The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) is one of the only competitions we enter every single year—and it’s the one we care about most.
This year, our Epoch 6-Year Cask Strength Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey was nominated as a Best in Class Finalist, competing head-to-head with industry giants like Jim Beam and WhistlePig. We are over the moon.
But if you aren’t steeped in spirits industry jargon, you might be asking: What actually is SFWSC? What does “Double Gold” or “Best in Class” mean? And why is this nomination such a big deal for a Baltimore craft distillery?
Below is a quick peek behind the curtain at how the world’s toughest spirits competition works, why simply being nominated in 2026 is a monumental moment for Maryland Rye, and what it would mean if we bring home the top trophy this November.
The History of The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (and Why It Matters)
Why does this competition continue to stand head and shoulders above the rest? Believe it or not, it starts with wine, and it starts in the ’70s.
The Judgment of Paris (1976)
When people think of California wines today, it’s likely that they consider California “blue chip” wine country. It’s reliable. It’s renowned. It’s a no-brainer. But in the early ’70s, that wasn’t the case. Most of the world thought that truly excellent wine could only be produced in France. California, Italy, Spain, and the rest of the world’s wine cultures were viewed as pale imitations of the fine wines of France.
That changed at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 (often called the Judgment of Paris), a blind tasting where Northern California wines won both the white and red wine categories in what was supposed to be a formality for the French greats. The judges were French, including some of the best wine connoisseurs on the planet, and as a group, they preferred the California wines.
The result shook the foundation of French superiority and changed world wine culture altogether. If this sounds like an exaggeration, it isn’t. For the first time in modern history, people began to believe truly fine wine could be produced outside of France, leading to a serious exploration of wine around the world. California wine, in particular, became a standard bearer for fine wine. If you’d like to learn more about the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 and its impact, I highly recommend reading George M. Taber’s book, Judgment of Paris.
The San Francisco International Wine Competition (1980)
By 1980, California wine was well established, and the San Francisco International Wine Competition (SFIWC) was founded. That makes it the second oldest international wine competition in the world, behind what is now called the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London.
Originally, the SFIWC had a local focus, highlighting the newly famous California wine scene. But it quickly became a truly international competition. The SFIWC established a rigorous, blind-tasting method with highly qualified judges, and quickly became (and remains) one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the world, judging around 5,000 wines from over 30 countries each year.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2001)
In 2001, Anthony Dias Blue, who had been running the San Francisco International Wine Competition for over a decade, expanded into spirits by founding the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. In the burgeoning years of modern cocktail culture and spirits enthusiasm, Blue saw an opportunity to use the same rigorous blind-tasting method and high-level judging perfected through the wine competition to evaluate spirits.
Blue had extensive experience in the food and beverage industry, running a weekly radio spot, editing Food & Wine Magazine, and even winning a James Beard Award in 2001. The San Francisco World Spirits Competition became an immediate authority in the spirits world, receiving over 1,000 entries in its first year. That number grew to over 6,000 entries in 2026. The judges are carefully screened before selection, and have included industry legends like Fred Minnick, David Wondrich, and Jeffrey Morgenthaler.
The Judging Process
The tasting and judging at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is truly blind.
Samples are poured in a secure area outside the judging room and are brought to the judges in unmarked glasses. The judges know what category they’re tasting (and sometimes details like proof), but they do not know the product or brand. Each judge in a panel assigns a rating to each sample, then the judges share their ratings and reach a final consensus.
A Double Gold medal is only awarded if each judge on the panel independently assigns a Gold rating to the spirit prior to any discussion. (Epoch Rye has been awarded Double Gold 5 times, to toot our own horn a little).
Spirits that win Double Gold are tasted again by expanded judging panels to whittle down the best of the best. Eventually, with some samples evaluated by over 100 judges, the Best in Class Finalists are selected to compete head-to-head. Depending on the category, only three to six spirits in each class make it to this round, making even the nomination a historic achievement.
The 2026 Best in Class Rye Whiskey Finalists
- Baltimore Spirits Company — Epoch Maryland Straight Rye Whiskey 6 Year Old Cask Strength
- O.K.I. — Single Barrel Rye Whiskey
- WhistlePig — The Boss Hog Collection: Boss XII Feather & Flame Rye Whiskey
- James B. Beam Distilling Co. — Old Overholt 12 Year Old Extra Aged Cask Strength
- Art of the Spirits — Mogadishu Hazmat Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
- Kings County Distillery — Barrel Strength Straight Empire Rye Whiskey
Why This Nomination Is Already a Victory (and What Happens Next)
Out of over 6,000 entries evaluated in 2026, SFWSC judges selected only six Rye Whiskeys in the entire world as Best in Class Finalists. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with legacy giants like Jim Beam and legendary producers like WhistlePig proves what we’ve believed since day one: Maryland Straight Rye is world-class.
Is it California vs. France all over again? Can a craft distillery in Baltimore shake the foundation of Rye Whiskey geography in 2026?
On November 8th, the overall Best in Class winner will be announced live at the Top Shelf Gala in San Francisco. If we win, it’s a historic crowning moment for Maryland Rye. But even if another giant takes the trophy, being named one of the top six ryes on Earth is an honor that elevates our distillery and our city forever.
We are proud to represent Baltimore on the national stage, and we can’t thank you enough for being part of this journey with us.
We already know what 100+ world-class spirits judges think. Now it’s your turn. Reserve a bottle of Epoch 6-Year Cask Strength for pickup in our online shop
