5 Of The Best Bourbons And Ryes—According To The San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Bourbon and rye are two of the most popular spirits categories each year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which is one of the most prestigious and best-known spirits competitions in the industry. This year the competition received more than 1200 submissions from spirit producers across the globe. Each spirit submitted undergoes a rigorous blind-taste test, and awards are granted regardless of label or price tag. The double gold award is one of the highest-rated awards a spirit can receive at the competition and is only awarded when every judge on the judging panel deems it worty of receiving a gold medal. Out of the 350-bourbons submitted and 100-plus ryes only select expressions earned the double-gold honor at the 2025 competition. Of those, here is a closer look at a few that also happen to be among my personal favorite rye and bourbon offerings. As always, I advise readers to use this type of feature as a jumping-off point, rather than an endpoint, for their bourbon and rye exploration. I've tried many but certainly not all of the double gold medal-winning bourbons and ryes at this year's competition, and not every great bourbon or rye was entered into the competition in the first place. Also, the best rye and bourbon depend on what your personal preferences are and what you're trying to do with the spirit: a sipping bourbon is, of course, very different from a rye you want to mix cocktails with etc. That said, all the whiskeys listed below are great in many different settings.
The mash bill is 65% corn, 22% rye, and 13% wheat and barley. Bottled at barrel proof, unfiltered and uncut, this is another whiskey that proves Brother's Band is a whiskey producer that knows what they're doing—their bottled-in-bond bourbon also won a double gold at this year's competition. The flavor is smooth and rich with subtle notes of honey and caramel.
Made with Jimmy Red heirloom corn, this South Carolina bourbon turns heads, including mine, with its originality. I got the super creamy mouthfeel this variety is noted for and fell quickly in love. I'm not going out on a wire when I say this is an excellent bourbon that whiskey fans should try ASAP.
This classic rye is a bartender's favorite for a reason. At 100 proof, it has the booze backbone to stand up to cocktails but at the same time offers enough pleasant spice and smoothness to still work as a sipper. Affordable and widely available, this is the rye I tend to use as a base note when judging other ryes.
I love creative cask-finished whiskeys, and this is a wonderful example of that style from one of New York's most acclaimed distilleries. Made from a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, the calvados cask gives this a caramel finish that is really enjoyable.
A premium bourbon drinking experience comes with a premium price tag here that is worth it if you have some extra money in your whiskey budget. This series features bourbon made from barrels specifically selected by the distiller, and the result is a bourbon that is certainly a cut above.
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