American Distilling Institute 2013 Award Winners

April 03, 2013

The American Distilling Institute has announced its 2013 Artisan American Spirits Awards. Last month, ADI judged 317 artisan American spirits at Huber Orchard and Winery in Starlight, Indiana: 127 whiskies, 66 gins, 36 moonshines, 47 rums and 41 fruit spirits were submitted from 124 independently owned, small-batch distillers. Judges awarded 23 gold, 44 silver and 46 bronze medals, awarding medals to only 37% of participants. Following are the results.

BEST OF CLASS

WHISKEY

Ballast Point Spirits – Devil’s Share Malt Whiskey

GIN

Valentine Distilling Co. – Liberator Gin

RUM

Balcones Distilling – Texas Rum

MOONSHINE

Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine – Apple Pie Moonshine

BRANDY

Jepson Vineyards – Old Stock Mendocino Brandy

Excellence in Packaging – Craft Distilled Spirits

Sidetrack Distillery – Cassis Liqueur

Excellence in Packaging – Merchant Bottled Spirits

35 Maple Street – Kirk and Sweeney

Award-Winning Spirits

WHISKEY

CLEAR WHISKEY

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Myer Farm Distillers – White Dog Corn Whiskey

Silver Medal

Dark Horse Distillery – Long Shot White Whiskey

Bronze Medal

Middle West Spirits – OYO Rye Whiskey

High West Distillery – Silver Whiskey – Western Oat

Indian Creek Distillery – Elias Staley

Cornelius Pass Roadhouse Distillery – White Owl Whiskey

Asheville Distilling Co. – Troy & Sons Platinum Heirloom Moonshine

AGED CORN WHISKEY

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Balcones Distilling – True Blue

BOURBON (under two years)

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Yellow Rose Distilling – Yellow Rose Outlaw Bourbon

Silver Medal

Kings County Distillery – Kings County Bourbon

Bronze Medal

Rock Town Distillery – Arkansas Young Bourbon Whiskey

Cacao Prieto – Bloody Butcher Bourbon Whiskey

STRAIGHT BOURBON

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Balcones Distilling – Fifth-Anniversary Texas Straight Bourbon

Silver Medal

Dallas Distilleries – Herman Marshall

AGED RYE WHISKEY

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Grand Traverse Distillery – Ole George Rye Whiskey

Silver Medal

Mountain Laurel Spirits – Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey

Bronze Medal

Distillery 291 – Colorado Rye Whiskey

Catoctin Creek Distilling – Roundstone Rye Cask Proof

MALT WHISKEY (under 2 years)

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Balcones Distilling – Texas Single Malt

Gold Medal

Deerhammer Distilling Company – Down Time Single Malt Whiskey

Bronze Medal

Long Island Spirits – Pine Barrens Single Malt Whisky

STRAIGHT MALT WHISKEY

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits – Devil’s Share Straight Malt Whiskey

Silver Medal

New Holland Artisan Spirits – Zeppelin Bend Straight Malt

WHEAT WHISKEY

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Middle West Spirits – OYO Wheat Whiskey

Bronze Medal

American Craft Whiskey Distillery – Low Gap Whiskey Single Barrel No. 1

American Craft Whiskey Distillery – Low Gap California Whiskey

WHISKEY NON-TYPICAL

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Glacier Distilling Company – Wheatfish Whiskey

Silver Medal

Rogue Spirits – Dead Guy Whiskey

SMOKED WHISKEY

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Corsair Artisan – Wildfire

Silver Medal

Corsair Artisan – Salamander

HOPPED WHISKEY

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Corsair Artisan – Demeter

Silver Medal

Corsair Artisan – Falconer’s Flight

Bronze Medal

Corsair Artisan – Centennial

Corsair Artisan – Pacifica

Corsair Artisan – Titania

Corsair Artisan – Amarillo

FLAVORED WHISKEY

Best of Category – Bronze Medal

Sons of Liberity Spirits Company – Seasonal – 2012 Winter Release

MERCHANT BOTTLED WHISKEY

STRAIGHT BOURBON

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Cacao Prieto Distillery – Widow Jane Bourbon Whiskey

Silver Medal

Tatoosh Distillery & Spirits – Tatoosh Bourbon

BOURBON (cask finished)

Best of Category – Bronze Medal

Hillrock Estate Distillery & Malthouse – Solera Aged Bourbon

Bronze Medal

Big Bottom Whiskey – Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Zinfandel Cask

STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY

Best of Category – Silver Medal

35 Maple Street – Masterson’s 10-Year-Old Straight Rye Whiskey

MALT WHISKEY

Best of Category – Bronze Medal

Virginia Distillery – Virginia Highland Malt Whisky

GIN

CLASSIC DISTILLED GIN

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Rock Town Distillery – Brandon’s Gin

CLASSIC RECTIFIED GIN

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Captive Spirits Distilling – Big Gin

Gold Medal

Bull Run Distilling – Aria Portland Dry Gin

Silver Medal

Veracity Spirits – Vivacity Native Gin

CONTEMPORARY DISTILLED GIN

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Myer Farm Distillers – Myer Farm Gin

Silver Medal

Dancing Pines Distillery – Gin

Dancing Tree Distillery – Gin

Treaty Oak Distilling – Waterloo Gin

Bronze Medal

Corsair Artisan – Steampunk

Maine Distilleries – Cold River Traditional Gin

StilltheOne Distillery – Jarhead Gin

CONTEMPORARY RECTIFIED GIN

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Valentine Distilling Co. – Valentine Liberator Gin

Gold Medal

Maison De La Vie – Golden Moon Gin

Silver Medal

San Juan Island Distillery – Spy Hop Gin

Bronze Medal

Sweetgrass Farm Distillery – Back River Gin

Southern Artisan Spirits – Cardinal American Dry Gin

Spring 44 Distilling – Spring44 Gin

GENEVER

Best of Category – Bronze Medal

Oregon Spirit Distillers – Merrylegs Genever Style Gin

Bronze Medal

Corsair Artisan – Genever

NAVY STRENGTH GIN

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Few Spirits – Standard Issue Gin

OLD TOM GIN

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Ransom Spirits – Old Tom Gin

Silver Medal

Downslope Distilling – Ould Tom Gin

Bronze Medal

Corsair Artisan – Major Tom

BARREL-AGED GIN

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Corsair Artisan – Barrel Aged Gin

Silver Medal

Wood’s High Mountain Distillery – Treeline Gin, Barrel Aged

RUM

WHITE RUM

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Cape Spirits – Wicked Dolphin Rum – Silver

Bronze Medal

Dancing Pines Distillery – Rum

Donner-Peltier Distillers – Rougaroux Sugarshine

AMBER RUM

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Ballast Point Spirits – Barrel Aged Three Sheets Rum

Silver Medal

Montanya Distillers – Montanya Oro Rum

Van Brunt Stillhouse – Due North Rum

DARK RUM

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Real McCoy Spirits – The Real McCoy

Bronze Medal

Turkey Shore Distilleries – Old Ipswich Lab & Cask Reserve

OVERPROOF RUM

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Balcones Distilling – Texas Rum

Gold Medal

New Holland Artisan Spirits – Freshwater Superior

FLAVORED RUM

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Dogfish Head – Brown Honey Rum

SPICED RUM

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Dancing Pines Distillery – Spice

MERCHANT BOTTLED RUM

Best of Category – Silver Medal

35 Maple Street – Kirk and Sweeney

MOONSHINE

CLEAR MOONSHINE

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Dark Corner Distillery – Moonshine Corn Whiskey

Silver Medal

King’s County – Corn Whiskey

Bronze Medal

Deerhammer Distilling Company – Whitewater Whiskey

AGED MOONSHINE

Best of Category – Bronze Medal

Fog’s End Distillery – Monterey Rye

FLAVORED MOONSHINE

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine – Moonshine Apple Pie

Silver Medal

Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine – Moonshine Blackberry

Bronze Medal

Pinchgut Hollow Distillery – Captain Mick

Pinchgut Hollow Distillery – Rise N Shine

BRANDY

PEAR EAUX de VIE

Best of Category – Gold Medal

(McMenamin’s) Edgefield Distillery – Pear Brandy

Bronze Medal

Peach Street Distillers – Jack and Jenny Pear Brandy

Harvest Spirits – Harvest Spirits Pear Brandy

EAUX de VIE

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Coppersea Distilling – Peach Eau de Vie

Bronze Medal

Bellewood Distilling – Apple Brandy Eau de Vie

APPLEJACK/BRANDY

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Huber’s Starlight Distillery – Huber’s Applejack

Silver Medal

Tom’s Foolery – Applejack

BRANDY (Other than Grape)

Best of Category – Silver Medal

Peach Street Distillers – Pear Brandy

AGED BRANDY – Other

Best of Category – Bronze Medal

Dakota Spirits Distiller – Bickering Brothers Neutral Brandy

BRANDY (Aged less than 6 years)

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Huber’s Starlight Distillery – Huber’s Brandy – Reserve

Bronze Medal

Colorado Gold Distillery – Colorado Gold Brandy

BRANDY (Aged more than 6 years)

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery – Old Stock Brandy

Silver Medal

Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery – Signature Reserve Brandy

Jaxon Keys Winery & Distillery – Rare Brandy

GRAPPA

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Peach Street Distillers – Muscat Grappa

Gold Medal

Maison De La Vie – Golden Moon Colorado Grappa

Bronze Medal

Peach Street Distillers – Viognier Grappa

Magnanini Farm Winery – Magnanini Grappa

FLAVORED LIQUEUR

Best of Category – Bronze Medal

Sidetrack Distillery – Nocino

Bronze Medal

Cacao Prieto – Chamomile Liqueur

Bottle Tree Beverage Company – Hoodoo Chicory

FRUIT INFUSION

Best of Category – Gold Medal

Huber’s Starlight Distillery – Huber’s Raspberry Infusion

Silver Medal

Huber’s Starlight Distillery – Huber’s Blueberry

Sidetrack Distillery – Cassis Liqueur

Bronze Medal

Stone Barn Brandy Works – Quince Liqueur

You Might Also Enjoy

Vecchia Modena Nero Lambrusco di Modena DOC

Subscribe and Save

American Distilling Institute 2013 Award Winners

You Might Also Enjoy

Drink of the Week: Vecchia Modena Nero Lambrusco

8 to Try: Giftable Liqueurs

Cocktails Fit for a Holiday Feast

Drink of the Week: Manojo Mezcal

2024 Holiday Gift Guide

Cozy Up to These Tea-Infused Desserts

Elements: PX Sherry

How Jackson Cannon Helped Build (and Rebuild) Boston’s Cocktail Culture

How Red Drink Has Endured and Evolved

Breweries Are Turning Up the Heat on Winter Beer

Up to 50%

Enjoy This Article?