The trade buyers and experts of the spirits industry who were part of the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings, reviewed and rated these spirits brands based on their quality, value, and packaging. Below are the names of the award-winning brands.

Highclere Castle Gin

Highclere Castle Gin was launched in 2019 with a mission to produce the finest gin in the world. The super-premium gin was crafted to celebrate Highclere’s reputation for entertaining to the highest standards through the centuries. Still today, Highclere plays host to many of the world’s foremost statesmen, scientists, celebrities and artists where the evening always begins with gin cocktails dating back to the 1920’s.

Tasting notes: Flavors of juniper and notes of citrus and notes of floral aromas.

Highclere Castle Gin won Gold Medal with 96 points at the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings. 

AO Come Hell or High Water

Since 2013, Pilot House Distilling has made it its top priority to provide customers with the best craft quality products available. The team works hard to guarantee that whenever their customers, friends, & family think of quality, they’ll be thinking of Pilot House Distilling.

Tasting notes: Aromas of sweet cinnamon sticks, apples and charred wood. Smokey taste, heat, spice of cinnamon, clove, apple, fruit peels, stone fruits, hint of sea salt with peppermint.

AO Come Hell or High Water Whisky won Gold Medal with 96 points at the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings. 

Redmont Vodka

Founded in 2015, the team at Redmont Distillery began distilling their Redmont Vodka and Vulcan Gin locally in small batches at their Birmingham distillery, which also happens to be the first legal distillery in Birmingham since prohibition. They distill the vodka eight times, giving it a 100% neutral taste. Redmont vodka hit the shelves in early 2016 and right off the bat, people could taste the difference. 

Tasting notes: Light creaminess on the nose followed by flavors of black pepper.

Redmont Vodka won Gold Medal with 96 points at the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings. 

Cooperstown Ransom Rye Whiskey

Enjoy the “grain to bottle” experience with Cooperstown Distillery that employs the highest quality artisanal distilling practices. Their award-winning, distinguished whiskeys are carefully matured on-site in choice barrels, which further enhance their deep rich color and complex character. They then hand-bottle and hand-label their nationally-recognized spirits.

Tasting notes: Maple aromas and a rich mouthful of sweet grains, caramel, dark ripe berries, and leather.

Cooperstown Ransom Rye Whiskey won Gold Medal with 96 points at the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings. 

1000 Piers Coastal Carolina Gin

1000 Piers Gin produced by The Hackney Distillery is an award-winning unashamedly modern style London Dry Gin.  It is distilled with Juniper and a blend of 21 other botanicals including orange, grapefruit, lemongrass, kaffir lime, ginger, blueberries and star anise to name a few. A recipe that took them three years to develop and optimise. 

Tasting notes: Rich, bold aromas of ginger and anise pull the juniper-forward. The sweet and spicy taste of sharp lemongrass and seemingly juicy, dark berry notes create a slick and full-bodied mouthfeel.

1000 Piers Coastal Carolina Gin won Gold Medal with 96 points at the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings. 

Rhumb Runner Monymusk

Here’s what the judging panel of the USA Spirits Ratings had to say— Excellent cask strength example of a Jamaican rum. Savory on the nose with notes of vanilla, syrup, and toffee.

Rhumb Runner Monymusk Rum won Gold Medal with 96 points at the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings. 

Broken Barrel Mizunara Whiskey

This story all began in a garage. In 2012, young and creative founder Seth Benhaim decided the world was in desperate need of a spirit that offered a natural and simple process that anyone could understand. After experiencing the magic of infused spirits while on vacation, he realized the market lacked such a product. So naturally, he decided to be the one to create it...and he did.  

One year and a few hundred samples of vodka infused with the only natural, real ingredients later, Seth launched Infuse Spirits.

Tasting notes: Green pear notes with cornbread flavors and vanilla. Warm finish.

Broken Barrel Mizunara Whiskey won Gold Medal with 95 points at the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings.