The San Francisco Spirits Competition is as close to the Super Bowl of spirits as it gets. So when a small whiskey distillery in tiny Blanco, Texas, wins Double Gold for its flagship bourbon two years in a row, attention is due. Situated in the picturesque Texas Hill Country, Ben Milam Whiskey produces three spirits — a barrel proof bourbon, small batch rye and its signature single barrel bourbon. The Single Barrel that took Double Gold last year did the same this year, and its other two offerings took home individual Golds themselves this year (the rye won Silver last year as well).
Every entry in every category at SFSC is judged by more than 40 food scientists, drink reviewers, bartenders and industry experts and is in the running for a long list of medals and awards. Bronze to Double Gold — all spirits begin in the blind tasting round where the judges first designate if the spirit is deserving of the next round. After every spirit that entered is judged (and many culled), judges determine what medal level each spirit that survived should obtain. The final round is for Double Gold winning spirits only and determines which bottles win Best in Class and overall Best in Show.
Ben Milam Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
Double Gold two years running, Ben Milam’s Single Barrel Bourbon is ablaze with hype. To win a Double the spirit has be given Gold medal status by every single judge that tastes it — as you might imagine, very few are given out. The juggernaut spirit sips with a cinnamon and caramel front followed by a buttery smooth vanilla finish. The bottle MSRPs for a mere $39, and was bred for neat or on the rocks drinking.
