Each year the Texas Whiskey Festival hosts a competition to determine who has the best Texas Bourbon, Rye, and Malt Whiskey.

With a panel of judges, we conduct the competition with a method known as blind judging. The brands and specific whiskeys they are tasting are unknown to the judges. Our panel of judges smell and taste their way through each whiskey, rating the aroma, taste complexity, and finish.

 

Bourbon: Grain to Glass

  • Gold – Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon

  • Silver – Silver Star Spirits 1849 Straight Bourbon

  • Bronze – Balcones Distilling Texas Pot Still Bourbon

 

Bourbon: Aged and Bottled in Texas

  • Gold – Rebecca Creek 10 year Straight Bourbon

  • Silver – Milam and Greene Triple Cask Straight Bourbon

  • Bronze – Iron Wolf Ranch and Distillery Select Bourbon

 

Rye Whiskey: Grain to Glass

  • Gold – Balcones Distilling Texas Rye 100

  • Silver – Gulf Coast Distilling Giant Rye 100

  • Bronze – Ranger Creek Distilling .44 Texas Rye

 

Rye Whiskey: Aged and Bottled in Texas

  • Gold – Treaty Oak Distilling Schenley Reserve Rye

  • Silver – Yellow Rose Distilling Rye

  • Bronze – Oak & Eden Rye & Spire

 

Malt Whiskey: Grain to Glass

  • Gold – Ranger Creek Distilling Rimfire Mesquite Smoked Single Malt

  • Silver – Andalusia Whiskey Co. Stryker Smoked Single Malt

  • Bronze – Balcones Distilling Lineage Single Malt

 

Other Whiskeys: includes whiskeys aged in used barrels, blended whiskey, and light whiskey.

  • Gold – Austin 101 Light Whiskey (made grain to glass in Texas)

  • Silver – Remington Family Distillers Remington Revival

  • Bronze – Rebecca Creek Small Batch

 

These are their winners, but remember the best whiskey is the one you like.

 

Thank you to the Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co for hosting us. A big thank you to our talented judges.

  • Marianne Eaves, KY’s First Female Master Distiller, Founder of Eaves, LLC Whisk(e)y and Spirits Consulting and Curator of Eaves Blind.

  • Gabrielle Pharms, Veteran journalist with bylines in/on Bourbon Plus, Whisky Advocate, Imbibe Magazine, UPROXX, and more.

  • Tom Koerner the former Spirit Guide and General Manager of Seven Grand Whiskey Bar and Las Perlas Mezcaleria, Current Brand Ambassador for Mezcal Unión