Augusta Distillery wins top honors at 2026 North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition

Augusta Distillery’s Small Batch Bourbon took Platinum and Best of Show at the 12th Annual North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition, which drew 18% more entries than last year. The results highlight rising competition across bourbon and whiskey, with 16 double gold awards also handed out and a trade tasting set for July 24 in New Orleans.

Why it matters: - The competition helps set a quality benchmark for bourbon, whiskey and moonshine across North America. - Augusta Distillery’s win puts a Kentucky bourbon at the center of this year’s top honors. - An 18% jump in entries signals stronger interest and more competition among distillers.

What happened: - Wine Country Network announced the results of the 12th Annual North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition on July 22, 2026. - Augusta Distillery Small Batch Bourbon 6 Years earned Platinum and 1st Place Best of Show. - The competition uses rigorous double-blind judging on a 100-point scale. - Certified spirits professionals, sommeliers and buyers evaluated entries using the Neat™ Spirits Evaluation glass. - Guest judge Nino Marchetti, founder of WhiskyWash.com, joined the judging team.

The details: - The competition includes bourbon, whiskey and moonshine. - American-, Canadian-, Mexican- and South American-made whiskeys compete directly against American bourbon. - Augusta Distillery Small Batch Bourbon 6 Years scored 97 points. - Blanton’s “Straight from the Barrel” Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey placed 2nd in Best of Show. - Ampersand Aureus Colorado Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Vino De Naranjo Casks placed 3rd in Best of Show. - Sixteen products earned double gold awards for scoring 95 points or higher. - For the full list of winners, Wine Country Network points readers to WHISKEYCOMP.COM. - High-resolution photos are available for publication use by contacting Christopher J Davies at cdavies@winecountrynetwork.com.

Between the lines: - The competition is trying to position itself as a cross-border comparison event, not just a U.S.-focused spirits contest. - The strong showing from limited, allocated bottles in the tasting lineup suggests continued demand for rare whiskey in both trade and media circles. - Nino Marchetti’s praise underscores the event’s credibility, though it is still a guest judge’s view.

What's next: - Wine Country Network plans a special trade and media tasting of the top winners on Friday, July 24, 2026, in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail week. - The event will be held from 5–8:30 PM at Antoine’s Restaurant, 713 St Louis St, New Orleans. - The tasting will feature 24 of the highest-scoring American whiskies from the competition. - Organizers say the lineup includes Augusta Distillery’s Best of Show winner and Double Gold pours such as Weller’s William Larue Weller, Sazerac 18 Year Rye, Eagle Rare 17 Year Single Barrel and Thomas Handy Rye. - Interested attendees can email info@winecountrynetwork.com for the reservation link.

The bottom line: - Augusta Distillery captured the competition’s top prize, and the results reinforce the growing status of the North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition as a major spirits benchmark.