The American Spirits Council Of Tasters Announce “Best In Class” Winners For 2022 ASCOT Awards

The American Spirits Council Of Tasters Announce “Best In Class” Winners For 2022 ASCOT Awards

Winners for Best Whiskey and Best White Spirit to be announced via Minnick’s livestream tasting at 8 PM ET, HERE.

Today (5.27), the American Spirits Council of Tasters announce the winners for the 2022 ASCOT Awards, honoring the best spirits across the globe. View the full winners list, here: ascotawards.com. World-renowned spirits expert, best-selling author and entrepreneur Fred Minnick launched the American Spirits Council of Tasters and inaugural international spirits competition — The ASCOT Awards — in 2021.

Minnick announced the 2022 winners for Double Platinum, Platinum, Gold and Honorable Mention on Monday (5.23), UPROXX shared the 2022 Best In Category winners on Wednesday (5.25) HERE, and tonight at 8 PM ET, he'll host a livestream taste test on his YouTube channel to determine the Best In Show winner. 

“In our second year, the ASCOTs showed what we’ve always known — there are a lot of great spirits out there,” says Minnick. “Our council of tasters blind tasted each to choose the best. When we uncovered the names, we were shocked by some and expected others. That’s the beauty of a blind tasting. You never know who will win.”

The ASCOT Awards judges virtually taste-tested more than 800 spirits over three months and received entries from major distilleries and small distilleries alike. Judges for the awards include esteemed members of the spirits world and range from bar owners, bartenders, mixologists, spirits industry execs, spirits educators and more. Each entry is evaluated on a 100-point scale based on criteria including appearance, aroma, taste, and finish. This year’s judges include author, bar owner, concept creator, and educator, Martin Cate, educator, influencer, and highly sought-after special events bartender Tiffanie Barriere, world’s first female Master Bourbon Taster, founder of the nationwide organization Bourbon Women, and a member of the Kentucky Distillers Association and Whiskey Magazine Halls of Fame Peggy Noe Stevens, world-renowned mixologist, spirits industry educator, and icon of cocktail culture, Francesco Lafranconi, and others.

Here are the 2022 ASCOT Awards winners:

Best Bourbon: Bulleit Barrel Strength - Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Best Rye: Smooth Ambler Contradiction Rye - Blend of Straight Rye

Best American Rye Single Barrel Whiskey: Middle West Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey – Dark Pumpernickel Cask Strength

Best Scotch Whiskey: Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Years Old – Batch #3 - Single Malt Scotch – 13 to 19 Years - Region: Islay

Best American Single Barrel Whiskey: Middle West Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey – Dark Pumpernickel Cask Strength

Best American Single Malt Whiskey: Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Sherry Cask Finish - American Single Malt

Best American Whiskey: Old Carter Whiskey Co. - Old Carter Straight American Whiskey

Best Wheat Whiskey: Journeyman Distillery – Corsets, Whips, and Whiskey 

Best Light Whiskey: Penelope American Light Whiskey

Best Tennessee Whiskey: Jack Daniel’s 10-years-old Tennessee Whiskey

Best World Whiskey: Archie Rose Distilling Co. Single Malt Whiskey 

Best Tequila: Familia Camarena Reposado Tequila

Best Liqueur: Foro Rosso Vermouth di Torino

Best Vodka: Heaven Hill Distillery – Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka

Best Gin: Ventura Spirits Wilder Gin

Best Rum: Privateer Rum Distiller’s Drawer – Intrepid – Aged Rum 

Best Mezcal: Cutwater Spirits Mezcal Joven 

Best Whiskey Club Pick: 5280 Whiskey Society Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel “Thunder Chicken”

Best New Bottle Design: Green River

Best Blender: Penelope

Best Craft Distiller: Huber's Starlight Distillery 

Best Large Spirits Producer: Heaven Hill 

Best Independent Bottler: Doc Swinson's 

Breakout Distiller of the Year: Smooth Ambler

Rising Star Spirits Company: Pierre Ferrand 

Best Brand Ambassador: Stephen Fante, Whiskey Ambassador Limestone Branch Distillery

Whiskey Club of the Year: The Dallas Bourbon Club

For more information on the annual ASCOT Awards visit ascotawards.com. For more information on Fred Minnick, visit fredminnick.com.

ABOUT THE ASCOT AWARDS:

ASCOT Awards is an international spirits competition created by spirits personality and veteran tasting judge, Fred Minnick. The competition provides a unique opportunity for distillers to have their products recognized through Fred’s YouTube channel, social media, news articles, newsletters and festival.

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