Spirit Hound’s Sherry Cask-Finished American Malt Whisky Just Earned Two Prestigious Awards

Spirit Hound Distillers’ Sherry Cask-finished American Single Malt Whisky just earned two major accolades: Double Platinum award in the American Single Malt Category at the American Spirits Council of Tasters (ASCOT) awards; and a Gold Medal and a 95 rating from New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC).

This distinctive spirit was aged in a very rare Sanchez Romate Winery Palo Cortado Sherry barrel that has been making wine since 1961. It introduces itself with aromas of sweet praline, rich butterscotch, and a hint of herbal horehound. Sherry sweetness leads the palate, followed by a viscous mouthfeel layered with toffee and the distinctive depth of manuka honey. Its complexity truly shines in the finish—musty, dry and warm, with mature sherry notes that linger, creating a well-balanced whisky that shows incredible depth.

“Palo Cortado is a rare—even mysterious—type of sherry, and the barrel lends layers of depth to our American Single Malt Whisky. This is a really special take on our favorite whisky style, and we love to see it validated with some major awards,” said Spirit Hound Co-founder and Head Distiller Craig Englehorn.

Spirit Hound’s lineup of handcrafted spirits are distilled “the Spirit Hound way” with Colorado-sourced ingredients on two hand-built-from-scratch stills. In an homage to sherry-making tradition, Spirit Hound utilizes a solera aging process during which the barrel is never fully emptied. Just like with sherry, this process allows new batches to meld with previous batches, adding layers of complexity. The premium whisky is then bottled in bond. 

The ASCOT Awards is an international spirits competition created by spirits personality and veteran tasting judge, Fred Minnick. Spirits are judged by the most respected Council of Tasters in the world, and the finest spirits are crowned champions. Tasting notes from the competition stated this about Sherry Cask American Single Malt Whisky: “Malty and rich. Beautiful nutty aromas and a lush palate which is well structured and integrated. A single malt that elevates the entire category.”

NYISC evaluated over 1400 spirits from 39 countries and 34 States in the USA in its 16th year. The judges were thrilled by the high quality of spirits submitted from so many regions and countries, ultimately awarding Spirit Hound’s Sherry Cask American Single Malt Whiskey a gold medal and 95 rating.

Spirit Hound is putting American Single Malt Whisky on the map. You can find their award-winning spirits at their Lyons tasting room, Denver cocktail lounge, across Colorado or online. Learn more at spirithounds.com. 

About Spirit Hound Distillers - THE SPIRIT OF COLORADO

On the quest to produce the finest Colorado-crafted spirits, our journey never ends. Proudly distilled in our home of Lyons, CO, since 2012, our spirits have won more than 70 major awards, including the highest-ranking Whisky in the World and Best in Show at the London Spirits Competition in 2022 and again in 2024. Explore taste experiences born from our passion, dedication, tradition, locally sourced ingredients, and pure Rocky Mountain snowmelt at our distillery and Tasting Room in Lyons, our Denver Cocktail Lounge, or order it online for shipment to 40 states. Learn more about Spirit Hound at spirthounds.com.