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.





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.

Best Craft Spirit
Five Stories Barrel Aged Rum
Northern Row Brewery & Distillery

Best Bourbon
Pursuit United Batch 002
Pursuit Spirits, LLC

Best Single Barrel Bourbon/ Tennessee Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Jack Daniel Distillery

Best Luxury Whiskey
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Spring 2022
Heaven Hill Distillery

Best American Single Malt
Cedar Ridge The Quintessential
Cedar Ridge Winery And Distillery

Best Rye Whiskey
New Riff Balboa Rye
New Riff Distilling

Best Single Barrel Rye
291 Colorado Whiskey Finished with Aspen Staves, Barrel Proof Single Barrel
Distillery 291

Best American Whiskey
Copper Sky Cigar Blend Whiskey Finished in Amburana Barrels
Copper Sky Distillery

Best World Whiskey
Cotswolds Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky
Cotswolds Distillery

Best Tennessee Whiskey
Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition Batch 009
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey

Best Canadian Whisky
Found North Batch 004
Found North Whisky

Best Flavored Whiskey
Coattail Cinnamon Whiskey
Old Nick Williams Co. Farm & Distillery

Best Scotch Whisky
Aberlour 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
Pernod Ricard

Best Irish Whiskey
Waterford The Cuvée
Glass Revolution Imports USA LLC

Best Tequila
El Tesoro Extra Añejo
Beam Suntory

Best Mezcal
Cutwater Mezcal Reposado
Cutwater Spirits

Best Sotol
Watercross Golden Sotol
Dime Box Distillery LLC

Best Vodka
Haku Vodka
Beam Suntory

Best Gin
Philosopher Bourbon Barrel Aged Gin
Aristotle Spirits

Best Rum
Five Stories Barrel Aged Rum
Northern Row Brewery & Distillery

Best Shochu
Masako Honkaku Shochu
Furusawa Distillery

Best Awamari
Yokka Koji Ryukyu Awamori
Chuko Distillery

Best Brandy
Starlight 10-Year Estate Grown Bottled-In-Bond Apple Brandy
Starlight Distillery

Best Cognac
Branson Cognac XO
Sire Spirits

Best Flavored Vodka
Hempahol Vodka Infused with Hemp Seed
The Old Nick Williams Co

Best Ready To Drink
High Peaks Barrel Aged Manhattan
High Peaks Distilling

Best Liqueur
Last Shot Chocolate Creme Brûlée Liquer
Last Shot Distillery
