42 Best Rums, Gins, Vodkas, Tequilas, Mezcals, and Whiskeys, According to the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Looking to build an incredible bar from scratch? You can’t go wrong picking from the short list of the best in class bottles according to the San Francisco World Spirits Competition—one of the most well-respected drink award judging platforms in the world.

The SFWSC named its winners just a few days ago, including the best rum, gin, vodka, tequila, mezcal, Scotch, and whiskey around the world.

A few notable winners you’ll want to pay attention to:

• Jack Daniel’s split the Tennessee Whiskey title between two of its bottles.

• Renegade Rum Single Farm Origin: Hope swept unaged rum and white spirit categories.

• Independent bottler Lost Lantern made an impressive showing in American Single Malt.

• Dewar’s collected several accolades between its 20- and 37-year whiskies.

Earlier this month, we covered the best Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, American Whiskey, World Whiskey, and Tequila and Mezcal bottles from the SFWSC’s highly coveted short list of double gold medalists—the highest distinction given by the general competition (and a prerequisite to be considered a finalist).

If you’re looking for a fun bottle to crack open this weekend, check out those lists for some inspiration.

But since we know you’ll want to get hunting for some of these bottles ASAP, we won’t delay sharing the winners any longer—especially since you’re probably wondering what the top bottle of whiskey was this year.

Best In Show Whiskey, Best In Class Single Malt Scotch, Best In Class Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch–20 Years and Older

• Tomatin Highland Single Malt 36 Year Old

American Whiskey

Best of Class Tennessee Whiskey

• Jack Daniel’s 12-Year-OId Tennessee Whiskey

• Jack Daniel’s 10-Year-Old Batch 2 Tennessee Whiskey

Best of Class Rye Whiskey

• Lock Stock & Barrel Vatted Straight Rye Whiskey

Best of Class American Blended Whiskey

• High Bank Distillery Co. Whiskey War Barrel Select – Double Double Pinot Noir

Best of Class American Single Malt Whiskey

• Lost Lantern Gentle Giant Balcones Distilling Texas Single Malt

Best of Class Special-Barrel Finished Whiskey

• Rare Character Whiskey Single Barrel Jaqueira Cask Finished Rye – Selected by ReserveBar

World Whiskey

Best of Class Canadian Whisky

• Crown Royal 30-Year-Old Canadian Whisky

Best of Class Australian Whisky

• Callington Mill Distillery El Sol Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky

Best of Class Other Single Malt Whisk(e)y

• Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength

Best of Class Other Whisk(e)y

• Alfred GIRAUD French Malt Whisky HARMONIE Triple Malt

Best of Class Japanese Whisky

• Mars Tsunuki 2022 Single Malt Japanese Whisky

Irish Whiskey

Best of Class Blended Irish Whiskey

• Cairlinn Bay Irish Whiskey Oak & Coast Blended Irish Whiskey

Best of Class Irish Whiskey, Best Of Class Single Malt Irish Whiskey

• Keeper’s Heart 10-Year-Old Irish Single Malt

Best of Class Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey

• Redbreast 27-Year-Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Bourbon

Best of Class Straight Bourbon

• William Heavenhill 9th Edition Bourbon

Best of Class Small Batch Bourbon – Up to 5 Years

• Mystic Farm & Distillery Broken Oak Small Batch Bourbon

Best of Class Small Batch Bourbon, Best of Class Small Batch Bourbon – 6-10 Years

• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Best of Class Single Barrel Bourbon – Up to 10 Years

• Whiskey Thief Distilling Company Single Barrel 12 Riders on the Storm

Best of Class Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon

• Doc Swinson’s Exploratory Cask French Toasted Bourbon

Scotch

Best of Class Blended Scotch, Best of Class Blended Scotch – 16 Years and Older

• Dewar’s Double Double 20

Best of Class Blended Scotch – No Age Statement

• Johnnie Walker Blonde

Best of Class Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – Up to 12 Years

• Glen Scotia 10-Year-Old Cask Strength

Best of Class Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – 13 to 19 Years

• Craigellachie 17 Single Cask Single Malt Scotch

Best of Class Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – 20 Years or Older

• Tomatin Highland Single Malt 36 Year Old

Best of Class Independent Merchant Single Malt

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask No. 4.346 Savoury and Sweet

Best of Class Blended Malt Scotch

• Dewar’s Double Double 37

Tequila and Mezcal

Best of Class Silver/Gold (Unaged) Tequila

• Lana Tequila Blanco

Best of Class Reposado Tequila

• Hotel California Tequila Reposado

Best of Class A?ejo Tequila

• Dos Armadillos Tequila A?ejo

Best of Class Extra A?ejo Tequila

• Don Vicente Extra A?ejo Tequila

Best of Class Mezcal

• Se Busca Joven Maguey Madrecuishe Mezcal

Unaged Spirits

Best in Show Unaged White Spirit, Best in Class Overall Rum, Best in Class Rhum Agricole

• Renegade Rum Single Farm Origin: Hope

Best of Class Vodka

• Ramsbury Single Estate Vodka

Best of Class Regular Gin, Best of Class Overall Gin, Best of Class London Dry Gin

• Ginny Pig Botanic Gin

Best of Class Shochu

• Taragawa Long-Aged Kuon

Best of Class Baijiu

• Emeishan Longchi Baijiu Co. Longchi Jinding

Best of Class White Rum

• Ten to One White Rum

Other Spirits

Best in Show Brandy, Best in Class Cognac Extra Aged

• Ragnaud Sabourin Cognac Fontvieille N°35

Best in Show Liqueur, Best in Class Fruit Liqueur

• Choya Umeshu Extra Years

Ready-to-Drink Cocktails

Best in Show RTD, Best in Class Tequila Agave Based

• Rancho La Gloria Spiked Horchata

Best of Class Classic Cocktail

• Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Old Fashioned Cocktail