2020 AMERICAN WHISKEY AWARDS

February 11th, 2020

Flatiron Room, New York City

The global whiskey market is expected to grow at an average of about 6% during the period 2019-2023, according to some reliable analysts. Demand for whiskey keeps growing, and the category expands as new regions, styles and brands emerge. American whiskey like bourbon, rye and Tennessee, has seen its volume growing by 5.9% in 2018 and is expected to grow at least at this pace in 2020.

Many are describing the current period as the “Golden Era” for whiskey.

More than ever, it is important to get some guidance in the growing whiskey offer, and that is the goal of the Whisky Magazine American Whiskey Awards: every year, a panel of judges, chaired by Steve Beal, assesses the latest releases through a long and tedious process ensuring complete fairness. Last night were announced the 2020 results in New York City during a ceremony chaired by Anita Ujszaszi, Awards Director at Paragraph Publishing.

Anita Ujszaszi, Awards Director

Tonight, three types of winners are announced:

The best 2020 American whiskies
The 2020 Icons of Whiskey in America, people who have shown excellence in their domain
The 2020 Inductees, rewarding two people who’s contributions to the whiskey world are widely recognized.

The two latest will be reported in different posts.

THE BEST AMERICAN WHISKIES – 2020

2020 BEST BOURBON:

Inroot Republic, Harbinger

The Ironroot flagship bourbon, already multi awarded. Mashbill is composed of Purple Corn, Bloody Butcher Corn, Flint Corn, non-GMO Yellow Dent Corn, and Rye. 57.5% ABV

The name Ironroot pays tribute to viticulturist and Denison native T.V. Munson’s hardy “iron” roots that helped save the French wine industry from total destruction. Munson’s efforts resulted in Denison and Cognac ultimately becoming sister cities.

Ironroot Republic website

Marcia Likarish, the Mother of Texas Whiskey, and Jonathan, head distiller

2020 BEST TENNESSEE WHISKEY:

Uncle Nearest 1820, Premium Single Barrel Whiskey – US-8

This whiskey is the result of a blending of spirits no less than 7 years coming from two Tennessee distilleries (undisclosed); the mashbill is 84% corn, 8% rye and 8% malted barley offering a very smooth expression.

Uncle Nearest website

Co-founder Fawn Weaver, proudly holding her prize. Uncle nearest has been created as a tribute to Nearest Green, an African-American slave who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. Fawn Weaver was inspired by Green’s story, the role that slaves and blacks played in making whiskey in the United States and the fact that Jack Daniel never used slaves in his business.

2020 BEST SINGLE BARREL BOURBON:

Rebell Yell Single Barrel 10 years Old

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Aged in charred oak barrels for 10 years, this bourbon boasts a unique flavor profile specific to each batch. The distillery pioneered wheat-based bourbon.

Rebell website

The proud winner, from Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky, where this awarded whiskey is patiently made.

2020 BEST KENTUCKY BOURBON:

Kentucky Peerless Distilling

Small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This bourbon is produced using a sweet mash and is bottled at cask strength without chill-filtration.

Peerless website

The whiskey distillery is proudly represented by Carson Taylor, fifth generation to Peerless founder, Henry Kraver.

2020 BEST NON-KENTUCKY SINGLE BARREL BOURBON:

John J. Bowman Single Barrel

This bourbon John J. Bowman Single Barrel is triple distilled and finished in barrels that have been previously used to age port wine.

John Bowman distillery website

Brian Prewitt the master distiller, proudly posing with the award.

2020 BEST AMERICAN SINGLE MALT WHISKEY:

The Notch Nantucket single malt, 15 years old

Notch Single Malt Whisky is crafted from Maris Otter, an heirloom variety of malted barley. Triple Eight Distillery, started producing The Notch in 2000; the island’s combination of Polar Maritime (cool and moist) and Tropical Maritime (hot and humid) climates. with their ventilated warehouses, allows the ocean breeze to impact effectively this unique maturation.

Triple Eight Distillery website

The creation of Notch is currently being led by Randy Hudson, co-founder of Triple Eight Distillery and Cisco Brewers. Randy, was also Cisco Brewery’s original brewer.

2020 BEST AMERICAN SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT:

Westland Distillery, cask #3204

Westland Distillery has been producing spirits for less than a decade, but their dedication to creating distinctive American single malts is evident. Their single cask release is showing their mastery

Westland distillery website

Proudly holding a well-deserved award

2020 BEST AMERICAN BLENDED WHISKEY:

FEW Spirits, American Whiskey

FEW, a name chosen after the initials of a person tied to the anti-alcohol movement: Francis Elizabeth Willard. According to Paul Hletko, this was the best way to represent the vision of his whiskies: “small, rare, exclusive, high-end.”. All expressions are truly handcrafted and small-batched.

FEW website

Few Spirits’ founder and master distiller Paul Hletko proudly holding the award. He also received the award of best Flavored whiskey for “Cold Cut Bourbon”, both well-deserved for this passionate and visionary entrepreneur

2020 BEST BLENDED MALT WHISKEY:

Virginia-Highland Whisky, Port Cask Finish

Made from 100% malted barley, it showcases both Old World and New World whisky-making. Virginia Distillery Company marries whisky made on-site in Virginia with whisky from Scotland.

Virginia Distillery website

Marlene Steiner, Brand Director at Virginia Distillery, Proudly posing for the award

2020 BEST AMERICAN RYE WHISKEY:

Colonel E. H. Taylor, Straight Rye

This small batch, Bottled-in-Bond 100 proof straight rye whiskey pays tribute to Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr., the former Distillery owner. The mashbill is composed exclusively of rye and malted barley.

Buffalo trace Distillery website

The Proud Sazerac Brand Ambassador holding the award

2020 BEST AMERICAN CORN WHISKEY:

Snitching Lady Distillery, Button’s Blue Corn Whiskey

The Button’s Blue Corn Whiskey is cracked, milled, & mashed Native American Grown Blue Corn from Tuwac, Colorado, maturing at 11,600 feet.

The Snitching Lady Distillery website

Bringing pride to the family history

2020 BEST AMERICAN GRAIN WHISKEY:

Bainbridge, Yama Mizunara cask

Created by Head distiller, Kevin Barrans, the head distiller, Bainbridge Yama starts its life as organic Alba and Full Pint organic barley grown in Washington state’s Skagit Valley. The spirit ages in small Japanese Mizunara Oak casks from Hokkaido, Japan, that makes it the world’s only non-Japanese whiskey to be aged exclusively in virgin Mizunara cooperage.

Bainbridge Distillery website

Bainbridge Organic Distillers was founded as a family business in 2009, and since the beginning they perform every task in the making of distilled spirits on site, and with their own hands. From the selection of grain varieties and lots, to grinding, mashing, fermenting and distillation they are proud to be hands-on at every stage in the small-batch spirits production process. They were Washington State’s first distillery producing USDA Certified Organic spirits, and still are the state’s only distillery producing 100% of its organic spirits from scratch, on site in their own distillery.

2020 BEST AMERICAN WHEAT WHISKEY:

Bainbridge, Two Islands Hokkaido cask

Second prize for Head distiller, Kevin Barrans, the head distiller. This expression is finished in casks that once held 10-12 year old single malt whisky from the Scottish isle of Islay.

Bainbridge Distillery website

Bainbridge Organic Distillers gains its second award of the evening!

2020 BEST AMERICAN NEW MAKE WHISKEY:

291 Colorado Whiskey, Colorado Rye Whiskey White Dog

Of course maturation is critical to the taste, but everything starts before, and one can tell a lot by sampling New Make Spirits just off the still. 291 Colorado Whiskey distillery is used to awards, let’s see how aging will shape this NM.

291 Distillery website