Archives for April 2023

2023 U. S. Open Whiskey & Spirits Championships Medal Winners 
The 2023 U. S. Open Whiskey & Spirits Championship proudly announces the medal winners and Grand National Champions.

Cincinnati Distilling in Milford, Ohio won the U.S. Open Whiskey Championship after winning 2 gold medals, 3 Silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. Their Single Barrel Straight Bourbon was a favorite among the judges. Over the past 4 years, Cincinnati has finished in the Top 3 each year. Besides the 7 medals in the whiskey competition, Cincinnati also won 2 bronze medals in the spirits competition.

Silver Fox Distillery in Arthur, Ontario repeated as the  U.S. Open Spirits’ Grand National Champion by winning 5 medals in the Spirits categories consisting of 2 gold medals and 3 silver medals. Silver Fox Distillery is the only Canadian company to win the Grand National Champion’s Plaque in the 15-year history of the U.S. Open Championships.

Judging in the U.S. Open Whiskey and Spirits Championships is blind; the judges know only the categories and do not know what they are tasting. The first round of judging was held in Oxford, Ohio at “The Barn”, while the finals were held at Big Ditch Brewing in Buffalo, New York. The U.S. Open works with the Niagara College Teaching Distillery in Ontario. The final round of judges consisted of Niagara College’s Instructors and industry experts from the surrounding area.

Here are the top 5 Whiskey and Spirits Distilleries:
Top 5 Whiskey Distilleries
1. Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
2. Moylans Distillery – California
3. Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
3. Weldon Mills Distillery – – North Carolina
5. Acre Distilling  – Texas

Top 5 Spirits Distilleries
1. Silver Fox Distillery – Ontario
2. Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
2. Gamblers Bay Distillery – Florida
4.  Safe House Distilling Co. – New Mexico
5. Dark Door Spirits – Florida

Straight Bourbon
Gold – Ghost Hill Texas Bourbon – Treaty Oak Distilling – Texas
Silver – Double Barrel Maple Bourbon – Taconic Distillery – New York
Bronze – Red, White & Bourbon – Thornapple Artisan Spirits – Michigan

Small Batch Bourbon 1-3 Years Under 100 proof
Gold – Weldon Mills Select – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Ohio Straight Bourbon – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Bronze – Digg Boys Bourbon – Digg Boys Distillery – Pennsylvania

Small Batch Bourbon 1-3 Years 100 proof or over
Gold – Single Barrel Straight – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Silver – All the Malt – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Bronze – Weldon Mills Reserve – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina

Small Batch Bourbon 4-10 Years – Under 100 proof
Gold – Moylans Sherry-Finished Bourbon – Moylans Distillery – California
Silver – Catherine Waldshmidt Bourbon – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Bronze – Uncle Nearest 1884 – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee

Small Batch Bourbon 4-10 Years Over 100 proof
Gold – Uncle Nearest 1856 – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
Silver – Moylan’s Cask Aged Bourbon – Moylans Distillery – California
Bronze – Copper Sky Bourbon – Copper Sky Distillery – Colorado

Single Barrel Whiskey
Gold – Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Rye Whiskey – Batch 002 – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
Silver – Springfield Straight Bourbon – Springfield Distillery – Virginia
Bronze – Rye Whiskey – Iron Vault Distillery – Ohio

American Single Malt Whiskey
Gold – Single Malt Whiskey – Grand Traverse Distillery – Michigan
Silver – Kong – Skyroc Distillery – Massachusetts
Bronze – Single Malt Whiskey 4-year Reserve – Hill Top Distillery – Virginia
Bronze – Acre Texas Single Malt Whisky – Acre Distilling – Texas

Rye Whiskey
Gold – Moylan’s Resistance Rye – Moylans Distillery – California
Silver – Uncle Nearest Straight Rye Whiskey – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
Silver – Small Batch Rye – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Bronze – Noble Hound Dark Rye – Three Crosses Distilling – Virginia

Blended Whiskey
Gold – Blend of Straight Whiskey – Barrel Proof – Wonderland Distilling – Michigan
Silver – Kupu Whiskey – Kupu Spirits – Hawaii
Bronze – Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee

Craft Whiskey
Gold – 100% Oats Whisky – 99 Craft Distillery – Ontario
Silver – Texas Smoked Single Malt Whisky – Acre Distilling – Texas
Bronze – Royall Rye Whiskey – Deep Creek Distilling – Virginia

Corn Whiskey
Gold – Altschuls Corn Whiskey – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio

Canadian Whisky
Gold – Cobra Chicken Canadian Whiskey – Silver Fox Distillery – Ontario
Silver – Spirits 101 – Single Malt Whisky – Niagara College Teaching Distillery – Ontario

Whiskey finished in wine or other spirits barrels
Gold – Five Stories Rum Cask – Northern Row Distillery – Ohio
Silver – American Whisky Finished in a Port Barrel – Moylan’s Distillery – California
Bronze – Acre Single Malt Whisky Barrel 009 – Acre Distilling – Texas

Whiskey Aged in Stout/Beer Barrels
Gold – The Violet Hour – Dark Door Spirits – Florida
Gold – Acre Single Malt Whiskey 111 – Acre Distillery – Texas
Bronze – Stout Cask Bourbon – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio

Flavored Whiskey
Gold – Gold Rush – Skyroc Distillery – Massachusetts
Silver – Fire Brigade Cinnamon Whiskey – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Bronze – Weldon Orchards Peach Elderflower Whiskey – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina

Whiskey in Non-Traditional Barrel Aging
Gold – Moylan’s Cask Strength American Single Malt Whisky Finished in Orange Brandy Barrel – – Moylans Distillery – California
Gold – Peach Maple Cask Bourbon – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio

Anything Goes
Gold – Rockfisth – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Texas Smoked – Acre Distillery – Texas
Bronze – Code Four – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio

Traditional Moonshine
Gold – Pritchard Corn Whiskey – Flatrock Distilling – Ohio
Gold – Sweet Shine – Uncle Dum Dum Swamp Juice – Florida
Silver – Before the Barrel White Dog – Silver Fox Distillery – Canada
Bronze – Skyshine – Skyroc Distillery – Massachusetts

Aged/Barrel Aged Moonshine
Gold – Moonshine – Silver Fox Distillery – Canada
Silver – American Rebel – Northern Yankee Moonshine – Ohio
Bronze – Single Barrel Moonshine – Roaring River Distillery – Tennessee

Flavored Moonshine
Gold – Gooch Hooch Blueberry Moonshine – Hill Top Distillery – Virginia
Silver – Cinnamon Roll – Roaring River Distillery – Tennessee
Bronze – Mint Condition – Roaring River Distillery – Tennessee

Gin
Gold – Harpers Siren Gin – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
Gold – Silver Fox Contemporary Vodka – Silver Fox Distillery – Ontario
Silver – Red Hare Gin – Red Hare Brewing & Distilling – Georgia
Bronze – Two Minnie London Dry Gin – Acre Distilling – Texas

Gin Flavored / Infused
Gold – Freshly Folded – Dark Door Spirits – Florida
Silver – Winter Solstice – Silver Fox Distillery – Canada
Bronze – Lavender & Juniper Gin – Collective Arts Brewing – Canada

Barrel-Aged Gin
Gold – Kupu Barrel-Aged Gin – Kupu Spirits – Hawaii
Silver – Harpers Siren Armagnac Gin – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
Bronze – Barrel Finished Gin – Thornapple Artisan Spirits – Michigan

VODKA
Gold – Teller Genuine Vodka – Safe House Distilling Co. – New Mexico
Silver – Florida Farm Vodka – Gamblers Bay Distillery – Florida
Bronze – School Spirits Vodka – Niagara College Teaching Distillery – Canada

Vodka Flavored / Infused
Gold – Old Reliable Coffee Vodka – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
Silver – Black Chevron Pepper Vodka – Three Crosses Distilling – Virginia
Bronze – Teller Apple Pie Vodka – Safe House Distilling Co. – New Mexico

Rum White
Gold – Rum trial – Ola Brew Company – Hawaii
Silver – Florapina White Rum – Gamblers Bay Distillery – Florida
Bronze – Red Hare Rum – Red Hare Brewing & Distilling – Georgia

Rum Dark / Gold / Barrel-Aged Rum
Gold – Distiller’s Select Single Barrel Aged Rum – Red Hare Brewing & Distilling – Georgia
Silver – FIve Stories Barrel Aged Rum – Northern Row Brewery & Distillery – Ohio
Bronze – Hell’s Half Acre Rum – Acre Distilling – Texas

Rum Spiced/Flavored
Gold – Navy One Navy Strength Spiced Rum – Gamblers Bay Distillery – Florida
Silver – Spirits 101 Spiced Rum – Niagara College Teaching Distillery – Canada
Silver – Spiced Rum – Thornapple Artisan Spirits – Michigan
Bronze – Stillwrights Spiced Rum – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio

Specialty Spirits(anything goes)
Gold – Florapina Pineapple Rum – Gamblers Bay Distillery – Florida
Silver – Absinthe – Silver Fox Distillery – Ontario
Silver – Gypsy Queen Absinthe – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
Bronze – Voltage Peppermint Schnapps – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio

Can & Bottle Cocktails
Gold – Teller Grapefruit Hibiscus Lemonade – Safe House Distilling Co. – New Mexico
Gold – Old Fashioned Cocktail – Treaty Oak Distilling – Texas
Silver – Scratch Strawberry Whiskey Smash – Springfield Distillery – Virginia
Bronze – Scratch Scratch Blackberry Whiskey Sour – Springfield Distillery – Virginia

Agave and Spirits distilled with other plants in the Asparagaceae family
Gold – Rey Coyote Reposado Tequila – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Rey Coyote Blanco Tequila – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Bronze – Agave Spirit – Anejo – Thornapple Artisan Spirits – Michigan

 

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