UNCLE NEAREST PREMIUM BARTENDER SPIRITS AWARDS
Distillery of the Year
Winning top honors from a competition designed by the on-premise industry for the on-premise industry is impressive. All the components that move bottles in the market are present: The whiskey is terrific, the brand’s story is exceptional, and their commitment to quality is sublime. They’re also using their brand for good: The efforts of Uncle Nearest founder and CEO Fawn Weaver helped bring fellow distiller Jackie Summers’ hibiscus liqueur Sorel back to the market after a hiatus, further shining the spotlight on Black- and minority-owned spirits businesses in the process. “When we started Uncle Nearest five years ago, we set out to cement Nearest Green’s name in history and tell the world what we knew: That he was one of the best whiskey-makers of all time,” said Katharine Jerkins, Uncle Nearest’s chief business officer. “This honor solidifies the amazing work our team has done to continue his legacy, and we could not be more proud to be awarded Distillery of the Year.”
IRONROOT REPUBLIC DISTILLING ICONS OF WHISKY
American Craft Producer of the Year First off: Icons of Whisky is based in the UK — it’s sponsored by Whisky Magazine — so whisky is spelled properly. No matter how it’s spelled, however, the fact remains that a craft distillery from the small town of Denison, Texas winning the award is a big deal. While Ironroot Republic’s win pushes their excellent juice onto the international stage, it also allows the concept of Texas craft spirits to further penetrate the collective consciousness of drinkers around the globe. This is important — Texas craft had one hell of a year on the awards circuit in 2021, so it would be quite wise for spirits aficionados everywhere to take notice. Fortunately, it looks like plenty of people have done just that. “Winning the American Craft Producer award from Whiskey Magazine was life changing,” said Robert Likarish, Ironroot Republic’s Founder and Distiller. “Having won a number of awards over the years, we were not prepared for what came with winning at their World Whisky Awards. Our business tripled overnight. It’s enabled us to produce more and experiment more. For us, it was truly a blessing.” W W W . ARTISANSPIRITMAG . C O M
ALEX CASTLE,
OLD DOMINICK DISTILLERY
DISTILLED SPIRITS COUNCIL
(DISCUS)
Impact Award for Emerging Leaders
Equality, diversity, and inclusiveness are crucial concepts for the distilling industry to promote. Alex Castle’s efforts go a long way in making sure these concepts don’t devolve into mere empty buzzwords. Her status as Tennessee’s first post-Prohibition female head distiller merely scratches the surface of the impact she’s had and will continue to have on the industry. Castle’s recognition by DISCUS serves as recognition of all the achievements she’s made in her career thus far, but it also points towards more great things to come. “As president of the Tennessee Distillers Guild, a member of the DISCUS Craft Advisory Council and the first female head distiller in Tennessee since Prohibition, Alex embodies everything this award stands for,” said Chris Swonger, President and CEO of DISCUS and Responsibility.org. “She is an exemplary leader who is working to make the spirits industry stronger, more inclusive, and a welcoming industry for all.”
KAVALAN
SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION (SFWSC)
The Tasting Alliance Distillery of the Year Japan tends to gather the lion’s share of attention in the Asian whiskey market. This hyper-focus on a particular country helps make the win by this Taiwanese distillery so impressive. The accolade serves as a reminder that exceptional whiskey can be made anywhere if there are passionate people that understand how to harness the art and science of distilling properly. While Kavalan’s win may come as a pleasant surprise to some, it wasn’t necessarily a shock to the judges, who’ve long admired the product. “Kavalan has been entering SFWSC for about a decade. Every year they win multiple Double Gold medals,” explained SFWSC Executive Director Anthony Dias Blue. “I must say, their products are among the most consistently top quality of all the entries submitted.”
Rich Manning is a freelance food and drink writer based in Fountain Valley, CA. He lives about 15 minutes south of Disneyland, but he hasn’t gone there in ages — he’d rather visit the nearby breweries and distilleries instead. You can check out some of his other written hackery by visiting richmanning.pressfolios.com. He can be reached at richmanning72@gmail.com. 117
