The Winners of the 2020 Sunset International Spirits Competition
Every year a panel of professional tasters convene to sample the abundant and diverse spirits produced by distilleries throughout the West and beyond. They sniffed, sipped, pondered—and anointed this select group.
It’s a wonderful wide world of spirits in the West, and each year we host the Sunset International Spirits Competition to steer you to bottles worth seeking out. We assembled an esteemed panel of judges and tasted our way through hundreds of bottles that collectively represent what’s being distilled in the West and beyond. Whether it’s whiskey, bourbon, gin, rum, liqueur, or gin, one and all they embody what spirits lovers want: incredible flavor, the highest production standards, and, above all, deliciousness. Cheers to the winners.
Jump to:
Best of Class
| Brand | Name | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Kamiki | Kamiki Intense Wood Whisky | BEST of SHOW - Japanese Whiskey / Luxury |
| Skip Rock Distillers | Raspberry Liqueur | Best Fruit Liqueur |
| Wild Roots | London Dry Gin | Best Gin |
| Jaxon Keys Brandy | Rare | Best of Alambic Brandy |
| Sugarlands Distilling Company | Roaming Man Edition 9 | Best of American Straight Rye Whiskey / Ultra PremiumLL |
| Small Hand Cocktails | Plum Blossom | Best of Bottled Cocktails / Single Serve |
| Sugarlands Distilling Company | Butter Pecan Sippin' Cream | Best of Cream/Dairy Liqueurs |
| New Deal Distillery | Ginger Liqueur | Best of Herbal/Botanicals Liqueurs |
| Straightaway | Margarita | Best of Pre-mixed Cocktails / minimum of 20% ABV |
| Ko Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum | KEA | Best of Rum White /Agricole Rum |
| Alley 6 | Alley 6 rye whiskey | Best of Small Batch American Aged Rye Whiskey / Ultra Premium |
| Garrison Brothers | Garrison Brothers HoneyDew | Best of Small Batch Bourbon 10 years & younger / Luxury |
| Doc Swinson's | 15-Year Cask Strength Kentucky Bourbon | Best of Small Batch Bourbon 11 years and older / Luxury |
| Sonoma Brothers Distilling | Bourbon Whiskey | Best of Straight Bourbon / Ultra Premium |
| Hanson of Sonoma Distillery | Organic Meyer Lemon | Best of Vodka, Flavored/Infused |
| Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey | Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey | Best Ultra-Premium Tennessee Whiskey |
 | VIDO Vodka - Buy It! | Best Vodka |
 | Black Butte Whiskey - Buy It! | BOC |
| E&J Distillers | Apple Brandy | BOC |
| Tommy's | Margarita Mix | BOC |
Gold & Double Gold
| Brand | Name | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Doc Swinson's | Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sherry Casks | Double Gold |
| Four Roses | Small Batch Select | Double Gold |
| Jaxon Keys Brandy | Signature Reserve | Double Gold |
| Sugarlands Distilling Company | Chipper Jones' Sweet Tea Moonshine | Double Gold |
| Wild Roots | Cucumber & Grapefruit Gin | Double Gold |
| Circa 17 Gin | Circa 17 Gin | Gold |
| Five-0-Tea | Five-0-Tea | Gold |
| American Woman Spirit Company | American Woman Whiskey Straight Bourbon Small Batch | Gold |
| Barr Hill | Barr Hill Vodka | Gold |
| Pepper Vodka - Buy It! | Gold |
| Crater Lakes Rock and Rye - Buy It! | Gold |
| Breckenridge Distillery | Breckenridge Port Cask Finish | Gold |
| Breckenridge Distillery | Breckenridge Distillers High Proof | Gold |
| Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur | Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur | Gold |
| Coal creek distillery | bourbon | Gold |
| Corgi Spirits | Corgi Earl Grey Gin | Gold |
| Dry Land Distillers | Dry Land Distillers Heirloom Wheat Whiskey | Gold |
| Camarena | Anejo | Gold |
| E&J Distillers | VSOP | Gold |
| Familia Camarena | Tequila Silver | Gold |
| High Noon Hard Seltzer | Peach | Gold |
| New Amsterdam | Vodka 100 Proof | Gold |
| Four Roses | Small Batch | Gold |
| Four Roses | Single Barrel | Gold |
| Garrison Brothers | Garrison Brothers Small Batch | Gold |
| Garrison Brothers | Garrison Brothers Cowboy | Gold |
| Great Women Spirits | Ada Lovelace Gin | Gold |
| Great Women Spirits | Hypatia Rubi Amaro | Gold |
| Small Hand Cocktails | The Marina | Gold |
| Small Hand Cocktails | Pineapple Paloma | Gold |
| Highclere Castle Gin | Highclere Castle Gin | Gold |
| Hirsch | The Horizon | Gold |
| Lightning Spirits | Lightning Whiskey | Gold |
| Redwood Empire Whiskey | Haystack Needle Port Cask Finished Bourbon | Gold |
| Rogue Spirits | Grapefruit Vodka Soda | Gold |
| Branson Cognac | VSOP Grand Champagne | Gold |
| Spirit Works Distillery | Straight Wheat Whiskey | Gold |
| Sugarlands Distilling Company | Banana Pudding Sippin' Cream | Gold |
| Tahoe Blue Vodka | Tahoe Blue Vodka | Gold |
| Batiste Rhum | Batiste Rhum Ecoiste Reserve | Gold |
| Three Crosses | Old Buckingham 14 Gin | Gold |
| Three Keys Distillery | Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Gold |
| Treecraft Distillery | LAVENDER-HIBISCUS GIN | Gold |
| Splinter Group | Slaughter House American Whiskey | Gold |
| Waterpocket Distillery | Temple of the Moon Gin | Gold |
Silver
| Brand | Name | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Alley 6 | Alley 6 American Single Malt Whiskey | Silver |
| Alley 6 | Alley 6 harvest gin | Silver |
| Alley 6 | Spiced peach liqueur | Silver |
| Barr Hill | Barr Hill Gin | Silver |
| Barr Hill | Tom Cat Gin | Silver |
| Bently Heritage Estate Distillery | Juniper Grove American Dry Gin | Silver |
| Bently Heritage Estate Distillery | SOURCE ONE SINGLE ESTATE VODKA, WHEAT & OAT BLEND | Silver |
| Breckenridge Distillery | Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish | Silver |
| Desert Door Texas Sotol | Desert Door Original Texas Sotol | Silver |
| Doc Swinson's | Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Rum Casks | Silver |
| Dry Land Distillers | Colorado Antero Wheat Whiskey | Silver |
| E&J Distillers | Peach Brandy | Silver |
| E&J Distillers | Vanilla Brandy | Silver |
| E&J Distillers | XO | Silver |
| Familia Camarena | Tequila Reposado | Silver |
| High Noon Hard Seltzer | Watermelon | Silver |
| High Noon Hard Seltzer | Black Cherry | Silver |
| High Noon Hard Seltzer | Pineapple | Silver |
| High Noon Hard Seltzer | Lime | Silver |
| High Noon Hard Seltzer | Grapfruit | Silver |
| Lo-Fi Aperitifs | Sweet Vermouth | Silver |
| Lo-Fi Aperitifs | Dry Vermouth | Silver |
| Lo-Fi Aperitifs | Gentian Amaro | Silver |
| New Amsterdam | Vodka | Silver |
| New Amsterdam | Gin | Silver |
| RebelCity Whiskey | Rebelcity Whiskey | Silver |
| Four Roses | Bourbon | Silver |
| Garrison Brothers | Garrison Brothers Single Barrel | Silver |
| Garrison Brothers | Garrison Brothers Balmorhea | Silver |
| Great Women Spirits | Dorothy Arzner Rye Whiskey | Silver |
| Hanson of Sonoma Distillery | Organic Cucumber | Silver |
| Heritage Distilling Company | HDC Lavender Flavored Vodka | Silver |
| Jaxon Keys Brandy | Old Stock | Silver |
| Manamira LLC | Rosa Vodka | Silver |
| Naked Spirits | Watermelon Lemonade Rum | Silver |
| Vincenzi | Bellini Peach | Silver |
| Olympia | Olympia Artesian Vodka | Silver |
| Proof Cocktail Company | Mai Tai | Silver |
| RHS Royal Hawaii Spirits | Ulukila Breadfruit Spirit Liquor | Silver |
| Rogue Spirits | Farmhouse Gin | Silver |
| South Fork Vodka | South Fork Vodka | Silver |
| Branson Cognac | VS Phantom | Silver |
| Sonoma Brothers Distilling | Gin American Distilled | Silver |
| Sonoma Brothers Distilling | Rye Whiskey | Silver |
| Spirit Works Distillery | Four Grain Straight Bourbon | Silver |
| Spirit Works Distillery | Straight Rye Whiskey | Silver |
| The Bad Stuff Tequila | Extra Añejo | Silver |
| Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey | Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey - V. Eady Butler Batch | Silver |
| Highway Vodka | Highway Vodka | Silver |
| Treecraft Distillery | Earl Grey Tea Flavored Gin | Silver |
| Treecraft Distillery | London Dry Gin | Silver |
| Splinter Group | Straight Edge Bourbon Whiskey | Silver |
| Splinter Group | No. 209 Gin | Silver |
| Cemetery Gin | Cemetery Gin | Silver |
| Volley | Volley Spicy Ginger | Silver |
| Volley | Tropical Mango | Silver |
| Cascade Street | Potato Vodka | Silver |
| Wildwood Spirits Co. | The Dark Door | Silver |
| Wildwood Spirits Co. | Kur | Silver |
Bronze
| Brand | Name | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Bently Heritage Estate Distillery | Juniper Grove Atrium Gin | Bronze |
| Bently Heritage Estate Distillery | SOURCE ONE SINGLE ESTATE VODKA, RESTED IN SHERRY OAK CASKS | Bronze |
| Breckenridge Distillery | Breckenridge Madeira Cask Finish | Bronze |
| Dented Brick Distillery | Disco Nut Coconut Flavored Rum | Bronze |
| Doom's American Whiskey | Doom's American Whiskey | Bronze |
| RumHaven | Coconut Rum | Bronze |
| Ko Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum | Kokoleka | Bronze |
| Locals Only Vodka | Locals Only Vodka | Bronze |
| White Beards Spiced Rum | White Beards Spiced Rum | Bronze |
| RHS Royal Hawaii Spirits | Coffee Spirit Liquor | Bronze |
| Rogue Spirits | Bayfront Vodka | Bronze |
| Sonoma Brothers Distilling | Vodka | Bronze |
| Sugarlands Distilling Company | Appalachian Apple Pie Moonshine | Bronze |
| Vervet | Pale Mary | Bronze |
| Splinter Group | Whip Saw | Bronze |
| Virginia Distillery Company | Courage & Conviction | Bronze |
| Volley | Volley Zesty Lime | Bronze |
| Volley | Volley Sharp Grapefruit | Bronze |
Read the 2021 Spirits Issue
Get one year of Sunset—and all kinds of bonuses—for just $24.95. Subscribe now!
