US Craft Spirits Competition Reviews

Close your eyes as you sip this fat, spicy, decadent rye and you can hear the crackle of the fire and warmth of the bearskin rug — treat yourself, you deserve it — spicy, deeply fruity and earthy all at the same time.

This excellent blended Rye over-delivers, offering anytime luxury sipping whether neat or in a superior Manhattan, Sazerac or Old Fashioned.

A powerhouse Tennessee Whiskey that holds its high proof exquisitely and delivers ample flavor, intensity and balance for sipping, cigars, or cocktails.

Deliciously minty, it practically orders the hot chocolate for you if you have not already made yourself an excellent grasshopper with this.

A wonderfully layered and flavor-packed gin that artfully strides the line between London Dry and Nouveau.

Think wildflowers, herbs, citrus, honey and spice - this floral triple sec bridges a European aperitif and will add multiple nuances in any recipe calling for triple sec or curacao.

Gin-flavored gin that screams fresh juniper and spruce tips — a beautiful balance of proper gin with loads of cardamom and cinnamon.

Bittersweet, warming and baking spice complex, this Amaro will add immediate complexity to your cocktail game and be the perfect finish to a fine meal.

A complex combination of creamy toasty wood and rich spices and herbs keeps this barrel aged gin lively.

A silky and flavorful vodka that will excel in shaken cocktails or chilled neat.

Overflowing with floral rose flavors, this perfumey vodka mixes beautifully with lemonade, in a 'Rose Drop' shaken with fresh sour mix or as an alternative to gin in classic gin cocktails.

Silky smooth, floral, breezy and elegant that carries the overproof well.

Warm and spicy, this Rye will add a nice kick to your Old Fashioned and a spicy note to your ginger beer or Whiskey Sour.

A rich and penetrating cask-finished Bourbon with a nice wisp of brandy flavor.

A very interesting combination of herbal, spice and fruity Bourbon notes here will make for stimulating creative cocktail play.

A creamy, expressive, lightly herbal vodka with nice complexity and gusto.

This full throttle old fashioned dances on the sweet side along with loads of rich vanilla-toffee-centric Bourbon - serve on the rocks.

A fun, fruity, and floral vodka flavor to experiment with in cocktails.

Think carraway-spearmint-white chocolate, this flavor-packed liqueur tastes pure and natural and will forever elevate a grasshopper or spiked hot chocolate and with rum make a botanical Mojito when fresh mint is not at hand.

This liqueur is full of romantic flavors of red fruits, peach, chocolate and coffee, a great Amaro to introduce the curious to this category.

A fun, snappy and flavorful well-aged Bourbon that has a lot to offer.

Warm and lightly spicy, dried honey, roasted peanuts and caramel flavors finish dry with notes of cracked peppercorns.

Warming and faintly smoky, layers of oolong tea, a roaring oak fire and forest floor lay on a gently sweet palate - try with whiskey and bitters for a complex old fashioned, add hot tea for a toddy, or add aromatic bitters and enjoy neat after dinner.

Sweet herbs, juicy lemon and manuka honey flavors with lots of red tones offer nuanced balance — versatile from French 75s to Negronis.

This carraway-anise-dill-mint stem flavored aquavit is at a generously higher proof and finishes with notes of rye toast and walnuts.

A nice all purpose vodka that will be well suited for a variety of cocktails.

This is an interesting lemon vodka for the adventurous mixologist that can elevate your vodka game using this in both vodka and gin recipes to make one of the most complex Cosmos or Lemon Drops you have ever had, or a fine aperitif with a splash of soda.

Candied peach vodka to serve ice cold for the sweet-tooth imbiber.

A fun cappuccino-like flavored whisky for hot drinks and shots.

With an intriguing herbal, Earl Grey, and citrus nose, this quite sweet Triple Sec finishes slightly floral with generous sugar.

A curiously grainy, umami-forward and peppery vodka that is reminiscent of barley shochu and baijiu.

A punchy hot honey flavored whisky for shots and such.

Classic winter spice, resinous and piney gin — G&T's all day.

A sturdy, woody young Bourbon for straightforward cocktails.

Long and interesting, this Idaho rum has a bit of Jamaican rum funk and BBQ notes that play off milk chocolate and breakfast syrup notes.