Lost Woods American Single Malt Whiskey (Northeast Minneapolis) 

As a longtime judge at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition, I know that earning a double gold medal—an award given only to those spirits unanimously deemed worthy of a gold medal by all members of a judging panel—is no small feat. Earning a platinum medal, which is awarded to spirits earning a double gold three years in a row, elevates a product into a truly elite class. Minnesota’s own Lost Woods American Single Malt Whiskey joined that exclusive club this spring when it took home its third consecutive double gold medal, having won its two previous double golds before it was even formally launched last August. Distilled right here in northeast Minneapolis from 100% Wisconsin-grown malted barley and finished with sherry-soaked oak staves after a proprietary accelerated-aging process, Lost Woods has earthy aromas reminiscent of raw honey, followed by rich flavors of burnt sugar and toasted cereal. This is a whiskey that not only tastes good, but does good: 1% of all sales are contributed to environmental organizations working to protect and heal our beleaguered planet.

- Consultant David Mahoney

Amaras Cupreata Mezcal

It wasn’t all that long ago that you were lucky to find one brand of mezcal on liquor store shelves in this country—and that one had a worm in it. (It still does.) In recent years, the mezcal category has grown by leaps and bounds. Now there are not just dozens of choices of classic mezcals made from the espadin agave in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, but there are also mezcals made from different kinds of agave, and in different parts of Mexico. Among these more exotic bottlings, one of my favorites is Amarás’s joven (unaged) mezcal made in the state of Guerrero from the cupreata agave. (And apparently I’m not the only one who thinks it’s fantastic—it won Best in Show for all unaged spirits at last year’s prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.) Appealingly herbaceous, with just enough smoke to add another layer of complexity to its array of floral and vegetal flavors, it makes a great Old Fashioned as well as a sensational straight sipper.