Best American Whiskeys from the Las Vegas Global Spirits Competition

Six American whiskeys were awarded Platinum at the 2024 Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards. This year’s competition saw a record number of entries in the whiskey category. Below is a brief description and tasting notes of the whiskies.

Best American Whiskey Stranahan’s Mountain Angel. Rated 98/100. This expression also won the award for Best American Single Malt Whiskey. Stranahan Distillery was also named Distillery of the Year.

Stranahan Distillery Founded in 2004 in Denver, Colorado by Jess Graber and George Stranahan. It became Colorado’s first legal distillery since Prohibition and played a key role in jump-starting the state’s craft distilling industry. The distillery produces single malt whiskeys using high-quality local ingredients, including Colorado-grown malted barley and pure Rocky Mountain water. In 2010 the distillery was sold to Proximo Spirits. It continues to operate in Denver, producing award-winning, small-batch whiskeys.

Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 10 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey is a limited edition whiskey and the distillery’s first 10 year straight American single malt. Aged in new American charred oak barrels in Denver’s high altitude and highly variable climate, this intensely flavored whiskey delivers a complex, nuanced flavor and aroma profile.

On the nose, it contains whiskey, pear, apple, baking spices, well-spiced oak aromas and some smoky notes. Traces of salted caramel, peach jam, dried apricots and coconut are seen on the palate. The balance of sweet and spicy flavors adds to the complexity of the whisky. The finish is long and sweet, with persistent notes of caramel, dried apricots and fine leather.

See how Stranahan Becomes One of America’s Best Single Malt Whiskeys For an in-depth history of the distillery and tasting notes on the whiskey range.

Old Line Spirits, Flagship American Single Malt WhiskeyAnd Stranahan’s Diamond Peak Caribbean Rum Cask Finish also won the Platinum Medal.

Fenwick’s Distillery, 1816 Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey It was awarded the Platinum Medal and named Best American Rye Whiskey. It received a score of 97/100.

Located in Rensselaer, Indiana, Fenwick’s Distillery is a new craft distillery opening in 2023. The distillery produces small-batch, single-barrel craft spirits that are “worth sharing, worth talking about, and worth collecting.” 1816 Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey is aged in charred white oak barrels and bottled by hand.

There are distinct caramel and vanilla aromas on the nose. On the palate there is caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, some black pepper and cloves, and a touch of well-spiced oak. A long and smooth finish with persistent caramel and rye spice notes.

Unknown Spirits, Edmonds Honor, Straight Whiskey with Cognac Finish and Vanilla Extract It was chosen as the Best Flavored Whiskey with a score of 97/100. Also winning the Platinum Medal with a score of 97/100 Uncle Nearest, 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey.

The LVGSA 2024 assessment has identified some outstanding American whiskeys. Some, like Stranahan and Uncle Nearest, are well known, while others are less well known. These whiskeys are among the best in the world and are worth discovering.