Judging the 2026 ACSA Spirits Competition and Visiting Jack Rose Dining Saloon

Spirit competitions are a lot of fun! This past week, I was a judge at the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) 12^th Annual Spirits Competition (that's a mouthful!) in Washington, DC. The venue was Cotton & Reed, DC's first rum distillery, which is housed at the former headquarters of Jos. A. Magnus & Co.

 

What is the ACSA? It bills itself as "the only registered national nonprofit trade group representing the U.S. craft spirits industry." Its mission is "To elevate and advocate for the community of craft spirits producers."

 

This week was not my first judging for the ACSA. Last year, I was a panelist for its Heartland Whiskey Competition in Indianapolis. It was, as the name implies, strictly about American whiskeys.

This week's all-encompassing spirits competition didn't start without a hitch (or 12). Initially slated for November, it was delayed until January. The day before the competition began, DC (and much of the country) was slammed by a massive winter storm. Flights were delayed and cancelled. Some of the judges slated to participate couldn't get there. DC had no idea what to do with all of the snow and ice, which made walking or driving dangerous. The ACSA team bobbed and weaved and made great things happen despite everything being thrown at them. 

Believe it or not, I wasn't put on a whiskey table! Instead, I was exploring the worlds of vodka, aged rum, brandy, and RTDs. It was a fantastic experience, and I learned that a palate is a palate is a palate. My ratings and notes, compared to the other judges at the table who had far more experience with these spirits, were pretty much spot-on, which, after the first two rounds, gave me a great sense of confidence. 

 

Our judging results are kept tightly sealed until April at the 2026 ACSA Convention & Expo in Sacramento, California. All of the judges are sworn to secrecy, and I hold that commitment as sacred.

 

After the competition ended, several of the judges and I went to the world-famous Jack Rose Dining Saloon. Some religions have their Meccas, Temple Mounts, Bodh Gayas, and Vaticans. That's what Jack Rose is for whiskey drinkers! It was my first time there, and I was in awe. Even the bartender, Shiloh, saw how giddy I was. The walls of the main floor are lined with bottles from the ceiling to near the floor, mostly whiskey, including some rare dusties you can sample. Here's a noisy video of me walking around from end to end. I attempted to narrate it; however, the ambient noise drowned out my voice. I didn't get to tour the upstairs rooms due to a private function, so I couldn't see what they looked like.

 

 

My goal at any good whiskey bar is to try something I've not had, and Jack Rose provided more than ample opportunity. Shiloh and I figured out a Campeltown whisky flight of Glen Scotia Victoriana, Springbank 114°, and its heavier-peated twin, Longmore 114°. They were fantastic, and while I loved the Victoriana, I was mesmerized by the Springbank twins. One of my fellow patrons was talking up IronRoot Republic, a distillery out of Texas, and she convinced me to order its Slight of Hand, which was just amazing.

 

After a few hours, we were ready to call it a night, and what a night it was!

 

On Thursday, the DC folks finally figured out how to clear the roads. On my way to the airport, I stopped at the Washington Mall to kill a couple of hours, and saw (from a distance) the Washington Monument and the Capitol. I wandered around the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. I didn't pick it for any reason other than it was the first accessible one from the Metro station.

 

And now, I'm home, back at Whiskeyfellow International Headquarters in Wisconsin. This trip was an incredible #DrinkCurious exploration from start to finish. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.