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 10 double-gold, 22 gold, 97 silver, and 124 bronze medals.
BEST IN SHOW
Completely Custom Whiskey - PX Finished, Moonshine University / Distilled Spirits Epicenter
AWARD CATEGORIES
INNOVATION AWARD
Jūbun, Method & Muse Spirits (CO)
| Innovation | |
|---|---|
| Method & Muse Spirits | Jūbun |
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
Dangerous Vodka, True Standard Distilling (MD)
| 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
Completely Custom Whiskey - PX Finished, Moonshine University / Distilled Spirits Epicenter (KY)
| 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 |
