2021 Heartland Whiskey Competition

The Tennessee Corn Promotion Council (TCPC) is excited to announce that the next Heartland Whiskey Competition will take place July 22-23 in Louisville, Kentucky, and craft distillers from Tennessee are invited to compete. 

This is the third successive Heartland Whiskey Competition that state corn marketing associations throughout America’s Heartland have come together to sponsor. The biennial contest is sanctioned by the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) and is strictly limited to craft whiskeys that contain some amount of corn as an ingredient. Any craft distillery is eligible to enter a product for judging in several categories. 

Craft distillers are invited to enter their whiskey by July 14, deliver it by July 18, and earn their right to display a new gold, silver, or bronze medal. Then, on July 23, whiskeys will be judged by top mixologists who have experience with craft spirits. Winners will be announced in early August.

Even better, if you produce whiskey in one of the participating Heartland States, including Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, or Wisconsin, you have a chance at winning the Best of State award. Maybe even taking home the Best of Show.

“Craft spirits is one of the fastest-growing industries in the state of Tennessee and whiskey is the most popular product. Most distilleries that produce craft products are family-owned and rely on farmers for a reliable supply of corn to make the mash from which whiskey spirits are distilled. Tennessee corn growers are pleased to support our craft distillers with this unique opportunity for national visibility among consumers and distributors,” said Carol Reed, Executive Director for TCPC.

For more details, review the judging protocols and submission guidelines.

Entry Fee: ACSA Members: $175 per spirit. Non-Members: $195 per spirit

Additionally, you can sign-up as a member of ACSA and receive discounts on contest entries and annual convention registration and more! Members must be logged in to access the member registration link.

For more information contact Carol Reed, TCPC Executive Director, at creed@tncornpb.org or 731-819-7111, or Teresa McDaniel, ACSA Operations Administrator, at Teresa@americancraftspirits.org or 502-807-4249.