WildRye Distilling Is Now Montana's Most Awarded Distillery
Bozeman's WildRye Distilling just pulled off something no other Montana distillery has done before. At SIP Magazine's 14th Annual Best of the Northwest competition, the small-batch distillery brought home seven medals, including two Platinum "Best in Show" awards, pushing its total past 30 national and regional honors and making it the most awarded distillery in the state.
The Platinum medals went to two spirits that sit at opposite ends of the flavor spectrum: Five Drops Montana Straight Bourbon and the WildRye Apple Pie Liqueur. Their Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Barrel Rye Whiskey and EichenKirsch Flathead Cherry Brandy each earned Double Gold, while the Metcalf American Single-Malt Whiskey and Boss Tweed Old Tom Gin took Gold. Queen Bee Honey Gin rounded out the run with a Silver.
The Best of the Northwest competition draws entries from across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, with a blind-tasting panel of mixologists, beverage buyers, spirit writers, distributors, and distillers doing the judging. In total, WildRye racked up 17 awards in 2025 alone.
What makes the run even more notable is what goes into the bottles. WildRye sources its ingredients locally, working with Montana-grown sweet corn, barley, Flathead cherries, honey, juniper, and huckleberries. Managing Partner Sten Anderson says the recognition validates that approach. "We're not just making spirits, we're telling Montana's story in every bottle," he notes. "These awards validate our approach of sourcing the best local ingredients and applying traditional distilling methods with a creative Montana twist."
You can taste the full lineup at WildRye's tasting room at 111 E. Oak Street in Bozeman, open daily from noon to 8 p.m., or find their spirits at select retailers across Montana. Nationwide shipping is available at shop.wildryedistilling.com.
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