WHEATED BOURBON

George T. Stagg

BEST 11+ YEAR BOURBON

BOURBON OF THE YEAR WINNER!

Dark Arts Barely Legal Bourbon – Small Batch, Cask Strength

BEST BLEND OF STRAIGHT BOURBON

Barrell Bourbon Cigar Blend

BEST SPECIAL BARREL-FINISHED BOURBON

Kentucky Peerless Henry Kraver Old Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon

BEST CRAFT BOURBON

Rye of the Year

Taste-Off!

Drumkey Spirits Rye’d Cymbal – by Jason Callori of The Mash and Drum

BEST SPECIAL BARREL-FINISHED RYE

Thomas H. Handy

BEST AMERICAN RYE

Pursuit United Barrel Proof Rye

BEST BLEND OF STRAIGHT RYE

RYE OF THE YEAR WINNER!

Black Band Cask Strength Rye

BEST CRAFT RYE

Circle City 12 year Straight Rye Whiskey Batch 2

BEST AMERICAN RYE 11+ Years

American / Blended Whiskey of the Year

Taste-Off!

The Tennessee Collective

Best Blend Of Straight Whiskeys

Traveller Full Proof

Best American Whiskey

AMERICAN / BLENDED WHISKEY OF THE YEAR WINNER!

291 XIV Colorado Whiskey

Best Special Barrel Finished American Whiskey

Talnua Distillery American White Oak Whiskey Bottled in Bond

Best Craft American Whiskey

Scotch of the Year

Taste-Off!

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

Best Blended Scotch

Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Best Single Malt Scotch

SCOTCH OF THE YEAR WINNER!

Agave of the Year

Taste-Off!

Tequila Ocho Reposado

Best Tequila

AGAVE OF THE YEAR WINNER!

Mezcal Vago Espadin Joel Barriga

Best Mezcal

Vodka of the Year

Taste-Off!

Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka

BEST FLAVORED VODKA

Woody Creek 100% Potato Vodka

Best Vodka

VODKA OF THE YEAR WINNER!

2026 Whiskey of the Year

The Winner will compete against the White Spirit of the Year Winner for the overall title of "Best in Show".

Leiper’s Fork Distillery Bottled-In-Bond Tennessee Whiskey Batch 22

BEST TENNESSEE WHISKEY WINNER

J.T. Meleck High Proof Small Batch American Rice Whiskey

BEST RICE WHISKEY WINNER

Bernheim Barrel Proof B925

BEST WHEAT WHISKEY WINNER

Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve 15-Year-Old Barrel Proof

BEST LIGHT WHISKEY WINNER

WhistlePig Estate Oak Rye Aged 15 Years

BEST CANADIAN WHISKEY WINNER

Pursuit United Barrel Proof Rye

RYE OF THE YEAR WINNER

Traveller Full Proof

AMERICAN / BLENDED WHISKEY OF THE YEAR WINNER

Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky

SCOTCH OF THE YEAR WINNER

Five Springs Blood Orange Infused Bourbon

BEST FLAVORED WHISKEY WINNER

Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 12 year

BEST AMERICAN SINGLE MALT WINNER

Red Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

BEST IRISH WHISKEY WINNER

Indri Dru Cask Strength Single Malt Indian Whisky

BEST INDIAN WHISKEY WINNER

George T. Stagg

BOURBON OF THE YEAR WINNER

WHISKEY OF THE YEAR WINNER!

2026 White Spirit of the Year

The Winner will compete against the Whiskey of the Year Winner for the overall title of "Best in Show".

Woody Creek 100% Potato Vodka

VODKA OF THE YEAR WINNER

Black Band Gin

BEST GIN WINNER

Myers’s Signature Cask Collection T.H. Handy

BEST RUM WINNER

The Distillarium Sky Captain Brandy 8 Years

BEST BRANDY WINNER

Martell VS

BEST COGNAC WINNER

Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur

BEST LIQUEUR WINNER

Tequila Ocho Reposado

AGAVE OF THE YEAR WINNER

WHITE SPIRIT OF THE YEAR WINNER!

2026 Best in Show

This is the ultimate taste-off to claim the top prize in 2026.

George T. Stagg

WHISKEY OF THE YEAR WINNER

2026 BEST IN SHOW WINNER!

Tequila Ocho Reposado

WHITE SPIRIT OF THE YEAR WINNER