Forbes Rank #1
"A total of 24 American whiskeys won top honors at the recent World Whisky Awards. Five whiskeys won the highest accolade of Worlds Best, and 19 won their group award as Best. The winners were announced at the Whisky Magazine Awards dinner in Louisville, KY, on February 9. Three of the top five American whiskeys were from craft distillers, and all three were from outside the historic Kentucky-Tennessee heartland of American whiskey."

"Worlds Best Bourbon was The Representative, Small Batch Bourbon
The Worlds Best Bourbon was The Representative, Small Batch Bourbon bottled by Proof and Wood
Taking the top prize as the Worlds Best Bourbon was The Representative, Small Batch Bourbon bottled by Proof and Wood Ventures, a New Canaan, Connecticut-based spirits company that buys, sells ages and bottles American whiskey.

The Spirit
Barrel proof straight bourbon whiskey distilled in Indiana (MGP) and bottled in Bardstown, KY, by Proof and Wood Mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley Aged a minimum 4 years Small batch, blended from approximately 20 barrels Nose of tree bark and crme ptissire; browned butter and violet on the mid-palate with an earthy finish that hints of licorice root, tobacco, and bitter herbs Non-chill filtered; 57.4% ABV (ABV may vary batch to batch)

Distilled in Indiana from the same mash bill as Proof and Woods Deadwood Bourbon, this distinct and sultry bourbon is a must-try for those that love barrel-strength expressions.


The Distillery
Spirits Industry veteran Dave Schmier began Proof & Wood in 2015, with the goal of compiling a portfolio of some of the best spirits in the world through the time-honored tradition of independent blending and bottling. Although the cornerstone of the companys selection is American whiskey, its spirits span a range of categories. A focus on aging, blending, and bottling rather than distillingquite literally the proof and wood involved in the crafting of these spiritshas resulted in a curation of stellar distillates that are must-haves for cocktailing and sipping alike.