America’s whiskey game is still going strong. Despite the rise of Canadian whiskey, flavored whiskey, and Irish whiskey, U.S whiskey sales are continuously rising every year.
With an increasing Historical Accurate Sales for the All-Natural Rye Spirits that used to be whiskey until the Tax and Trade Bureau.
The International Spirits Challenge, the main judging authority and has garnered numerous esteem for the wines and spirits category, has accorded five different American brands of whiskeys with golden awards thus elevating these brands to prestige.
HOW ARE THESE BRANDS JUDGED ACCORDINGLY?
According to the Internation Spirits Contest, the association accepts almost 1,500 entries from 70 different countries worldwide. These numbers are not exclusive to Whiskeys alone, but different spirits that are available in the market. However, this vast availability of distillers cordially in rivals with each other is the reason why we have fine liquor ultimately.
In no particular order, the Internation Spirits Contest has awarded these Whiskey brands which were made by American distillers:
THE EAGLE RARE — 10-YEAR-OLD KENTUCKY STRAIGHT (A BOURBON WHISKEY)
This brand of whiskey first entered the wines and spirits competition with a track record going back to 2003 where it first harnessed its golden award under the Straight Whiskey category. Straight Whiskeys are generally defined as spirits that have been aged in un-charred barrels and are virtually made in Kentucky, with at least 51% corn grain in its make. It should not exceed 80% content of alcohol per volume and has been aged for at least 2 years in the barrel.
MAKER’S MARK CASK STRENGTH
This brand of whiskey also falls under the category of Straight Whiskey. As the brand’s slogan goes, “ This is Maker’s Mark Bourbon in all its glory.”, defined the very essence of the whiskey’s long-standing excellence on its award-winning bourbon. The brand is widely known in the American market for its impeccable review and market fame.
Americans, as widely known for their natural dear for liquor, continue to innovate more and more ways to distill different kinds of whiskeys and their sub-categories. The Single Bourbon category is no exception to this ever-growing love for spirits. Single Bourbon whiskey, or Single Barrel Whiskey, is fairly different from its relative, the Straight Bourbon. Premium as they are defined, Single Bourbon whiskeys are rather rigorous to make and require that every single bottle come from different individual aging barrels. They are otherwise blended from different aging barrels but rather blended on their own without the influence of other blends. Uniformity is the utmost concern for this category. One such example is the,
COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR JR. SINGLE BARREL KENTUCKY STRAIGHT (A BOURBON WHISKEY)
Still belonging to the Buffalo Trace’s umbrella-like the Eagle Rare, it is also known in accordance with its awards won in the Straight bourbon category. This is also known as the “only American whiskey to steal gold in the Single Barrel Bourbon category” by Gearpatrol. It also won at the International Whiskey competition multiple times for the same category. The World Whiskey’s Awards also garnered the Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey as the best bourbon in its challenge. With a tobacco-laden finish, this bottle will cost around $100.
THE KENTUCKY OWL RYE #1 (A RYE WHISKEY)
According to the Whiskey Advocate’s summer 2018 archives, they have defined Kentucky Owl Rye #1 as a “Long, rounded notes of caramel, cinnamon roll, taffy, butterscotch, brisket burnt ends, nutmeg, Jamaican jerk, plum pudding, ginger, light sassafras, root beer, roasted marshmallow, cotton candy, orange peel, raw honey, and pie crust.” Straight Rye whiskey is classified into two categories, 51% rye is required for an American Rye classification – while Canadian Rye classification is labeled as to not have a strict requirement in rye content in its blending process. By law, American rye must be made out of a mash of 51% rye, including malted barley and corn in the blend. This type of spirit has its grassroots in the northeastern parts of America, particularly, Pennsylvania and Maryland – while Pittsburgh centered the Rye production in the late 1700s to the early 1800s.
1792 SMALL BATCH KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY
With a “Small Batch variation” which is lower proof and considerable affordability, it has impeccably won gold awards and bests since its participation in 2010. Apparently cheap with its $22 price tag currently in the market, it has a “rough” taste at the beginning according to a reviewer – which may be expected from several other whiskeys in the market.
With the Whiskey category which has a long-standing American history, there are also other blends that through time has proved its superior quality even, moreover, without credit from the latest Whiskey Competitions in the world. Hallmark is at its very definition and has permanently cast their taste on the shelves of choice of bourbon lovers.
THE JIM BEAM BLACK
At a price range of only $20 a bottle, this blend was made in long white oak barrels, twice longer than its predecessor, the 12-year-old whiskey Jim Beam. A taste of brown sugar, caramel, butterscotch, and honey make this successful bourbon through the fine wood that it has been blended in.
RUSSEL’S RESERVE SINGLE BARREL RYE
With a hint of vanilla and tobacco, this is defined as having a spicy taste compared to its competitors. Made available on September 2015, Thrillist has defined this particular bourbon as “taking your tongue out for a hot date and cooks it breakfast the next morning.” – fancy for a description of a whiskey.
BULLEIT BOURBON 10 YEAR OLD
A traditional bourbon made in Kentucky, the Bulleit Bourbon 10-Year-old was described as Thrillist for having a “short, sweet taste on heaven.” A price per bottle of $52 may be reasonable for such an experience from an exemplary blender Bulleit which started its small-batch technique, 150 years ago – a testament to their authority in bourbon concoction.
BLANTON’S ORIGINAL SINGLE BOTTLE BOURBON WHISKEY
An oddly-shaped bottle that stands out from the rest, Blanton’s Original tastes and hints caramel and nuts – as well as chocolates. Like the aforementioned blends before Blanton’s, this also hails from Kentucky, with a 125-year-old track record.
STRANAHAN’S COLORADO WHISKEY
For the American market, bourbons would usually assail from Kentucky – but not with Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. A 47 percent all-malt whiskey, this usually does the magic for “Stranafans”, as Thrillist called them, for those enthusiasts of this particular brand of whiskey. These fans even waited overnight to be able to purchase bottles that are limited-edition.