Bourbon Club of Arkansas Announces Final Results of 2026 Blind Whiskey of the Year Competition

Last Updated on March 5, 2026 by Justin Jones

PUBLISH DATE: March 5, 2026

The Bourbon Club of Arkansas (BCA) has revealed the final rankings from its annual Blind Whiskey of the Year competition, one of the most anticipated internal tastings within Arkansas’s bourbon community.

Each year, BCA members conduct a blind tasting of standout barrels and releases associated with the club, ranking them purely on flavor without knowing the bottle identities during evaluation. The competition highlights some of the most memorable single barrels and picks connected to the group over the past year.

According to Gary Penna, the final rankings for 2026 are:

BCA Blind Whiskey of the Year – Final Rankings

1. Barrel Kings – “Hello Darkness”
2. Elijah Craig – “Dark Side”
3. Elijah Craig – “Light Side”
4. Elliot Brothers
5. Russell’s Reserve – “Uncle Baby Billy”
6. Smoke Wagon – “Desert Diamond”
7. Sagamore – “Ryed the Lightning”
8. Bardstown – “Straight Out of Bardstown”

While Barrel Kings “Hello Darkness” claimed the top spot in BCA’s internal competition, it will not be submitted to the ASCOT Awards through the club. The distillery will instead enter the whiskey independently in a separate category.

Because of this, the BCA entries advancing to the ASCOT Awards will be ranked #2 through #5:

• Elijah Craig “Dark Side”
• Elijah Craig “Light Side”
• Elliot Brothers
• Russell’s Reserve “Uncle Baby Billy”

These selections will represent BCA in the upcoming ASCOT Awards, an international spirits competition judged by a panel of industry experts.

A Track Record of Award-Winning Picks

The announcement continues a streak of success for BCA, which has gained national recognition for its barrel selections in recent years. The club has produced multiple award-winning picks and has even landed top whiskey honors at the ASCOT Awards, a rare accomplishment for a private bourbon group.

From carefully selected single barrels to creative collaborations with retailers and distilleries, BCA has helped elevate Arkansas’s reputation in the national bourbon community.

With the ASCOT submissions now determined, many bourbon fans across Arkansas will be watching closely to see if this year’s entries continue the club’s winning streak.