Each year the Texas Whiskey Festival hosts a competition to determine who has the best Texas Bourbon, Rye,  Malt Whiskey and the newly added Flavored Whiskeys. The categories are also broken out between grain to glass and aged & bottled in Texas products. Both are spectacular, but different so we want to highlight that. The winners are chosen by a panel of judges in a blind tasting. 


We view the contest and awards as a guide for people to discover new whiskeys. Everything entered in the contest is available for purchase by the bottle or glass with some being in distribution and others being distillery-only releases. 

These are the winners chosen by the judges, so we let Festival attendees have the opportunity to vote on their favorite distillery to decide the people’s choice award. Remember the best whiskey is the one you like. 

Bourbon: Grain to Glass

  • Silver Star Spirits - 1849 Straight Bourbon

  • Balcones Distilling - Blue Corn Bourbon finished in Wine Casks

  • Yellow Rose Distilling - Harris County Bourbon 

Bourbon: Aged and Bottled in Texas

  • Treaty Oak Distilling - 16 Year Tennessee Whiskey

  • Oak & Eden - Anthro Series: Forrie J Smith

  • Dime Box Distilling - Single Barrel 6yr Sixth Street Bourbon 

Rye Whiskey: Grain to Glass

  • Balcones Distilling - Texas Rye Bottled in Bond

  • Giant Texas Distillers - Cask Strength Rye

  • Shire Distilling - Rye Whiskey

Rye Whiskey: Aged and Bottled in Texas

  • Blackland Distilling - Rye Whiskey

  • Old Humble Distilling - Double OakStraight Rye Whiskey

  • Yellow Rose Distilling - Rye Whiskey

Malt Whiskey: Grain to Glass

  • Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co. - Single Mom Single Malt

    1. To get a pour in the tasting room, use the password: How Dare You

  • Andalusia Whiskey Co. - Bottled in Bond Single Malt

  • William Price Distilling - Single Malt Sherry Finished. 

Flavored Whiskeys

  • Blackland Distilling - Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon

  • Treaty Oak Distilling - Old Fashioned Cocktail

  • Silver Star Spirits - Texas Honey

You can taste the best Texas whiskeys and many more. It doesn’t matter if you are an avid whiskey drinker or think you might like whiskey this is an opportunity for you to try new whiskeys and meet the people that make them. You will get to choose from 70+ whiskeys made by the 35 distilleries participating.

It is a night of sampling new whiskey, meeting friends, enjoying food, cigars, and music. Get your tickets HERE!

Thank you to the Wizard Academy  for hosting us. A big thank you to our talented judges

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  • Mark Shilling is the CEO at SUSTO Mezcal and Partner at Big Thirst. Former president of the American Craft Spirits Association and long time advocate for the spirits industry instrumental in key legislative efforts.

    • Big Thirst represents some Texas brands, but Mark does not work on production of any brands in the whiskey category.

  • Samantha Fletcher has 20+ years in the beverage and hospitality industry, mainly focused around education and business development. A champion of the craft, Samantha continues to advocate and spread the knowledge of the bold and unique world that is Texas Whiskey.

  • Matt Zitrick has enjoyed whiskey since birth, but really got into it when he turned 5 making cocktails with his grandfather.  He is a level 3 Whiskey Sommelier, has run the Whiskey Crusaders YouTube Channel/Events since 2019, and has one the largest collections of Whiskey in America at over 3,000 bottles from around the globe. A supporter of all things Texas, and the best whiskey is the one you are enjoying right now.

Four bottles of whiskey in front of a colorful cow painting, with white berries and green foliage at the base.