2026 American Craft Spirits Awards
A carefully selected group of expert judges evaluated hundreds of spirits at Cotton & Reed in Washington, D.C., in January of 2026 and Sacramento, CA in April of 2026. Entries were submitted in seven main categories: brandy, gin, ready to drink (RTD), rum, distilled specialty spirits, vodka and grain spirits, and whiskey. In addition to Best in Show, Best of Class, and Innovation distinctions, the judging panel awarded X gold, X silver, and X bronze medals.
BEST IN SHOW
Completely Custom Whiskey - PX Finished, Moonshine University / Distilled Spirits Epicenter
AWARD CATEGORIES
BEST OF BRANDY
Bottled-In-Bond Apple Brandy, Switchgrass Spirits (MO)
| GOLD MEDALIST | |
|---|---|
| Switchgrass Spirits | Bottled-In-Bond Apple Brandy |
| SILVER MEDALIST | |
| Cash Butte Distillery | Washington Apple Brandy |
| Flying Leap Vineyards & Distillery | Grappa |
| BRONZE MEDALIST | |
| Flying Leap Vineyards & Distillery | Grappa di Petit Verdot |
| Flying Leap Vineyards & Distillery | Apple Brandy |
BEST OF GIN
Absaroka Double Cask Gin 49, Jackson Hole Still Works (WY)
| GOLD MEDALIST | |
|---|---|
| Jackson Hole Still Works | Absaroka Double Cask Gin 49 |
| SILVER MEDALIST | |
| Bardenay | Bardenay Gin |
| Brush Creek Distillery | Brush Creek New American Gin |
| Du Nord Social Spirits | Prominence Barreled Gin |
| King Coil Spirits | Modern Gin |
| Lone Light Spirits | Lone Light Gin |
| Maverick Distilling | Samuel Maverick Texas Dry Gin |
| Shankar Distillers | Dasara Savari Gin |
| Waterloo Gin Company | Waterloo Barrel Aged Gin |
| Waterloo Gin Company | Waterloo Prickly Pear & Rose Gin |
| BRONZE MEDALIST | |
| Balance Distilling Company | Mammoth Cave Gin |
| Breuckelen Distilling | Glorious Gin |
| Church Street Distilling Co. | Tempus Gin |
| Covalent Spirits | Cucumber-Inspired Gin |
| Du Nord Social Spirits | Prominence Gin |
| Heads & Tails Distillery | Red Fern Forest Gin |
| Heads & Tails Distillery | Red Fern Gin |
| Heads & Tails Distillery | Red Fern Brambl Huckleberry Gin |
| Hinterhaus Distilling | Chasing Starlight Barrel Aged Gin |
| Hinterhaus Distilling | South Grove Gin |
| Jettywave Distillery | California Botanical Gin |
| Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Koala Bare Gin – OLV |
| Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Koala Bare Gin – Easy Peasy |
| Las Vegas Distillery | Las Vegas Distillery Gin |
| Off the Chain Brewstillery | Spin Gin |
| Old Dominick Distillery | Old Dominick Formula No. 10 Gin |
| Old Trestle Distillery, LLC | Theory 003 |
| P&W Spirits Co. | Longman’s American Dry Gin |
| Percival Creek Distilling | Gin |
| Percival Creek Distilling | London Dry Gin |
| Santa Fe Spirits | Desert Bloom Purple Sage Gin |
| Song Dog Farm Distillery | Gin |
| Spy Trail Distillery | Sound Gin |
| Trillium | Aveller Gin |
| Trinity River Distillery | Devil’s Grin Gin |
| Waterloo Gin Company | Waterloo No. 9 Gin |
| Wigle Whiskey | Dutch Style Gin |
BEST OF READY-TO-DRINK
Vodka Orange Fizz, Maplewood Brewery & Distillery (IL)
| GOLD MEDALIST | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Maplewood Brewery & Distillery | Vodka Orange Fizz | ||
| SILVER MEDALIST | |||
| Dogfish Head Distilling | Brown Sugar Old Fashioned | ||
| Horse Hollow Distillery | The Pink Flamingo Tropical Fizzy | ||
| Horse Hollow Distillery | Blanco Ginger Fizzy | ||
| Horse Hollow Distillery | The Big Jim | ||
| Maplewood Brewery & Distillery | Blackberry Gin Fizz | ||
| Trillium | Hard Pink Lemonade | ||
| Wigle Whiskey | Rye Old Fashioned | ||
| BRONZE MEDALIST | |||
| Bendt Distilling Co | Witherspoon Whiskey Texas Pecan Old Fashioned | ||
| Dogfish Head Distilling | Scull and Crossbones | ||
| Horse Hollow Distillery | Classic Orange Fizzy | ||
| Jettywave Distillery | Cold Plunge Martini | ||
| Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Fat Wombat Hard Ginger Beer | ||
| Mason Dixon Distillery | Long Island Iced Tea | ||
| Song Dog Farm Distillery | Rock & Rye | ||
| Wigle Whiskey | Bourbon Old Fashioned | ||
BEST OF RUM
Aged Rum, Cotton & Reed (DC)
| GOLD MEDALIST | |
|---|---|
| Cotton & Reed | Aged Rum |
| SILVER MEDALIST | |
| Balance Distilling Company | Mammoth Cave Rum |
| Beyond Distilling Company | Coconut Rum |
| Cotton & Reed | Rum |
| Covalent Spirits | Spiced Rum |
| Iron Goat Distillery | Amber Rum |
| King Coil Spirits | Blackstrap Rum |
| Old Forge Distillery | Ironclad Rum |
| BRONZE MEDALIST | |
| Copper Crow Distillery | Spiced Rum |
| Lone Light Spirits | Lone Light Rum |
| LYON RUM | LYON Sailors Reserve |
| State Line Distillery | Light Rum |
| StilL 630 Distillery | Expedition American Rum |
| True Standard Distilling | Dangerous Summer Oxford Reserve |
| True Standard Distilling | Dangerous Summer Dark Spiced |
| True Standard Distilling | Dangerous Summer Spiced Rum |
| True Standard Distilling | Dangerous Summer Silver Spiced Rum |
| True Standard Distilling | Dangerous Summer Silver Rum |
| Webb’s Grainworks | Vaquero – Reposado |
BEST OF DISTILLED SPECIALTY SPIRITS
Wake Up Jim, Head Frame Spirits (MT)
| GOLD MEDALIST | |
|---|---|
| Bardenay Inc. | Bardenay Cherry Liqueur |
| Dismal Harmony Distilling | Recado |
| Du Nord Social Spirits | Pronounced Apple Liqueur |
| Head Frame Spirits | Wake Up Jim |
| Iron Fish Distillery | Iron Fish Pommeau |
| Method & Muse Spirits | Jūbun |
| SILVER MEDALIST | |
| As Above, So Below Distillery | Ixchel Botanical Dry Curacao |
| Bardenay Inc. | Bardenay Banana Liqueur |
| Church Street Distilling Company | Peach Bounce Liqueur |
| Delta Dirt Distillery | Sweet Roots, Arkansas Brown |
| Delta Dirt Distillery | Deep Roots, Arkansas Brown |
| Dismal Harmony Distilling | Barista |
| Dismal Harmony Distilling | Libertasse |
| Dread River Distilling Co. | Double Barrel Aged Agave “Mistaken” |
| Flying Leap Vineyards & Distillery | Sweet Vermouth |
| Jackson Hole Still Works | Tre Teton Amaro |
| Old Forge Distillery | Southern Drift |
| Song Dog Farm Distillery | Coffee Liqueur |
| Trinity River Spirits | Texas Honey |
| Trinity River Spirits | Curio |
| Venus Spirits | El Ladrón Yolo |
| Venus Spirits | El Ladrón Blanco |
| Whiskey Acres Distilling | Whiskey Acres Maple Bourbon Cream |
| Wigle Whiskey | Limoncello |
| BRONZE MEDALIST | |
| Balance Distilling Company | Mammoth Cave Moonshine – Caramel |
| Brother Justus | Black Cashmere Coffee Liqueur |
| Du Nord Social Spirits | Cafe Frieda Coffee Liqueur |
| Hoot + Howl Spirits | Black Tea Liqueur |
| Hoot + Howl Spirits | Triple Sec |
| Joshua Tree Distilling Company | Maguey Weber Blanco |
| Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Bourbon Maple Cream |
| Lone Light Spirits | Lone Light Coffee Liqueur |
| LYON RUM | Taarof |
| Moon Moonshine | Moon Moonshine Citrus |
| Moon Moonshine | Moon Moonshine Berry |
| State Line Distillery | Aquavit |
| Wigle Whiskey | Coffee Liqueur |
BEST OF VODKA
Foundation Vodka, Du Nord Social Spirits (MN)
| GOLD MEDALIST | |
|---|---|
| True Standard Distilling | Dangerous Summer Vodka |
| SILVER MEDALIST | |
| 1879 Distilling Co. | Red Barn Premium Vodka |
| 1879 Distilling Co. | Red Barn Black Cherry Vodka |
| Hinterhaus Distilling | North Grove Vodka |
| Kachka Spirits | Kachka Horseradish Vodka |
| Mean Spirits Distillery | American Vodka |
| Old Dominick Distillery | Old Dominick Memphis Vodka |
| Old Dominick Distillery | Old Dominick Honeybell Citrus Vodka |
| Santa Fe Spirits | Expedition Vodka |
| Song Dog Farm Distillery | Vodka |
| Spy Trail Distillery | Vodka |
| BRONZE MEDALIST | |
| 1879 Distilling Co. | Red Barn Cucumber Vodka |
| American Harvest Distilling | American Harvest Vodka |
| Bardenay Inc. | Bardenay Vodka |
| Bardenay Inc. | Bardenay Lemon Vodka |
| DoG Distilling Company | DoG Vodka |
| Du Nord Social Spirits | Foundation Vodka |
| Hoot + Howl Spirits | Vodka |
| Kachka Spirits | Kachka Wheat Vodka |
| Las Vegas Distillery | Vodka |
| Lone Light Spirits | Lone Light Vodka |
| Method & Muse Spirits | Olde Root Vodka |
| B.H. James Distillers | James Lake – Crisp Cucumber Flavored Vodka |
| Trinity River Distillery | Silver Star Vodka |
BEST OF WHISKEY
StilL 2nd Shift Whiskey, StilL 630 Distillery (MO)
| DOUBLE GOLD MEDALIST | |
|---|---|
| Belle Meade Bourbon | Belle Meade Reserve Bourbon |
| Bird Creek Distillery | Francin |
| Chapline Distillery LLC | Cannonade Texas Bourbon |
| Hoot + Howl Spirits | Amaro Cask Bourbon |
| Karlson & O’Mara Distilleries LLC (DBA KO Distilling) | KO Distiller’s Reserve Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Moonshine University / Distilled Spirits Epicenter | Completely Custom Whiskey – PX Finished |
| Off The Chain Brewstillery | Bitely Creek Straight Rye Whiskey |
| Root Shoot Spirits | Root Shoot American Single Malt Whiskey, Bottled in Bond |
| Unbound Spirits | The Maelstrom Saga Series 1: The Reckoning |
| Wigle Whiskey | Wigle Reserve Single Barrel Straight Rye |
| GOLD MEDALIST | |
| Augusta Distillery | Buckners 13Yr |
| Bird Creek Distillery | Small Batch |
| Cold Spring Spirits LLC | Founders Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| DoG Distilling Company | DoG Straight Rye Whiskey |
| Gulf Coast Distillers | Giant Texas Straight Rye Whiskey 100P |
| MickBourbon, LLC – DBA: B.H. James Distillers | Burton James Uniquely American Bourbon – Batch 2 |
| MickBourbon, LLC – DBA: B.H. James Distillers | Burton James Reserve – Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Batch No. 1 |
| Old Dominick Distillery | Old Dominick 8-Year Reserve Bourbon |
| Pine Bluffs Distilling | American Single Malt Vol. 1 |
| SanTan Distilling | Jacob Waltz BIB 4 Year Bourbon |
| Song Dog Farm Distillery | Straight Rye Whiskey |
| SILVER MEDALIST | |
| Balance Distilling Company | Mammoth Cave Kentucky Straight Bourbon |
| Bear Creek Distillery | Bear Creek Distillery Rye Whiskey |
| Bendt Distilling Co. | UnBendt Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Bottled in Bond |
| Beyond Distilling Company | Rye Whiskey |
| Bird Creek Distillery | Full Pint |
| Brother Justus Whiskey Co. | Brother Justus Silver American Single Malt |
| Brother Justus Whiskey Co. | Brother Justus Founder’s Reserve 2025 American Single Malt |
| Catoctin Creek Distilling Company | Hot Honey Rye |
| DoG Distilling Company | DoG Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Garrison Brothers Distillery | Garrison Brothers Guadalupe |
| Garrison Brothers Distillery | Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon |
| Gulf Coast Distillers | Giant Texas Straight Bourbon 95P |
| Iron Fish Distillery | Mad Angler Bourbon Finished in Japanese Mizunara Oak |
| Karlson & O’Mara Distilleries LLC (DBA KO Distilling) | KO Distiller’s Reserve Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey |
| Kings County Distillery | Straight Empire Rye |
| Lone Light Spirits | Lone Light Straight Bourbon – Mead Cask Finish |
| Maplewood Brewery & Distillery | Wheated |
| Maplewood Brewery & Distillery | Fat Pug – Bottled In Bond |
| Maverick Distilling | Samuel Maverick Private Reserve Texas Straight Bourbon Bottled in Bond |
| Mean Spirits Distillery | Mean Spirits Distillery American Rye Whiskey |
| MickBourbon, LLC – DBA: B.H. James Distillers | Kentucky Grit – Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey – Batch 1 |
| Moonshine University/Distilled Spirits Epicenter | Completely Custom Whiskey – Control Blend |
| New Brighton Distillery LLC | Amity Corn Whiskey |
| Old Trestle Distillery, LLC | Trestle Straight Whiskey Single Barrel #46 |
| Outlaw Distillery | Barrel Proof Bourbon |
| Pine Bluffs Distilling | Straight Rye Whiskey |
| RLB Distillery Co Inc DBA Rotten Little Bastard Distillery | Coosa Cut Bourbon Barrel Strength |
| StilL 630 Distillery | 10YR Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel |
| StilL 630 Distillery | Need of Aid Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| StilL 630 Distillery | Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey Habondia Peach Brandy Finish |
| StilL 630 Distillery | 10YR RallyPoint Straight Rye Whiskey Single Barrel |
| Sugarlands Distilling Co. | Roaming Man 10 Year |
| Sugarlands Distilling Co. | Roaming Man Special Edition Tennessee Whiskey |
| Talnua Distillery & Tasting Room | American White Oak Bottled in Bond |
| Tennessee Whiskey Trail | The Tennessee Collective |
| Trillium | Wake Robin Small Batch Rye Whiskey |
| TSR | Kinfolk Trust American Whiskey |
| Whiskey Acres Distilling Co | Whiskey Acres 7 Year Bourbon |
| Whiskey Del Bac | Sentinel of the Desert Rye |
| Whistling Andy Distillery | Montana Forged Cask Strength Bourbon |
| Wigle Whiskey | Wigle Reserve Pennsylvania Straight Rye |
| Wigle Whiskey | American Rye Kilted Cask |
| Wigle Whiskey | Wigle Reserve Mezcal and Sherry Cask-Finished Rye |
| William Berkele Distillery | Burnt Tavern Bourbon |
| BRONZE MEDALIST | |
| 1911 Established Distillery | 1911 Established Ember & Acre |
| 1911 Established Distillery | 1911 Established Empire Rye |
| Bendt Distilling Co. | UnBendt Straight Wheat Whiskey, Bottled in Bond |
| Branch & Barrel Distilling | 3 Year Bourbon |
| Breuckelen Distilling | 77 Local Corn & Rye Whiskey |
| Brush Creek Distillery | Brush Creek Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys |
| Brush Creek Distillery | Brush Creek “Railroad Rye”Straight Rye Whiskey (Boxcar #2) |
| Chapline Distillery LLC | Texas Straight Bourbon |
| Dogfish Head Distilling | Alternate Takes Vol. 1 |
| Dogfish Head Distilling | Samba Amburana |
| Dread River Distilling Co. | Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Du Nord Social Spirits | Mixed Blood Whiskey |
| Flying Leap Vineyards & Distillery | Craft-Distilled |
| Garrison Brothers Distillery | Garrison Brothers Lady Bird |
| Gulf Coast Distillers | Giant Texas Straight Bourbon 100P |
| Headframe Spirits | Neversweat Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey |
| Heritage Road Spirits | Heritage Road Spirits Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Hinterhaus Distilling | American Single Malt Whiskey – Discovery |
| Hinterhaus Distilling | American Single Malt Whiskey – Singularity |
| Hoot + Howl Spirits | Armagnac Cask Bourbon |
| Joshua Tree Distilling Company | Chrysalis Bourbon |
| Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Larrikin Bottled in Bond |
| Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Larrikin Cigar Lounge |
| Larrikin Bourbon Co. | Larrikin Single Barrel Rye |
| Las Vegas Distillery | Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Maplewood Brewery & Distillery | Lounge Bourbon |
| Maplewood Brewery & Distillery | Vibration No. 05 (Moscatel Sherry Cask) |
| Maverick Distilling | Samuel Maverick Four Grain Texas Straight Bourbon |
| MickBourbon, LLC – DBA: B.H. James Distillers | Kentucky Grit – Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Batch 1 |
| Old Ozarkian Distillery LLC | Hard Made Sour Mash Whiskey |
| Proof and Wood | Tumblin’ Dice Straight Rye Whiskey, Finished in Laird’s Apple Brandy Barrels |
| Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling | State & Republic Wheated Bourbon |
| Reboot Beverages LLC | Tale of the Lamont Street Witch |
| State Line Distillery | Rye Whiskey |
| StilL 630 Distillery | America’s 250th Anniversary Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey |
| Sugarlands Distilling Co. | Broken Antler Flavored Whiskey |
| Sugarlands Distilling Co. | Roaming Man |
| Switchgrass Spirits | Bottled-In-Bond Rye |
| Talnua Distillery & Tasting Room | Bourbon Cask & Stave |
| Trinity River Distillery | Lucchesi Bourbon |
| Webb’s Grainworks | Golden Republic |
| Whiskey Acres Distilling Co | Whiskey Acres Bottled-in-Bond Rye |
| Whiskey Del Bac | Sentinel of the Desert Bourbon |
| Whiskey Del Bac | Whiskey Del Bac Classic |
| Whiskey Del Bac | Whiskey Del Bac Dorado |
| Wigle Whiskey | Wigle Reserve Cask Strength Bourbon |
| Wigle Whiskey | Madeira Cask Bourbon |
| Wigle Whiskey | Pennsylvania Wapsie Bourbon |
| Wigle Whiskey | 8 Year Single Barrel American Wheat |
| Wigle Whiskey | Wigle Reserve Cask Strength Rye Whiskey |
| Wigle Whiskey | Wigle Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon |
INNOVATION AWARD
Jūbun, Method & Muse Spirits (CO)
| Innovation | |
|---|---|
| Vidisha’s Masala Liqueur | Dismal Harmony Distilling |
