Solely Three Whiskeys Received ‘Better of Present’ At The North American Bourbon & Whiskey Competitors 2024

The North American Bourbon & Whiskey Competitors simply celebrated its tenth anniversary. Having now spent a decade fastidiously tasting and recognizing the perfect bourbon and whiskey that North America has to supply, the competitors for the judges’ favor has by no means been extra fierce. 

On this 12 months’s competitors, 15% extra entries had been obtained than in 2023. Throughout these entries, 11 had been awarded Double Gold medals (watch this house), and three had been named ‘Better of Present’. So, I believed at this time we might check out the coveted ‘Better of Present’ winners – manufacturing, tasting notes, and the place you should buy. 

1792 Full Proof 

Award: Better of Present, 1st Place – 96 Factors
Tasting Notes: Smoke, candy vanilla, caramel
BUY NOW: $45 

This isn’t the primary time that Barton 1792 Distillery has been talked about in my Awards Sequence articles. The Small Batch, Single Barrel, and Bottled-In-Bond expressions have all achieved accolades on the Worldwide Whisky Competitors 2024 and the Worldwide Spirits Problem in 2023. 

Nevertheless, that is the primary time that I’ve written in regards to the 1792 Full Proof, which gained Better of Present on the 2024 North American Bourbon & Whiskey Competitors. That isn’t to say that the bourbon has not beforehand gained awards. In reality, you may see a list of Full Proof’s awards on Barton 1792’s web site. 

1792 Full Proof is a restricted version Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey that was bottled at its barrel entry proof, 125 (62.5% ABV), therefore the identify “full proof”. In line with the 1792 web site, “Bourbon insiders have lengthy acknowledged that full proof bourbon has a distinguished and wealthy taste.”

The expression is non-chill-filtered and was filtered solely by a plate and body filter, serving to the whiskey to take care of not solely its excessive ABV but additionally its sturdy profile. 

Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey 

Award: Better of Present, 2nd Place – 96 Factors
Tasting Notes: Spicy caramel, maple, fruit, raisins
BUY NOW: $50

Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey was the inaugural whiskey from the Uncle Nearest model, produced on the Nearest Inexperienced Distillery in Tennessee. It was rolled out in 2017 and has scooped award after award since then. Now, ‘Better of Present, 2nd Place’ on the North American Bourbon & Whiskey Competitors may be added to that listing. 

Nearest Inexperienced Distillery and Uncle Nearest, helmed by Fawn Weaver, pays tribute to the person who taught Jack Daniel (sure, that Jack Daniel) tips on how to make whiskey: Nearest Inexperienced – the primary African American grasp distiller. 

The mix accommodates whiskeys sourced from quite a few distilleries, leading to a clean and refined spirit. Crafted by Uncle Nearest’s Grasp Blender, Victoria Eady Butler, the mix is bottled at 100 proof. 

Regardless of the usage of whiskeys from numerous different distilleries, Uncle Nearest 1856 now accommodates whiskey produced on the Nearest Inexperienced Distillery. Within the coming years, Uncle Nearest plans to provide all of its personal whiskey at its Tennessee plant. 

King’s Household Distillery Ryeconic 

Award: Better of Present, third Place – 95 Factors
Tasting Notes: No official tasting notes accessible
BUY NOW: $75

King’s Household Ryeconic is a part of the award-winning lineup from the King’s Family Distillery. A season launch, Ryeconic is a “top-shelf Rye whiskey”, aged in two separate barrels earlier than being bottled. The mash invoice consists of a daring 95% rye and is barreled at roughly 112 proof. 

This specific expression of Ryeconic was aged for 8 years and three months earlier than bottling at 110.5 proof. 

Sadly, the King’s Household Distillery web site doesn’t listing any official tasting notes for Ryeconic. Nevertheless, the notes from First Fill Spirits are as follows: “The dill is there however surrounded by coconut and marshmallows. Has a little bit of a S’extra high quality to it together with some fruit punch. The palate is way spicier with lemon-lime, pepper, and charred oak spice. You continue to have a few of that coconut and vanilla however silkier, drier.” 

King’s Household Distillery was additionally honored on the 2023 North American Bourbon & Whiskey Competitors when its King’s Wheated Bourbon gained a Double Gold medal. 

King’s Household Distillery was established in 2018 by Justin and Cara King, a husband-and-wife staff with in depth backgrounds within the spirits business. Their shared expertise advanced right into a deep ardour for distilling, resulting in the creation of their very own distillery. Positioned close to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on the foot of the Nice Smoky Mountains, the distillery has rapidly gained the eye of whiskey critics.