DOUBLE-GOLD MEDAL WINNERS:

1.  Peace
(New York)
Locally grown whole wheat, pure Catskill Mountain water

Nose:Hint of chocolate, cola, vanilla ice cream, pastry dough, creamy, rye, peppery. Palate: Vanilla, butterscotch, cream, caramel, herbal, grassy, almond oil, nutty, pepper, nicely layered, very smooth, enjoyable. Finish: Buttery, vanilla, clean, fresh, pleasant, perfect.

Double Gold Medal

2.  Downslope Cane
(Colorado)
Juice of Maui sugar cane, gluten free

Nose: Lemon-lime, light berry, honeydew, banana, vanilla, floral, herbal, coffee bean, lively. Palate: Minty, spearmint, almond, vanilla, fruity, herbal, faint cocoa, mild zest, dances on the palate. Finish: White pepper, cocoa, wonderfully soft, creamy, smooth, gentle, delightful.

Double Gold Medal

3.   Krā-zē
(New York)

Nose: Berry, slightly grassy, crisp, mineral. Palate: Grainy, creamy, mandarin orange, grassy, almond oil, cashews, anise, cocoa, zesty, round. Finish: Peppery, clean, fresh, touch of sweetness.

Double Gold Medal

4. LiV
(New York)
Potato-based, gluten free

Nose: Nutty, caramel, light vanilla, sweet, jasmine, honeysuckle. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, banana, dusty, nutty, herbal elements, floral, mint, anise, black pepper, spicy, smoky, balanced, enjoyable. Finish: Coffee, black pepper, pink peppercorn, spicy, tart, creamy, silky, great.

Double-Gold Medal

5. Cold River
(Maine)
100% Maine potatoes, water sourced from the Cold River Aquifer

Nose: Pear, apples, cinnamon, rose water. Palate: Sweet, vanilla, cream, bread, almond, grassy, herbal, black pepper. Finish: Creamy, peppery, zesty, gentle, smooth.

Double-Gold Medal

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS:

High West
(Utah)
Oat-based, snowmelt naturally filtered in deep rock aquifers

Nose: Vanilla, light coconut, grape, fruity, spicy, earthy. Palate: Butterscotch, caramel, molasses, coconut, banana, creamy, anise, almond, nutty, peppery, fruity, minty, silky. Finish: Coconut, powdered sugar, creamy, rich.

Gold Medal

Most Wanted
(Kansas)
Grain-based, slow-filtration

Nose: Touch of lemon, potato, light, gentle. Palate: Grainy, light herbal, floral tones, mild dough, creamy, light vanilla, black pepper, dry, very smooth. Finish: Mineral, pastry dough, white pepper, cinnamon, corriander, touch of pepper, mellow.

Gold Medal

Revolution
(Idaho)
Grain-based, Rocky Mountain water

Nose: Herbal, grassy, mineral. Palate: Herbal, grassy, vanilla cream, brittle, floral, woodsy, silky. Finish: Toffee, herbal, woodsy, silky, clean, mellow.

Gold Medal

Plantation
(Georgia)
Blend of Southern grain and corn based, aquifer water naturally filtered through limestone

Nose: Honey, herbal, citrus, burnt sugar, mineral, leather. Palate: Nuts, ginger, orange, citron, bread, grainy, grassy. Finish: Potato, lively, zesty, spicy, complex, smooth, very nice.

Gold Medal

Mako
(Florida)
Hand-selected distiller’s grains (midwestern corn, barley), natural iron-free limestone spring water, 5 times distilled

Nose: Berry, tropical, cola, light lime, grain. Palate: Vanilla, caramel, cream, silky, herbal, mint, light pepper, peppery, mineral, layered, mellow. Finish: Caramel, lightly spicy, zesty, mint, smooth, clean.

Gold Medal

Valentine
(Michigan)
Blend of barley, red Michigan wheat, and corn

Nose: Citrus, grain, dusty, subtle. Palate: Dusty, mineral, wet stone, melon, lemony, grassy, botanicals, grain, rye, creamy, light caramel, cocoa. Finish: Nutty, powdered sugar, anise, dry, crisp, creamy, rich, full-bodied.

Gold Medal

Zodiac
(Idaho)
Potato-based, gluten free, pure Rocky Mountain spring water

Nose: Light grain, some spice, complex, clean. Palate: Almond, nutty, rye, slightly peppery, herbal, grassy, floral, mineral, complex, very smooth. Finish: Almond, clean, intense floral, soft, silky, balanced.

Gold Medal

1876
(Texas)
Sweet midwest corn, purified water

Nose: Nutty, peppery, grassy, floral, clean, fresh. Palate: Buttery, vanilla, peppercorn, black pepper, mineral, tangy, soft, silky, mild, mellow, smooth, balanced. Finish: Creamy, floral, fresh.

Gold Medal

Goat
(Colorado)
Grain-based (including corn), three distillations and two charcoal filtrations

Nose: Subtle, spearmint. Palate: Powdered sugar, grainy, dusty, mineral, lemon peel, almond, minty, zesty, smooth, clean, fresh, light. Finish: Creamy, nutty, soft, clean, fresh.

Gold Medal

Clear 10
(Kansas)
Local grains and naturally-filtered water, slow-filtered 10 times

Nose: Almond oil, subtle, delicate, neutral. Palate: Vanilla, cola, almond oil, touch of butter, grainy, stone, silky, rich, delicate, clean, smooth, balanced, refined. Finish: Floral, mint, soft, zesty.

Gold Medal

Cold Steel
(Oregon)
100% American winter wheat grain, natural spring water, filtered through a virgin coconut husk

Nose: Summer cotton field, mineral. Palate: Vanilla, almond oil, grain, dough, bread, herbal, earthy, soft, dry. Finish: Soft, clean, smooth.

Gold Medal

Mastermind
(Illinois)
Local select Midwestern grain (corn & wheat)

Nose: Herbal, faint lemon, grainy, peppery. Palate: Layers of cream, buttery, vanilla, grassy, minty, delicate. Finish: Spice, very nice, elegant.

Gold Medal

Blue Flame
(Washington)

Nose: Peppery, floral, woody, mezcal elements. Palate: Rich layers of stone fruit, fig, walnut, almond oil, anise, creamy, mezcal, pepper, woody, complex. Finish: Butterscotch, forceful herbal elements, smooth, bold.

Gold Medal

SILVER MEDAL WINNERS:

Veracity
(Oregon)
Organic corn-based, well water, cold filtered 10 times

Nose: Lime, citrus, kiwi, herbal, zesty. Palate: Rye, grain, herbal, grassy, minty, spicy, peppery, wet stone, cedar, cigar box, intense. Finish: Cocoa, sweet, black pepper, spicy, floral, nice, clean, crisp, mineral.

Silver Medal

Southern
(Georgia)
Corn-based, slow carbon filtration

Nose: Bread, herbal, anise, minty, cedar. Palate: Fruity, creamy, vanilla, sweet, almond, nuts, rye, grain, white pepper, wasabi, mint, mineral, woodsy. Finish: Gentle, herbal, mineral, bold, full-bodied.

Silver Medal