Flaviar Awards: Get to Know 2021's Spiritual Superstars

Together, we traveled down some pretty wild boozy roads and all of that sipping helped us assemble one of the most fantastically peculiar Flaviar Awards winner’s circles in the history of the awards.

Glad you asked. An annual tradition since 2012, the awards recognizes the best bottles of booze from the previous year as voted by Flaviar community.

The winners are then rounded up in a special Flaviar awards tasting box. And it’s a big deal — being part of this box is an awesome honor and a veritable seal of approval from the world’s largest Spirited community.

So, before we completely bag on the year-which-must-not-be-named, here are five reasons to remember why tasting really is believing — time to meet the 2021 Flaviar Award winners!

This Single Malt powerhouse starts its life as an American Pale Ale before going through slow fermentation and double distillation to turn itself into an amber-colored Whiskey bomb.

Herbaceous on the nose and palate, it boasts a long lingering finish of orange peel, cocoa and lemon. It even has the power to lure winos to the… dark side.

Just check out Flaviar member Debra’s hot take on Westward: “This Whiskey turned me from a Wine enthusiast to a Whiskey lover. I never dreamed Whiskey could turn me away from my first love.”

Uncle Nearest is a Whiskey who’s origin story is as spectacular as its juice. See, the man who taught Jack Daniel (yes, that JD) everything he knew was the preacher’s slave, Nathan Green, also known as Uncle Nearest.

The first African American distiller in history, his story has been honored and brought back to life in the form rich, smooth spirit with sweet caramel and apple notes on the palate followed by a kick of spice.

Just take it from Flaviar member David: “Normally I’m not a huge fan of Tennessee Whiskey. HOWEVER, once I had this neat a few times I began to appreciate it for what it is. A big, flavorful, smooth, complex Whiskey that begs for another sip. Regardless of someone’s flavor preferences, this is a special juice.”

Coming out of the gate with swagger and character to spare, Mount Gay XO Triple Cask is a blend of Rums that have been aged between five to 17 years in a combination of cask types — former Bourbon, Whiskey and Cognac barrels, to be exact. But they didn’t stop there.

After aging, the juice was made in a combination of pot and column still to really give things a complex... je ne sais quoi. The palate has a soft creamy texture with notes of mango, raw cane, plantain, cloves and warm oak.



Adds Flaviar member Gregory, “I really like the smooth and light fruit combined with a long finish of toffee. Bravo!”

What happens when an American Rye Whiskey and Rum get together for a night of good times? Answer: you get Hercules Mulligan, a Flaviar original that combines two totally disparate Spirits with macerated Brooklyn ginger and a dash of bespoke bitters. It's the perfect Old Fashioned right out of the bottle and meant to be enjoyed on the rocks or - just add ice..

With only limited number of bottles out there, it’d be a smart bet to get the jump on a few before Flaviar member Matt gets to all of ‘em: “First truly great mixed bottle I've had. Just add your garnish and you're set with a high quality cocktail. Would definitely get again.”

Not only is Member's favorite, but it also won a Double Gold medal at San Francisco World Spirit Competition 2021.

Islay is known for its smoke-bomb Whiskies, which is what makes Bruichladdich’s “The Classic Laddie'' such an insane anomaly — it has zero peat and 100% Scottish barley. It’s aged in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks with no chill-filtration and no artificial coloring. Lots of sweet oak, barley, ripe green fruit and vanilla on the palate — a true Islay rebel.

Flaviar member Sotiros sums it up nicely: “Absolutely amazing. Glorious spirit. Absolutely unbelievable. Did not expect this level of complexity. I think I found my favorite distillery… one of my top five Whisk(e)y’s.”

And there you have it — another Flaviar Awards in the books. Get a taste of these 2021 all-stars by snapping up our Flaviar Awards 2021 Tasting Box.