Overview: The USA TODAY 10BEST editors and readers have opened voting for the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards covering a wide range of alcoholic beverages and venues. Consumers are invited to select favorites among craft whiskey, rum, vodka, gin, tequila, specialty spirits, mixers, and canned cocktails.
The Full Story
According to the Craft Spirits Data Project, there are over 2,000 active craft distillers in the United States as of 2025. To help narrow that field, editors looked for the best craft and small-batch spirits producers — family-owned distilleries, grain-to-glass operations, and distillers using only the best local ingredients. A panel of industry experts, as well as travel and food and drink writers, nominated favorites in each category.
Now, consumers need to vote for their favorite once per day, per category until voting ends on Monday, October 12 at noon ET. The nominees include categories such as Best Canned Cocktail Company, Best Craft Distillery Tour, Best Craft Gin, Best Craft Mixer Brand, Best Craft Rum, Best Craft Specialty Spirits, Best Craft Tequila, Best Craft Vodka, Best Craft Whiskey, Best Speakeasy, and Best Spirits Tasting Room.
Production & Profile
Technical standards vary by spirit type within the competition. For tequila, nominated brands strictly follow standards overseen by the Tequila Regulatory Council. This means their tequila is made with at least 51% Blue Weber agave, produced in authorized regions under the Appellation of Origin, and crafted using time-honored methods. Craft vodka allows distillers’ creativity to shine, with some embracing vodka by making it with local, high-quality ingredients (including potatoes, wheat, corn, and even grapes) with minimal distillation to allow natural flavors to shine.
Gin is distilled with an array of botanicals — not just juniper berries these days — where juniper remains at the heart of every bottle. Depending on what’s in the mix, a gin can showcase bright citrus, fragrant florals, warming spices, or fresh herbal notes, making it a favorite for everything from classic martinis to creative modern cocktails.
Brand & Industry History
The American craft whiskey scene continues to add new and exciting distillers, evolving far beyond traditional Tennessee and Kentucky bourbons. Rum distilling first came to the U.S. during the 1600s, originating from sugar cane plantations in the Caribbean that began distilling rum during the 17th century from molasses. By the 18th century, rum was among the Atlantic world’s most widely traded and consumed spirits. Many believe that Russia and Poland were distilling vodka as early as 1,200 years ago, and it has since become one of the world’s most popular spirits.
What This Means
Ready-to-drink canned cocktails have surged in popularity in recent years, and the category shows no signs of slowing down. These bartender-quality options run the gamut from classics to creative concoctions. The craft distilling movement has grown, so has a wave of artisanal brands producing bitters, tonics, mixers, syrups, and sipping vinegars designed to elevate every pour. Modern-day distilleries now craft liqueurs, absinthe, aquavit, amaro, and a host of other libations alongside their flagship spirits.
Consumer Takeaway
Consumers can vote once per day in each category. The 10 nominees with the most votes in each category will be announced on Wednesday, October 21. Clicking on each category below allows users to cast their vote for the best canned cocktail company, best craft distillery tour, best craft gin, best craft mixer brand, best craft rum, best craft specialty spirits, best craft tequila, best craft vodka, best craft whiskey, best speakeasy, and best spirits tasting room.
Source: Read the original article
