Fredericksburg Distillery Wins Top Awards In Whisky Competition

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — The John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey was named the nation's best non-Kentucky single barrel bourbon at Whisky Magazine's 2020 World Whiskies Awards in New York City. At the Feb. 11 ceremony, A. Smith Bowman Distillery, the Fredericksburg producer of the John J. Bowman bourbon, was named runner-up in the 2020 Icons of Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year category.

The A. Smith Bowman Distillery is located at 1 Bowman Drive in Fredericksburg, near the historic district, Dixon Park, Strangeways Brewing and the Rappahannock Railroad Museum.

"Producing quality spirits is our top priority, so we are thrilled our John J. Bowman is receiving recognition as the category winner,” A. Smith Bowman Distillery master distiller Brian Prewitt said Wednesday in a statement. “It is also an honor to be runner-up for Visitor Attraction as we thoroughly enjoy sharing the distillery and our rich history with our guests on our complimentary tours."

Whiskies in each category were subject to blind tastings in a three-round judging process. The winners from the World Whiskies Awards and the Icons of Whisky Awards America 2020 will now compete with counterparts from all over the world. The global winners will be announced March 26 in London.