DOUBLE-GOLD MEDAL WINNERS:

1. Hirsch Small Batch Reserve - (Kentucky) $34

Nose: Butter, vanilla, banana, floral, grassy, sweet, spicy. Palate: Rich fruit, light floral, dried orange rind, molasses, caramel, creamy layers, vanilla, maple, banana, tangerine, ginger, nutmeg, sweet, round, well-balanced, great smoothness, classy, favorite. Finish: Nutty, sugary, malty, some pepper, mellow, clean, soft, short.

Double Gold Medal

2. 1792 Ridgemont Reserve - (Kentucky) $28

Nose: Caramel, burnt sugar, molasses, vanilla, floral, rose, clean. Palate: Lemon peel, tangerine orange, apricot jam, honey, buttery, pastry, malty, nutmeg, hazelnut, sherry, eucalyptus, allspice, white pepper, medium spice, cedar, woodsy character, sweet, smooth. Finish: Lemon peel, malty, caramel, acidic, spicy, rustic, smooth, mellow, short to medium.

Double Gold Medal

3. Two-Way Tie - Buffalo Trace - (Kentucky) $23

Nose: Honey, molasses, caramel, butterscotch, smoky. Palate: Orange peel, pineapple, lemon citrus, apricot, vanilla, treacle, nutty, cereal, spicy, cinnamon, coffee, smoky, oak, clean, smooth, well-balanced. Finish: Floral, gtrassy, scotch-like, smooth, mellow, short.

Double Gold Medal

Elmer T. Lee - (Kentucky) $30

Nose: Sweet, honey, vanilla, caramel, buttery, floral, fruity, banana leaf. Palate: Caramel, honey, molasses, toffee, banana, creamy, buttery, biscuit, floral notes, fresh, smooth, well-balanced. Finish: Vanilla, maple syrup, sweet, soft, smooth, balanced, long.

Double Gold Medal

4. George Dickel - (Tennessee) $20

Nose: Spicy, sweet, black currant, grainy, rye, cereal, licorice, sherry, very soft. Palate: Caramel, butterscotch, candy, malty, buttery, toast, almond, clove, sweet, spicy, silky, round, complex, well-balanced. Finish: Buttery, maple, tea leaves, smoke, soft, tart, rich, smooth, medium-long.

Double Gold Medal

5. Old Pogue Master’s Select - (Kentucky) $46



Nose: Light floral, caramel, nutty. Palate: Caramel, treacle, light cream, malty, cedar, allspice, almond, leather, rich, very smooth, well-balanced. Finish: Nice, smooth.

Double Gold Medal

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS:

Bowman Brothers - (Virginia) $30

Nose: Sweet, toffee, butterscotch, coconut, tropical fruit, vanilla. Palate: Light honey, caramel, buttery, cream, pralines, marmalade, apricot, citrus, oak, tart, clean, well-balanced. Finish: Buttery, creamy, butterscotch, light spice, astringent, robust, smooth, soft, mellow, short.

Gold Medal

Wild Turkey Rare Breed 101 - (Kentucky) $38

Nose: Fruity, banana, apricot, peach, toffee, creamy, nutty, floral, sweet, rich, pleasant. Palate: Dark cherry, banana, warm butter, rich layers of toffee, treacle, caramel, chocolate, brown sugar, nutty, pecan, walnut, oak, cedar, clove, eucalyptus, woody, floral, herbal notes, spicy, tart, bitter, dry, slight burn, medicinal, sharp, nice. Finish: Smooth, pepper, citrus, sweet, spicy, fiery, bold, harsh, robust, long.

Gold Medal

Wild Turkey 81 - (Kentucky) $25

Nose: Woody, caramel, sweet molasses, ginger. Palate: Vanilla, banana, apricot, fruity, touch of citrus, lemon peel, honey, toffee, almond, ginger, buttery, creamy layers, slightly spicy, peppery, nutty, oak, mint, licorice. Finish: Smooth, soft, slight burn, peppery, spice, surprising body, balanced, long.

Gold Medal

Garrison Brothers Texas Straight- (Texas) $78

Nose: Black tea, toasted brown sugar, buttery, leather, dried fruit, cherry, sugar cane, vanilla, oak, oily, spicy, woodsy, clean. Palate: Orange peel, banana, peach, lemon, coconut, creamy, toffee, ginger, spice, floral notes, light oak, cedar, woody, mahogany rich, smoky, sour, oily, balanced, very elegant. Finish: Soft, peppery, spicy, clove, scotch-like, hot, smooth, short.

Gold Medal

Bulleit - (Kentucky) $27

Nose: Molasses, honey, brown sugar, ginger, sweet, toasty, oak. Palate: Caramel, banana, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, buttery, creamy layers, marzipan, malty, clove, almond, nutmeg, oak, syrupy, smooth, great flavor, delicious. Finish: Corn, toffee, soft, light, spicy, balanced.

Gold Medal

Ezra Brooks - (Kentucky) $14

Nose: Fruity, floral, corn, banana, orange, tropical fruit, honey, maple, hazelnut. Palate: Orange blossom, molasses, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, creamy, flowery, sweet, pepper, spicy, woodsy, rye, coriander, smooth. Finish: Vanilla, tea leaves, citrus, mint, dried fruit, grainy, malty, mellow.

Gold Medal

Cedar Ridge - (Iowa) $34

Nose: Caramel, honey, jalapeño, citrus, light. Palate: Buttery, caramel, creamy, sweet, rich, lemon rind, single malt flavors, leather, cedar, grainy, grassy, mint, floral. light, smooth, mellow. Finish: Sweet, corn, black currant, cedar, nutty, buttery, soft, smooth, robust, lingering.

Gold Medal

E. H. Taylor, Jr. - (Kentucky) $70

Nose: Fruity, caramel, toffee notes, brown sugar, raisin, coconut, grainy. Palate: Sweet, almond, orange peel, some fruit, pepper, spice, nutmeg, peppercorn, ginger, grass, sublime. Finish: Cereal, medicinal, harsh, smooth, long.

Gold Medal

Hudson Baby Bourbon - (New York) $46 (375 ml)

Nose: Spice, cinnamon, walnut, black tea, smoky, herbal, woody. Palate: Sweet orange marmalade, herbal, malty, rye, cedar, new wood, tobacco, leather, sour, tart, sharp, soft, clean. Finish: Medium, cinnamon, nice, great, lovely, smooth, mellow.

Gold Medal

Rebel Reserve - (Kentucky) $20

Nose: Floral, maple, hazelnut, lemon peel, coke, licorice. Palate: Rich, light banana, caramel, creamy, clove, mint, rye, spicy, marzipan, sherry, sourdough, earthy, wood, medicinal, clean, smooth, gentle, well-rounded, pleasant, premium. Finish: Smooth, sharp, light, tropical fruit, coffee, maple, pepper, short.

Gold Medal

SILVER MEDAL WINNERS:

John J. Bowman - (Virginia) $50

Nose: Rich fruit, orange peel, marmalade, molasses, rich toffee, rum-like, biscuits, soft, woody, floral. Palate: Burnt sugar, butter, creamy, toffee, brown sugar, orange peel, Madeira, grassy, ginger, minty, floral, oak, allspice. Finish: Cereal, vanilla, woodsy, rough, sharp, long.

Silver Medal

Abraham Bowman - (Virginia) $70

Nose: Rich, honey, sweet, molasses, butterscotch, burnt sugar, toffee, caramel, citrus, toast. Palate: Creamy, corn, jalapeño, licorice, rich wood, oak, charcoal, leather, medicinal, iodine, strong, pleasant warming, concentrated, unbalanced. Finish: Marzipan, pecan, spicy, orange peel, brown sugar, hot, harsh, lingering wood.

Silver Medal

Rebel Yell - (Kentucky) $15

Nose: Sweet, honey, caramel, pineapple, cream. Palate: Honey, sugarcane, molasses, creamy, butter, light pepper, floral, grain, lemon-citrus, cedar, oak, leather, smooth, clean, unbalanced. Finish: Oaky, oily, spicy, marzipan, harsh, mellow, short.

Silver Medal