Maryland’s Best and Maryland Grain Producers Host Second Annual Maryland Spirits Competition

The Maryland Grain Producers Association and Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Maryland’s Best program recently hosted the 2025 Maryland Spirits Competition, highlighting Maryland distilleries using at least 50% of Maryland grown grain to create their whiskey. The competition is designed to encourage whiskey producers to consider Maryland grain and showcase the variety of spirits already made with local products.

“We are excited to continue this competition in 2025 highlighting the connection between farmers and consumer products,” said Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks. “The dedication to using local grain in a glass is critical to continue showing that purchasing local- even Maryland spirits- matters.”

For the second year in a row, the competition featured two awards: the Maryland’s Best Farmer’s Choice Award and the Maryland’s Best Cocktail Competition, both using Maryland whiskeys made with at least 50 percent or more Maryland grain. Five Maryland companies, including McClintock Distilling, Meinelschmidt Distillery, Pathfinder Farm Distillery, Tenth Ward Distilling, Sangfroid Distilling and Tobacco Barn Distillery competed in the Maryland’s Best Farmer’s Choice Award competition.