Texas-made Whiskey takes Best-of-Show in 2025 Heartland Whiskey Competition

In the last week of August, 1845 Distillery of Lowry Crossing, Texas, was announced as the Best-of-Show winner in the 2025 Heartland Whiskey Competition. The distillery earned the top mark for its Texian No 01 Texas Straight Whiskey, which also earned the top score in the Straight Whiskey category.

The competition is through the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA), with support from Texas Corn Producers and other state corn marketing associations, and open to craft whiskeys from all 50 states that incorporate corn in their mash bill (the mix of grains used to make whiskey). In this fifth, biennial blind-judging event, whiskeys from "Heartland" states competed for Best-of-Show, Best-of-State, three Farmer-Distiller awards, in addition to traditional whiskey categories (e.g., Rye, Bourbon, etc.).

ACSA facilitated the judging process in mid-July, and its former Board President Chris Montana, owner of Du Nord Social Spirits in Minnesota, served as Judging Director. Judges selected from the spirits industry by ACSA were chosen for their knowledge of craft whiskey.

Notably, 1845 Distillery also took the winning spot for the Best of Four Grain Whiskey category of the competition with its Preemption Texas Straight Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey. The 2025 Heartland Whiskey Competition category winners in its entirety are:

"Several factors contribute to what is today a more challenging period for craft distillers, which are often small, family-run businesses. Our member-distillers are grateful to the support of the state corn associations through five cycles of this important competition," stated Margie A.S. Lehrman, C.E.O. of ACSA. "We greatly appreciate their continued support and the fact they supply our members with the best corn product in the world."

This year's competition also included a new Farmer-Distiller program, which recognized competitors who both own a distillery and operate a working farm. The Top Farmer-Distiller was Starlight Distillery from Borden, Indiana.All of the winners and medalists in the 2025 Heartland Whiskey Competition are listed on the ACSA website and Heartland Whiskey Competition website.