For the first time, Barleycorn faced off its Spring and Fall Competition Top Spirits to determine the Best Of 2022.
This blind-tasting combat was judged by Barleycorn Society members, including Clay Risen, Wayne Curtis, Zach Johnston, Susan Reigler, and John McCarthy. It proved to be a raucous smackdown.
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/clay-risen2-uai-258x258.jpg)
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/wayne2-uai-258x258.jpg)
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Zach-Johnston-uai-258x258.jpg)
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/susan-reigler-uai-258x258.jpg)
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/John-M-uai-258x258.jpg)
Broken ties, runaway winners, and surprising new up-and-comers emerged to take top honors, and it was such a pleasure discovering so many amazing spirits from producers from around the world this year along the way.
But the votes are tallied and it’s a pleasure to present our JOHN BARLEYCORN BEST SPIRITS OF 2022.
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-best-of-year-logos-1-uai-258x25.jpg)
Best Craft Spirit
Five Stories Barrel Aged Rum
Northern Row Brewery & Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Five-Stories-Barrel-Aged-Rum-1-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Bourbon
Pursuit United Batch 002
Pursuit Spirits, LLC
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_PURSUIT-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Single Barrel Bourbon/ Tennessee Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Jack Daniel Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Jack-Daniels-Single-Barrel-Select-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Luxury Whiskey
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Spring 2022
Heaven Hill Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Old-Fitzgerald-Bottled-in-Bond-Spring-2022-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best American Single Malt
Cedar Ridge The Quintessential
Cedar Ridge Winery And Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_2021-Entry-Images-group-3_0028_Background-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Rye Whiskey
New Riff Balboa Rye
New Riff Distilling
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_New-Riff-Distilling-Balboa-Rye-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Single Barrel Rye
291 Colorado Whiskey Finished with Aspen Staves, Barrel Proof Single Barrel
Distillery 291
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2C9F930D-4F57-4E26-ADF5-110D31F456A6-uai-258x258.jpeg)
Best American Whiskey
Copper Sky Cigar Blend Whiskey Finished in Amburana Barrels
Copper Sky Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Copper-Sky-Distillery-Cigar-Blend-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best World Whiskey
Cotswolds Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky
Cotswolds Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Cotswolds-Distillery-Bourbon-Cask-Single-Malt-Whisky-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Tennessee Whiskey
Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition Batch 009
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Uncle-Nearest-Master-Blend-Edition-Batch-009-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Canadian Whisky
Found North Batch 004
Found North Whisky
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Found-North-Batch-004-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Flavored Whiskey
Coattail Cinnamon Whiskey
Old Nick Williams Co. Farm & Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_CoatTail-Cinnamon-flavored-whiskey-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Scotch Whisky
Aberlour 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
Pernod Ricard
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Aberlour-18-Year-Old-Single-Malt-Scotch-Whiskey-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Irish Whiskey
Waterford The Cuvée
Glass Revolution Imports USA LLC
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Waterford-The-CUVEE-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Tequila
El Tesoro Extra Añejo
Beam Suntory
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_El-Tesero-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Mezcal
Cutwater Mezcal Reposado
Cutwater Spirits
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Cutwater-Spirits-%E2%80%93-Mezcal-Reposado-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Sotol
Watercross Golden Sotol
Dime Box Distillery LLC
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Watercross-Sotol-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Vodka
Haku Vodka
Beam Suntory
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Haku-Vodka-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Gin
Philosopher Bourbon Barrel Aged Gin
Aristotle Spirits
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Aristotle-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Rum
Five Stories Barrel Aged Rum
Northern Row Brewery & Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Five-Stories-Barrel-Aged-Rum-1-uai-516x516-2-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Shochu
Masako Honkaku Shochu
Furusawa Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Masako-uai-516x516-2-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Awamari
Yokka Koji Ryukyu Awamori
Chuko Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/yokka-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Brandy
Starlight 10-Year Estate Grown Bottled-In-Bond Apple Brandy
Starlight Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Starlight-Distillery-10-Year-Estate-Grown-Bottled-In-Bond-Apple-Brandy-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Cognac
Branson Cognac XO
Sire Spirits
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Branson-Cognac-XO-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Flavored Vodka
Hempahol Vodka Infused with Hemp Seed
The Old Nick Williams Co
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Hempahol-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Ready To Drink
High Peaks Barrel Aged Manhattan
High Peaks Distilling
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/high-peaks-uai-258x258.jpg)
Best Liqueur
Last Shot Chocolate Creme Brûlée Liquer
Last Shot Distillery
![](https://barleycornawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-BARLEYCORN_Missing_0000_Last-Shot-Distillery-Chocolate-Creme-Brulee-uai-516x516-1-uai-258x258.jpg)