GATLINBURG, Tenn. – (May 13, 2025) – Sugarlands Distilling Company, known for its award-winning line of craft spirits, today announced a trio of major milestones for its acclaimed Roaming Man Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey: two Double Gold Medals at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the release of an ultra-limited 10-year Roaming Man and the opening of The Hidden Stave, a new speakeasy-inspired whiskey experience inside Sugarlands’ Gatlinburg Distillery, set to open May 21 in honor of International Tennessee Whiskey Day.
One of Roaming Man’s two Double Gold Medals in 2025 was awarded for its 10-Year-Old Edition, which will debut exclusively at Sugarlands’ Gatlinburg Distillery on May 21. This extremely rare edition comes from the company’s first four barrels filled in 2015, when Sugarlands began aging its spirits. The Roaming Man 10 Year will only be available in 375 mL bottles.
The second Double Gold was awarded to Roaming Man’s first-ever Tennessee Whiskey, another highly allocated release that debuted in September. This wheated Tennessee whiskey is made from a mash bill of Tennessee white corn, red winter wheat and malted barley, then pot distilled and charcoal-filtered via the Lincoln County Process, an essential step in defining Tennessee Whiskey.
Both whiskeys are also in the running for top honors in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Roaming Man 10-Year-Old Edition is nominated for Best in Class Rye Whiskey, while Roaming Man Tennessee Whiskey is a finalist for Best in Class Tennessee Whiskey. Winners will be announced in November.
These latest honors mark the third and fourth Double Gold Medals Roaming Man has earned at San Francisco over the past five years, following previous wins in 2021 and 2023. Earning Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition—widely regarded as the spirits industry’s most prestigious—means that every judge on the panel unanimously rated the spirit a gold medalist, a powerful endorsement of quality, complexity and craftsmanship.
“This is a milestone for us,” said Sugarlands Master Distiller, Greg Eidam. “These 10-year barrels represent our first step into whiskey making, and a commitment we made at the very beginning to distill and age our products ourselves. That patience has paid off, and sharing some of the first barrels we filled a decade ago is incredibly special. To see this release earn a Double Gold in San Francisco, and for Roaming Man to now be a four-time Double Gold winner, is something we’re incredibly proud of and grateful for.”
The Hidden Stave is a new, speakeasy-inspired space specifically designed to showcase Roaming Man. Tucked into the stillhouse of Sugarlands’ Gatlinburg Distillery, The Hidden Stave offers guests a more intimate setting, away from the energy of its beloved Tasting Room and Sippin’ Posts. Here, whiskey lovers can sample a curated lineup of Roaming Man expressions, enjoy handcrafted Roaming Man cocktails and even hand-fill their own bottle of Roaming Man to take home at a bespoke bottling station.
“This space allows us to share Roaming Man in a way we never have before,” said Sugarlands Founder and President, Ned Vickers. “We take a lot of pride in crafting each Roaming Man release from grain to glass, and the Hidden Stave will give guests a chance to connect with whiskey in a setting as thoughtfully crafted as what’s in the whiskey itself.”
The Hidden Stave offers a new, distinct experience to Sugarlands’ wildly popular downtown Gatlinburg Distillery. Known for its vibrant tastings led by a dedicated team of Tastemakers, Sugarlands has been voted the Best Craft Spirits Tasting Room in America by USA TODAY 10Best in 2023 and 2024. The Hidden Stave is designed to transport guests away from the lively energy of the main distillery and into a more intimate, refined environment where whiskey takes center stage.
Entry to the Hidden Stave is available by reservation only. Admission is $20 per guest; however, to celebrate the Hidden Stave’s opening, Sugarlands is offering a special introductory rate of $10 per guest for the first 90 days (through August 19, 2025). The price of admission includes access to a full Roaming Man tasting experience. Customers can also purchase and fill their own bottle of Roaming Man at the Hidden Stave. Reservations can be made at Sugarlands.com/HiddenStave.
About Roaming Man Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey
Roaming Man Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey is a cask-strength whiskey distilled and bottled by Sugarlands Distilling Company. Crafted from a mash bill of locally sourced, premium Tennessee rye, white corn and malted barley, each Roaming Man batch has been pot distilled from day one. Today, Roaming Man is made utilizing the largest whiskey pot still in the United States, yielding a rich, full-bodied whiskey that honors its origin with every batch.
Since launching in 2017, Roaming Man has won multiple prestigious spirits awards, including Best Whiskey in the 2019 American Craft Spirits Association Awards and four Double Gold Medals at the esteemed San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2021, 2023 and two in 2025).
In addition to Roaming Man, Sugarlands Distilling Co. is a house of brands consisting of Sugarlands Shine, Sugarlands Sippin’ Cream, as well as High Rock Vodka in collaboration with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy Earnhardt.
Sugarlands’ downtown Gatlinburg distillery welcomes more than one million guests each year. The distillery was voted the top craft spirits distillery tasting room in America by USA TODAY 10Best in 2023 and 2024 and is rated as TripAdvisor’s number one thing to do in Gatlinburg.
For more information, please visit www.RoamingManWhiskey.com or www.Sugarlands.com.
