Each year the Texas Whiskey Festival hosts a competition to determine who has the best Texas Bourbon, Rye, Malt Whiskey and the newly added Flavored Whiskeys. The categories are also broken out between grain to glass and aged & bottled in Texas products. Both are spectacular, but different so we want to highlight that. The winners are chosen by a panel of judges in a blind tasting.
We view the contest and awards as a guide for people to discover new whiskeys. Everything entered in the contest is available for purchase by the bottle or glass with some being in distribution and others being distillery-only releases.
These are the winners chosen by the judges, so we let Festival attendees have the opportunity to vote on their favorite distillery to decide the people’s choice award. Remember the best whiskey is the one you like.
Bourbon: Grain to Glass
Gold – Silver Star Spirits – 1849 Straight Bourbon
Silver – Balcones Distilling – Blue Corn Bourbon finished in Wine Casks
Bronze – Yellow Rose Distilling – Harris County Bourbon
Bourbon: Aged and Bottled in Texas
Gold – Treaty Oak Distilling – 16 Year Tennessee Whiskey
Silver – Oak & Eden – Anthro Series: Forrie J Smith
Bronze – Dime Box Distilling – Single Barrel 6yr Sixth Street Bourbon
Rye Whiskey: Grain to Glass
Gold – Balcones Distilling – Texas Rye Bottled in Bond
Silver – Giant Texas Distillers – Cask Strength Rye
Bronze – Shire Distilling – Rye Whiskey
Rye Whiskey: Aged and Bottled in Texas
Gold – Blackland Distilling – Rye Whiskey
Silver – Old Humble Distilling – Double OakStraight Rye Whiskey
Bronze – Yellow Rose Distilling – Rye Whiskey
Malt Whiskey: Grain to Glass
Gold – Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co. – Single Mom Single Malt
Silver – Andalusia Whiskey Co. – Bottled in Bond Single Malt
Bronze – William Price Distilling – Single Malt Sherry Finished.
Flavored Whiskeys
Gold – Blackland Distilling – Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon
Silver – Treaty Oak Distilling – Old Fashioned Cocktail
Bronze – Silver Star Spirits – Texas Honey
You can taste the best Texas whiskeys and many more. It doesn’t matter if you are an avid whiskey drinker or think you might like whiskey this is an opportunity for you to try new whiskeys and meet the people that make them. You will get to choose from 70+ whiskeys made by the 35 distilleries participating.
It is a night of sampling new whiskey, meeting friends, enjoying food, cigars, and music. Get your tickets HERE!
Thank you to the Wizard Academy for hosting us. A big thank you to our talented judges
Mark Shilling is the CEO at SUSTO Mezcal and Partner at Big Thirst. Former president of the American Craft Spirits Association and long time advocate for the spirits industry instrumental in key legislative efforts.
Big Thirst represents some Texas brands, but Mark does not work on production of any brands in the whiskey category.
Samantha Fletcher has 20+ years in the beverage and hospitality industry, mainly focused around education and business development. A champion of the craft, Samantha continues to advocate and spread the knowledge of the bold and unique world that is Texas Whiskey.
Matt Zitrick has enjoyed whiskey since birth, but really got into it when he turned 5 making cocktails with his grandfather. He is a level 3 Whiskey Sommelier, has run the Whiskey Crusaders YouTube Channel/Events since 2019, and has one the largest collections of Whiskey in America at over 3,000 bottles from around the globe. A supporter of all things Texas, and the best whiskey is the one you are enjoying right now.