The World’s Best Whiskey—According To The San Francisco World Spirits Competition

We spend a lot of time talking about the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. And for good reason. Since it was founded in 2000, the annual judging has grown in stature and prominence to become one of the premiere industry events of the calendar year. The producers and brands that collect “Best In Show” hardware there often see their sales soar as a result.

Although it convened back in April, we’re just now able to exclusively report on a key winner from the 2024 competition: Heaven Hill out of Bardstown, Kentucky is the most awarded US whiskey maker of the year. The legendary producer of bourbon and rye took home a total of 29 medals across 13 of its marquee labels. That’s enough to make it not only the most lauded whiskey maker, but the most successful American distillery, full stop, among all categories of spirit.

It’s not even close when you also factor in the additional 35 medals that Heaven Hill collected for some of its subsidiaries. Remember that in 2022, the company acquired Samson & Surrey—a portfolio which includes FEW as well as Widow Jane. Those two popular whiskey brands accrued a respectable count of 12 medals between them this year at SFWSC.

Evan Williams and Elijah Craig were the two most awarded brands from the Heaven Hill Distillery, itself. They took home 7 and 6 medals, respectively. With the highest distinction of Double Gold going to Bottled-In-Bond along with two separate Barrel Proof expressions.

All-in-all it’s been another banner year for the family-owned operation. Beyond the success at San Francisco, Heaven Hill unveiled three new expressions as part of its Grain To Glass series and Elijah Craig most recently debuted a Toasted Rye. Each of the new releases have been met with widespread critical acclaim.

The steady, expert hand of master distiller Conor O’Driscoll has a lot to do with the consistent praise. Along with an unwavering commitment to quality maturation. It’s been a hallmark of the brand since it was founded by the Shapira family all the way back in 1935. And the practice is applied today to a stock that includes more than 2 million barrels.

But what we admire most about Heaven Hill in 2024 is the fact that it delivers such a stellar product across such a wide range of price points. To wit, that aforementioned bottle of Double Gold-winning Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond?…It retails for around $18. Earlier this March, the distillery released the latest entry in its vaunted Heritage Collection. It’s a masterful 18-year-old bourbon that relies on the very same high-corn mashbill that gives Evan Williams its caramel-laden sweetness. Yet this one has no trouble flying off shelves at a suggest retail price of $300 a bottle.

And that’s to say nothing of the Old Fitzgerald label, a brand flaunting semi-annual releases which can often fetch four figures on secondary markets. A fall 2023 offering of the liquid—brandishing an 8 year age statement—was among the select few bourbons to take home that all-important Double Gold certification this year in San Francisco. It’s currently selling for just north of $400 a bottle. Fingers crossed it remains relatively close to that after this most recent news.

If you want to stay ahead of the inflated pricing, keep it parked here as we always endeavor to give you the latest, exclusive intel from the wondrous world of spirits.