Oxford, Ohio(April 29th, 2024) The 2024 U. S. Open Whiskey & Spirits Championship proudly announces the medal winners and Grand National Champions.

Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee won the U.S. Open Whiskey Championship’s Grand National Champion’s Trophy. Nearest Green took home 4 gold medals in the most competitive whiskey categories in the competition. Their Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Whiskey was a favorite among the judges. In the past 2 years, Nearest Green has finished in the Top 5 at the U.S. Open. Today, Nearest Green Distillery is the most successful Black-owned distillery in the world and now has a U.S. Open title. Two-time Grand National Champion, Moylan’s Distillery in Petaluma, California finished a close second after winning 2 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze medals.

In the U.S. Open Spirits Championship, the U.S. Open had a first, a tie for the Grand National Champion’s Trophy. Oxford Oaks Distillery in Oxford, North Carolina, and Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery in Dayton, Ohio, each won 3 gold medals. The North Carolina distiller won gold medals in the Vodka, Flavored Vodka, and Rum categories, while the Ohio distiller took home golds in the Gin, Barrel Aged Gin, and Specialty Spirits categories. 2024 is the first year that the U.S. Open awarded a Grand National Champion Trophy for best can and bottle cocktails. This year’s Grand National Champion is Safe House Distilling in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They took home 2 golds and a bronze medal for their can cocktails.

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 in Niagara Falls, 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.

——————– U.S. OPEN WHISKEY CHAMPIONSHIP ————————–
1. Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
2. Moylan’s Distilling – California
3. Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
4. Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
5. Knox Joseph Distillery – Ohio
5. Safe House Distilling – New Mexico

Straight Bourbon – Under 100 Proof
Gold – Reserve Bourbon – Deep Creek Distilling – Virginia
Silver – Prophet Share Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Safe House Distilling – New Mexico
Bronze – Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Grand Canyon Distillery – Arizona

Straight Bourbon – 100 Proof and over
Gold – Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
Silver – Knox Joseph Straight Bourbon- Knox Joseph Distillery – Ohio
Silver – One Cask Bourbon – Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company – Kentucky

Small Batch Bourbon 1-3 Years Under 100 proof
Gold – Weldon Mills Select Bourbon Whiskey – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Bourbon 3yr. – Moylan’s Distilling Co. – California
Bronze – Bourbon Whiskey – Red Horse Distillery – Florida
Bronze – Wonderland Bourbon – Wonderland Distilling – Michigan

Small Batch Bourbon 1-3 Years 100 proof or over
Gold – Weldon Mills Reserve Bourbon Whiskey – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Prophet Share Single Barrel Bourbon Straight Whiskey – Safe House Distilling – New Mexico
Bronze – Bourbon Cask Strength 3yr. – Moylan’s Distilling Co. – California
Bronze – Springfield Straight Bourbon – Springfield Distillery – Virginia

Small Batch Bourbon 4-10 Years Under 100 proof
Gold – Sanctioned Bourbon – Moylan’s Distilling Co. – California
Silver – Catherine Waldschmidt – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Bronze – Astoria 21% Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey – SpringWater Spirits – Florida

Small Batch Bourbon 4-10 Years 100 proof or over
Gold – Knox Joseph Single Barrel Straight Bourbon – Knox Joseph Distillery – Ohio
Silver – Five Stories Single Barrel Bottled in Bond Bourbon – Northern Row Brewery and Distillery – Ohio
Bronze – Cask Strength Bourbon – Moylan’s Distilling – California
Bronze – 1897 Bottled in Bond – Springfield Distillery – Florida

Single Barrel Whiskey
Gold – Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Whiskey – Batch 101 – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
Gold – Prophet Share Cask Strength Bourbon Straight Whiskey – Safe House Distilling – New Mexico
Silver – One Cask Rye – Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company – Kentucky
Bronze – Rye Whiskey Cask Strength – Lasso Whiskey – Colorado

American Single Malt Whiskey
Gold – American Single Malt PX Finish – Moylan’s Distilling – California
Gold – Star Shine – Grand Canyon Distillery – Arizona
Bronze – Bond Fire – Grand Canyon Distillery – Arizona

Rye Whiskey Under 100 proof
Gold – Diggs Boys Rye Whiskey – Diggs Boys Distillery – Pennsylvania
Silver – Wonderland 100% Rye Whiskey – Wonderland Distilling – Michigan
Bronze – Rye Whiskey – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio

Rye Whiskey 100 proof or over
Gold – Uncle Nearest Uncut & Unfiltered Straight Rye Whiskey – Batch 005 – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
Gold – Signature Rye – Wayne Gretzky Distillery – Ontario
Silver – Rye Whiskey – Lasso Whiskey – Colorado
Bronze – Astoria 51% Rye Whiskey – SpringWater Spirits – Florida

Blended Whiskey
Gold – Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition – Batch 032 – Nearest Green Distillery – Tennessee
Silver – Kupu Whiskey – Kupu Spirits – Hawaii
Bronze – James Scott Blended Whiskey – Knox Joseph Distillery – Ohio

Craft Whiskey
Gold – Rubicon Creek Myth Malt Whiskey – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
Gold – 86 proof Carolina Whiskey – Oxford Oaks Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Wheated Whiskey – Lasso Whiskey – Colorado
Bronze – Fire Brigade – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio

Canadian Whisky
Gold – School Spirits Whisky – Niagara College Teaching Distillery – Ontario

Whiskey finished in wine or other spirits barrels
Gold – Smoke Blend 1 – Kupu Spirits – Hawaii
Silver – American Whisky Port Barrel Finish – Moylan’s Distilling – California
Bronze – D.B. Johnston Straight Bourbon Port Cask Finished – Mermaid Spirits – Pennsylvania

Flavored Whiskey
Gold – Scratch Blackberry Whiskey – Springfield Distillery – Virginia
Silver – Code 4 Blueberry Donut – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Bronze – Peanut Butter Whiskey – Barley Creek Distilling – Pennsylvania

Anything Goes
Gold – Rockfish Whiskey – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Moose Killer – Dark Door Spirits & Tampa Bay Brewing – Florida
Bronze – Bier Schnapps – Moylan’s Distilling – California
Bronze – Ohio Malt Whiskey – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio

——————– U.S. OPEN SPIRITS CHAMPIONSHIP ————————–
1. Oxford Oaks Distillery – North Carolina
1. Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
3. Niagara College Teaching Distillery – Ontario
4. Kupu Spirits – Hawaii
4. Red Horse Distillery – Florida
4. New Realm Distilling – Virginia

Traditional Moonshine
Gold – Sweet Shine – Uncle Dum-Dums Swamp Juice Distillery – Florida
Silver – Raksi White Whiskey – Raksi Spirits Company – Colorado
Bronze – Smokey Mountain Squatch Shine – Drop Zone Distilling – Ohio

Aged Moonshine/Corn Whiskey
Gold – Iron Vault Bourbon Barrel Aged Moonshine – Iron Vault Distillery – Ohio
Silver – Northern Yankee Sour Mash – Northern Yankee Moonshine – Ohio
Bronze – American Rebel Barreled Moonshine – Northern Yankee Moonshine – Ohio

Flavored Moonshine
Gold – 2C4N Out Of The Blue – Roaring River Distillery – Tennessee
Gold – Lemon Drop Gooch Hooch Moonshine – Hill Top Distillery – Virginia
Silver – Ginger Snap Sugar Shine – Red Horse Distillery – Florida
Bronze – Master Distiller Big Nick’s Peanut Butter Banana Moonshine – South Mountain Distilling – North Carolina

Category – GIN
Gin
Gold – Harpers Siren Gin – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
Gold – Tanzanite Gin – Niagara College Teaching Distillery – Ontario
Silver – Kupu Gin – Kupu Spirits – Hawaii
Silver – Northern Row’s Cincinnati Gin – Northern Row Brewery and Distillery – Ohio

Barrel-Aged Gin
Gold – Harpers Siren Armagnac Gin – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
Gold – Kupu Barrel-Aged Gin – Kupu Spirits – Hawaii
Silver – Five Stories Barrel Aged Gin – Northern Row Brewery and Distillery – Ohio
Bronze – Jenever – Stillwater Spirits – California

Category – Vodka
Vodka
Gold – Oxford Oaks Distillery Vodka – Oxford Oaks Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – 11:01 Original Vodka – Barley Creek Distilling – Pennsylvania
Bronze – Teller Genuine Vodka – Safe House Distilling – New Mexico

Flavored Vodka
Gold – Black Pepper Vodka – Oxford Oaks Distillery- North Carolina
Silver – Waypoint Spirits Vanilla Vodka – Waypoint Spirits – Connecticut
Bronze – Teller Apple Pie Vodka – Safe House Distilling – New Mexico
Bronze – Mediterranean Vodka – Niagara College Teaching Distillery – Ontario

Category Rum
White Rum
Gold – Rum – Grand Canyon Distillery – Arizona
Silver – Reservoir Rum – Skyroc Brewery/Distillery/Winery – Massachusetts
Bronze – Bayport White Rum – SpringWater Spirits – Florida

Dark/Barrel Aged Rum
Gold – Oxford Oaks Distillery RUM – Oxford Oaks Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Red Hare Distiller’s Select Single Barrel Aged Rum – Red Hare Brewing & Distilling – Georgia
Bronze – Five Stories Barrel Aged Rum – Northern Row Brewery and Distillery – Ohio

Spiced Rum
Gold – Navy One Navy Strength Spiced Rum – Gamblers Bay Distillery – Florida
Gold – Stillwrights Spiced Rum – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Silver – Kingston Taylor Maple Syrup Rum – Flatrock Distilling Company – Ohio
Bronze – Florida Spiced Rum – 3 Horses Distillery – Florida

Spirits – Anything Goes
Gold – Gypsy Queen Absinthe Blanche – Dayton Barrel Works Artisan Distillery – Ohio
Silver – Bartlett Pear Eau de Nie – Stillwater Spirits – California
Silver – Christmas Gin – Niagara College Teaching Distillery – Ontario
Bronze – Voltage Peppermint Schnapps – Cincinnati Distilling – Ohio
Bronze – Florapina Coffee Rum – Gamblers Bay Distillery – Florida

Agave
Gold – Dos Gringos Agave – Red Horse Distillery – Florida
Silver – New Realm Jalapeno Agave Spirit – New Realm Distilling – Virginia
Bronze – Casa de SIRENAS – SpringWater Spirits – Florida

Tequila/Asparagaceae
Gold – Rey Coyote Reposado Tequila – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Silver – Paukaa Okolehao – Ola Brew Co. – Hawaii
Bronze – Paukaa Okolehao subtly smokey – Ola Brew Co. – Hawaii

——————– U.S. OPEN COCKTAIL CHAMPIONSHIP ————————–

Category – Can Cocktails
Can Cocktail – Mule
Gold – Montana Mule – The Badlander Spirit Company – Montana
Silver – Musk Ox Vodka Mule – Alaskan Distilling Company – Alaska
Bronze – Teller Mule – Safe House Distilling – New Mexico

Can Cocktail – Berry
Gold – Teller Blueberry Lavender Lemonade – Safe House Distilling – New Mexico
Silver – Dray 25 White Peach Raspberry Vodka Sparkling Water Cocktail – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina
Bronze – Right Coast Vodka Whips Wild Berry – FX Matt Brewing – New York

Can Cocktail – Tequila
Gold – Right Coast Margarita Whips Strawberry – FX Matt Brewing – New York
Silver –  Right Coast Margarita Whips Lime – FX Matt Brewing – New York
Bronze – Sabrosa Mango Habanero Tequila Sparkling Water Cocktail – Weldon Mills Distillery – North Carolina

Can Cocktail
Gold – Teller Watermelon Lemonade – Safe House Distilling – New Mexico
Gold – Waypoint Spirits Vodka Iced Tea Lemonade – Waypoint Spirits
Silver – Maui Mojito – Kupu Spirits – Hawaii
Bronze – Rainforest Gin and Tonic – Alaskan Distilling Company – Alaska

Ready to Drink Cocktail
Gold – New Realm Old Fashioned – New Realm Distilling – Virginia
Silver – L&T (Leather and Tobacco) Old Fashioned – Wonderland Distilling – Michigan