2025 Heartland Whiskey Competition Judges
Meet the Judges for the 2025 Heartland Whiskey Competition!
Registration is now open for the Heartland Whiskey Competition. Enter now to have your whiskey tasted and evaluated by our panel of expert judges. All entrants received detailed tasting notes.
Here is the current lineup of judges. Check back soon for additional judges, and click here to submit your whiskey.
Josh Baker, National Sales Manager, MGP Ingredients
Josh Baker is the National Sales Manager at MGP Ingredients, a leading supplier of premium distilled spirits. With extensive experience in the wine and spirits industry over the past 12 years, Josh specializes in bulk sales and distilling solutions, driving growth and innovation in the sector.
Will Breeden, Co-owner, Indiana Small Batch
Will Breeden’s passion for whiskey knows no bounds. As a co-owner of Indiana Small Batch, a spirits distributor specializing in craft whiskeys and spirits across the state, he is dedicated to procuring new and exciting offerings for their portfolio while nurturing relationships with current producers and customers. As a Master of Bourbon through the Council of Whiskey Masters (currently one of 11 in the world), a Certified Bourbon Professional, a Certified Whiskey Specialist, and an Executive Bourbon Steward, Will’s expertise extends far beyond mere appreciation. Will currently serves as a judge for The American Council of Sprits Tasters. He is also a co-host of the popular Final Third Whiskey and Cigar podcast, a board member of the Indiana Bourbon Club, and a founding member of Fred Minnick’s Club Marzipan. With an unparalleled passion for whiskey and cigars, Will is poised to make his mark on the industry. When he’s not immersed in the world of fine spirits, Will applies his skills as a diagnostic and nuclear medicine physicist, certified through the American Board of Radiology, for hospitals and medical imaging facilities across the country.
Martin C. Duffy, Brand Representative/Whisk(e)y Educator, Glencairn Crystal
Martin C. Duffy—Glencairn Crystal Brand Representative/Whisk(e)y Educator—is an internationally known spirits educator and enthusiast. His appreciation of adult libations started during his early years as a bartender and continues on to this very day. A stellar presenter on the finer qualities of spirits (ham always goes well with a good whiskey), he has studied the finer art of distilling with some of the most accomplished distillers, blenders and craftsmen in Scotland, Ireland, France, Holland, Canada, and the United States. For over 20 years, he has preached the gospel according to spiritus frumenti to well over 100,000 people throughout the world.
Maggie Kimberl, American Whiskey Magazine
Maggie Kimberl is the Content Editor of American Whiskey Magazine and the Co-Chair of the World Whiskies Awards. She is a freelance spirits journalist focusing on whiskey culture in the United States, though she considers herself to be “geographically blessed” to live in the epicenter of the bourbon world, Louisville, Kentucky. When she’s not covering the bourbon beat you can find her browsing through vintage vinyl with her kids or tending to her homegrown tomatoes.
Wendy Peveich, Founder, 51 & Proof Consulting
Wendy Peveich is the founder of 51 & Proof Consulting. As the former National Brand Ambassador of Penelope Bourbon, Wendy’s journey and lens into the spirits industry was shaped through grit, authenticity, lots of faith, and a newfound love affair for the craft distilling world. Through building and scaling a brand unconventionally, her extensive palate and blending traits have rounded out her appreciation and commitment to the American craft spirits arena.
Margarita Scouten, Executive Bourbon Steward
Margarita Scouten is an experienced whiskey enthusiast and Executive Bourbon Steward with a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship behind fine whiskies. With over a decade of tasting experience, she is known for her refined palate and thoughtful evaluations. Margarita was recently named an alternate judge for the prestigious ASCOT Awards and is a member of several key whiskey communities, including Fred Minnick’s Club Marzipan, the Bourbon Women Association, and the BIG Bourbon Club. As part of her involvement with BIG Bourbon, she co-hosts a virtual bourbon call focused on the club’s barrel picks and tasting discussions. When she’s not focused on tasting notes, Margarita enjoys capturing the beauty of West Texas wildlife and landscapes through photography on a 60,000-acre cattle ranch—often with a glass of bourbon in hand.
Bethne Stewart, Bartender and Master of Bourbon
Bethne Stewart is a bartender, Master of Bourbon and Tequila Sommelier from Brooklyn, New York. With a deep passion for spirits and cocktails, she has studied sake, tequila, and wine while working alongside some of the industry’s most accomplished professionals. Beth enjoys documenting her travels through her writing and social media.
