Bowman Distillery Receives Ultimate Spirits Challenge Awards

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — A. Smith Bowman's spirits won six awards in the 2021 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, the distillery announced this week. The Spotsylvania-based distillery received recognition for their bourbon, gin, rum, and vodka.

One of the distillery's offerings, John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon, was a finalist for the competition's top prize, the Chairman's Trophy. That bourbon was also named a "great value" by the competition's judges.

Brian Prewitt is the Master Distiller at A. Smith Bowman Distillery. "We feel very honored that our John. J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon was named a finalist for the Ultimate Spirits Challenge’s top award," Prewitt told Patch.

Their bourbon was not the only local spirit recognized in the competition, though. Bowman's George Bowman Caribbean Dark Rum and Deep Run Small Batch Vodka received "excellent, highly recommended" honors in the competition.

Three other of the distillery's spirits received "very Good, strong recommendations" in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. Sunset Hills Gin, Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Whiskey, and Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey all received strong recommendations from the judges.

The Ultimate Spirits Challenge is now in its 12th year. A panel of judges including authors, journalists, bar owners, and educators rate each spirit on a 100-point scale.

"Ultimate Spirits Challenge’s mission is to create and establish a new and higher standard of evaluation for spirits that provides accurate, meaningful and useful results in recognizing and promoting the quality of beverage alcohol products," the challenge wrote on their website. "Results of Ultimate Spirits Challenge are the most credible and relevant in the industry."

A full list of this year's top spirits is available on the challenge's website.

More information about the Bowman Distillery, including their available spirits and tours of the facility, are available on their website.

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