Last week, the World Whiskies Awards announced the top American whiskey from the World Whiskies Awards USA 2025. This annual regional competition showcases the best American whiskeys and bourbons, with winners earning a spot in the global finals set for March.
Today, I’ll be exploring some of the standout American whiskeys from this year’s competition, spanning categories such as flavored whiskey, blended whiskey, single grain expressions, pot still whiskeys, and new make spirits. If you’re looking for insights on bourbon, rye, and single malts, stay tuned—dedicated articles on those are coming soon. You can find the ‘World’s Best’ winners here. Now, let’s dive into the tasting notes, production methods, and prices of some more award-winning American whiskeys.
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Best American Blended
15 Stars Three Kings
Age: 12 Years & Under
Tasting Notes: Baking spice, ripe fruit, peach pie, allspice, fig, cherry, plum, apricot, pepper, persimmon pudding, candied fruit, pear, honey, vanilla, toasted oak, cocoa bean
BUY NOW: $179
15 Stars Three Kings is a balanced blend of wheat, rye, and bourbon whiskeys between 11 and 15 years old. The limited release was bottled at 107 proof (53.5% ABV) and launched in July 2024. Since its release, it has earned significant acclaim at various spirits competitions, including the John Barleycorn Awards, as well as a silver medal at the inaugural Whiskey Wash Awards last month.
At the time of release, Ricky Johnson, co-founder of 15 Stars, commented: “We believe with the release of Three Kings that this is the first time someone has ever crafted a blend like this—balancing these three whiskeys, wheat, rye, and bourbon together. The Three Kings expression truly exemplifies what we strive to accomplish as a brand—always innovating and thinking out of the box to create the very best tasting whiskey we can for enthusiasts across the country.”
Best American Corn
Ironroot Republic Hubris Corn
Age: 12 Years & Under
Tasting Notes: Macadamia honey pralines, coconut macaroons, French silk pie, blackberry compote
BUY NOW: $64.99
Hubris, from Ironroot Republic, is a 100% corn whiskey distilled from three different corn types: Heirloom Purple Corn, Red Flint Corn, and non-GMO Yellow Dent Corn.
Ironroot does not state an age on its official website. However, the World Whiskies Awards has categorized the whiskey as 12 years and under.
Aged in second-fill European oak casks, the whiskey develops a subtle oak profile that balances its sweet, fruity notes from the heirloom corn.
Bottled at 58.9% ABV (117 proof), Ironroot Republic Hubris Corn is available for online purchase but must be picked up at the Ironroot Republic Distillery in Denison, Texas.
Best American Flavored Whiskey
Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey
Age: No Age Statement
Tasting Notes: Cocoa, dark chocolate, marshmallow
BUY NOW: $39.99
Heritage Distilling Co. continues to make waves with Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey, which is consistently praised for its smooth profile and rich hot chocolate-inspired flavors.
Heritage Distilling Co. infuses its whiskey with naturally flavored cane sugar to create Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey.
The brand suggests savoring Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey “in the mountains or on a cool summer evening with friends.” Heritage Distilling Co. has also created cocktail recipes featuring this indulgent spirit, including ‘All That Glitters Is Gold’—a rich, creamy mix of Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey, vanilla vodka, and cold brew coffee, topped with macchiato foam and a caramel drizzle.
Best American Grain
Bainbridge Yama Mizunara Cask Single Grain
Age: 12 Years & Under
Tasting Notes: Sandalwood, tropical flowers, star anise, joss incense, nutmeg, cloves, pear, marzipan, toasted coconut, yuzu, spice, honey, oak
BUY NOW: $575.95
Bainbridge Organic Distillers bills Yama Mizunara as “the world’s only non-Japanese whiskey to be aged exclusively in Mizunara oak.”
The whiskey was distilled from unmalted USDA Organic Alba and Full Pint barley grown in Washington state. It was twice-distilled in a pot still before being aged for at least five years in 66-gallon Mizunara oak casks.
Mizunara oak is highly prized in whiskey maturation for its distinctive aromatic qualities, imparting complex notes of sandalwood, spice, and coconut. Native to Japan, it grows slowly and is notoriously porous, with a twisted grain that makes barrel production challenging. Despite these difficulties, its rarity and unique flavor profile make it highly sought after.
Best American New Make & Young Spirit
Chattanooga Whiskey Silver
Age: New Make
Tasting Notes: Honeysuckle, pear, graham cracker, caramel corn
BUY NOW: $24.99
Chattanooga Whiskey Silver is the unaged expression of the brand’s signature Tennessee High Malt recipe, also known as Barrel 91. Designed to showcase the complexity of its high-malt mash bill, this spirit undergoes an extended 7-day fermentation and a precisely controlled distillation process, highlighting its rich, malty character.
Legally required to make contact with a barrel before bottling, Silver briefly ‘kisses’ the inside of a single-use Tennessee High Malt barrel—aging for no less than one hour. This minimal aging slightly softens the spirit’s profile while preserving its lively and malty-sweet flavors.
The new make spirit is distilled from a mash bill of yellow corn, malted rye, caramel malted barley, and honey malted barley. Bottled at 100 proof, Chattanooga Whiskey suggests enjoying the white whiskey neat, over ice, or in a cocktail.
Best American Pot Still
Talnua Virgin White Oak Cask
Age: 12 Years & Under
Tasting Notes: Sweet caramel, toffee, bold spice
BUY NOW: $75
Rounding out the list is Talnua Virgin White Oak Cask Whiskey.
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The whiskey is triple-distilled in a pot still from a mash bill consisting of both unmalted and malted barley and aged in virgin, charred oak casks. This whiskey merges traditions from across the whiskey world—its triple-distillation reflects Irish influence, while the traditional charred casks bring an American twist. Additional Gaelic influence is added through the use of a pot still, with column stills being more common in American whiskey making.
Talnua describes this expression as “a true example of Gaelic tradition meeting American pioneerism.”Bottled at 100 proof, the whiskey is a stunning neat pour. Talnua also recommends enjoying the expression in a ‘Ramhattan’ cocktail.
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