Independent whiskey brand, Never Say Die has taken home one of the top honours at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) Top Shelf Awards – which is known as the Oscars of spirit competitions – after its Rye Whiskey was crowned ‘Best New Rye of 2025’.
The win is a major milestone for the transatlantic whiskey, which is distilled and aged in Kentucky before completing its maturation in England. The ocean voyage acts like a natural agitator, enhancing contact between spirit and oak, while England’s cooler climate allows for slower, more complex ageing.
The SFWSC judges described it as a “an elegant rye that opens with inviting aromas of cinnamon, vanilla, oak, and fresh mint, unfolding on the palate with a creamy texture layered with warm baking spices, bright orange peel, succulent cherry, and rich chocolate, finishing long and memorable with a harmonious balance of sweet honey and gentle spice”.
The unique ageing journey is inspired by the legendary racehorse Never Say Die, who crossed the Atlantic to defy the odds and win the Epsom Derby in 1954 which ultimately played a role in formation of The Beatles.
Made with a proprietary sweet mash and a high-corn recipe – what the team calls a “Kentucky Rye” – Never Say Die Rye delivers a uniquely smooth and rounded profile that’s found a following among bartenders and whiskey fans alike.
Brian Luftman, co-founder of Never Say Die, said: “We set out to do something genuinely different in taking American whiskey on a journey to see how the ocean and England’s climate could shape its character. To see that innovation and our sweet mash whiskies recognized on a global stage is incredible. The high corn content in the mash bill gives our rye a rounder, slightly sweeter profile, which has made it a real favorite with bartenders and also a great entry point for bourbon drinkers or anyone new to rye.”
Never Say Die Rye Whiskey (RRP £64.95/$84.95) is available from The Whiskey Exchange and Seelbach’s .
About Never Say Die
Never Say Die is a multi-award winning Bourbon inspired by the legendary tale of its namesake racehorse.
It is believed to be the first time that a Bourbon – distilled and matured in Kentucky – has been ocean-aged across the Atlantic, and then further matured in barrels in England to give it a unique finish. The contrasting climatic conditions of this journey combined with the increased agitation of the liquid as it makes its maritime voyage, results in the spirit’s distinctive and pronounced flavour profile that is beyond its years. Lively spice and citrus notes melt into vanilla, leather and caramel, concluding with a lasting smooth finish.
It is a traditional Kentucky Bourbon made with a high rye mash bill and limestone-filtered water rich in minerals from the deepest aquifer in Kentucky.
Since launching in September 2022, Never Say Die has released three core expressions: Never Say Die Barrel Strength Bourbon (RRP £79, 56% – 61% abv, 70cl); Never Say Die Small Batch Bourbon (RRP £59.95, 47.5% abv, 70cl) and Never Say Die Rye Whiskey (70cl, 52.5% ABV, RRP £64.95)
The story of Never Say Die
In 1951, on Hamburg Farm in Lexington, KY, a foal had a rough birth and its life was in danger due to poor breathing. Legendary horseman, John A. Bell III was on site and poured a shot of whiskey down the throat of the struggling foal. Through the night, the young horse made a dramatic recovery and was aptly named Never Say Die.
Three years later, after experiencing some success in England, Never Say Die was entered into the biggest race in the world, the 175th running of the Derby Stakes at Epsom Downs (aka the Epsom Derby). In front of a shocking 250K spectators, including Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Winston Churchill, Never Say Die, at 33-1 odds, beat out 22 other horses to become the first American-born horse to win the race in over 70 years.
Meanwhile on the other side of England, a woman in Liverpool named Mona Best had fallen in love with the name and story of Never Say Die. On a daring leap of faith, she pawned all of her jewellery to literally “bet it all” on Never Say Die. With her new fortune, she purchased a historic Victorian home in Liverpool to transform it into a music venue. The basement was a low-key stage for up-and-coming musicians called the Casbah Coffee Club.
The opening night of the Casbah Coffee Club featured a band called The Quarrymen. The band-members, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison were each paid 3 pounds for their weekly gig. The Quarrymen actually hired Mona Best’s son, Peter Best, to be their next full-time drummer. Best was eventually replaced by Ringo Star. Rock and Roll history was forever changed by a band’s humble beginnings in the Casbah Coffee Club and the shocking upset victory of Never Say Die, a horse who may have never run a race without that fateful sip of whiskey on that cold Kentucky night.
