Oxford, Ohio – Registration for the 2024 U.S. Open Whiskey & Spirits Championship is now ClOSED. Their entries will need to arrive in Oxford, Ohio by March 29th. The medal winners and Grand National Champion will be announced on April 29th.
The U.S. Open works with the Niagara College Teaching Distillery. The final round of judging consists of Niagara College’s Instructors, distillers, and industry experts from the surrounding area. This competition is blind, and the judges do not know what Whiskeys/Spirits they are tasting. The preliminary rounds will be held at the U.S. Open Event Center in Oxford, while the final round of judging will be held in Buffalo, New York.
Call for Entries
Each distillery may enter a maximum of 10 spirits. The entry fee will be $75 per whiskey/spirit. To be considered one of the Top Ten Distilleries, a distillery must submit a minimum of 4 Whiskeys/Spirits. To enter, click here for registration.
Over 30 categories will be judged this year, and winners will receive a medal in the shape of a Whiskey Barrel Lid for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Plus, the Top 10 Distilleries overall will be featured on USWhiskeyReport.com. Along with the medals awarded, the judges award a Grand National Champion’s plaque based on a point system for Whiskeys/Spirits entered in the competition.
2023 U. S. Open Whiskey & Spirits Championships Medal Winners
Cincinnati Distilling in Milford, Ohio won the U.S. Open Whiskey Championship after winning 2 gold medals, 3 Silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. Their Single Barrel Straight Bourbon was a favorite among the judges. Over the past 4 years, Cincinnati has finished in the Top 3 each year. Besides the 7 medals in the whiskey competition, Cincinnati also won 2 bronze medals in the spirits competition.
Silver Fox Distillery in Arthur, Ontario repeated as the U.S. Open Spirits’ Grand National Champion by winning 5 medals in the Spirits categories consisting of 2 gold medals and 3 silver medals. Silver Fox Distillery is the only Canadian company to win the Grand National Champion’s Plaque in the 15-year history of the U.S. Open Championships.
Judging in the U.S. Open Whiskey and Spirits Championships is blind; the judges know only the categories and do not know what they are tasting. The first round of judging was held in Oxford, Ohio at “The Barn”, while the finals were held at Big Ditch Brewing in Buffalo, New York. The U.S. Open works with the Niagara College Teaching Distillery in Ontario. The final round of judges consisted of Niagara College’s Instructors and industry experts from the surrounding area.
Here are the top 5 Whiskey and Spirits Distilleries:
Top 5 Whiskey Distilleries
1. Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
2. Moylans Distillery – California
3. Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
3. Weldon Mills Distillery – – North Carolina
5. Acre Distilling – Texas
Top 5 Spirits Distilleries
1. Silver Fox Distillery – Ontario
2. Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
2. Gamblers Bay Distillery – Florida
4. Safe House Distilling Co. – New Mexico
5. Dark Door Spirits – Florida
A complete listing of all the Whiskey & Spirits Medal Winners:
https://usopenwhiskey.com/2023-us-open-whiskey-medal-winners/