ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Ahead of the fifth annual Ginvitational – a cocktail and food celebration returning to Bethlehem on June 14, a popular Lehigh Valley distillery has garnered several accolades, including “best of class” and “best of category” honors, at a prestigious international competition.
County Seat Spirits, at 905 Harrison St. in Allentown, earned national recognition at the 2026 American Distilling Institute (ADI) International Spirits Competition, receiving seven medals across its portfolio, including the competition’s highest honors for gin.
Since 2007, ADI has been recognizing the best artisan spirits from around the world.
Evan Johnson at Stay Calm Industries
Leading the awards was County Seat Spirits’ Lock Keeper Barrel Finished Gin, which was named:
Best of Class – Distilled – GinBest of Category – Distilled – Aged GinGold Medal
County Seat Spirits also received medals for six additional spirits:
Class 8 Vodka – Silver MedalLa Maya Blanco Agave Spirit – Silver MedalRiver Valley Rye Whiskey – Silver MedalZero G Vodka – Silver MedalHidden Copper Bourbon – Bronze MedalLock Keeper Gin – Bronze Medal
The ADI International Spirits Competition is among the largest and most respected competitions dedicated to distilling, drawing entries from hundreds of distilleries and evaluating well over one thousand spirits from around the world through a blind judging process conducted by industry experts.
For County Seat Spirits, the standout recognition came from the Lock Keeper gin program, which earned awards for both its flagship gin and its barrel-finished expression.
Evan Johnson at Stay Calm Industries
“To receive Best of Class and Best of Category honors for Lock Keeper Barrel Finished Gin is tremendously gratifying,” said John Shevlin Smith, lead distiller for County Seat Spirits.
“Every spirit we make reflects years of experimentation, refinement, and attention to detail, but gin is a category where precision matters immensely. Seeing our barrel-finished gin recognized at this level among such a large and talented field of distillers is an honor for our entire team.”
Shevlin Smith has been with County Seat Spirits since 2021 and has nearly a decade of professional distilling experience.
He also teaches at Northampton Community College as part of its craft distillery program.
“I follow the ADI competition closely and consider it one of the top international competitions that happen annually,” Shevlin Smith said.
“So, I’m super happy to have won these awards. It’s one of the most significant accomplishments in my career so far.”
Lock Keeper Barrel Finished Gin begins with County Seat Spirits’ award-winning Lock Keeper Gin and is matured in carefully selected oak barrels, creating a spirit that balances traditional botanical character with notes of vanilla, spice and oak.
Christian Tassinari
“These results demonstrate the depth of our portfolio and our commitment to quality,” said Anthony Brichta, co-founder of County Seat Spirits.
“We’re incredibly proud that our vodka, agave spirit, rye whiskey, bourbon, and gin programs were all recognized. However, the Best of Class and Best of Category awards for Lock Keeper Barrel Finished Gin are especially meaningful because they recognize not just quality, but excellence within the category itself.”
Founded in 2014 by Brichta and his uncle, Jon Rowe, County Seat Spirits operates its production distillery in Allentown at the Allentown Economic Development Corporation’s Bridgeworks Enterprise Center.
The company produces a diverse portfolio of handcrafted spirits, including whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, rum, and specialty releases inspired by the history and heritage of the Lehigh Valley.
“While we are proud of our spirits, we are equally proud that we have the opportunity to manufacture these spirits in Allentown at a dedicated manufacturing incubator as part of the Lehigh Valley’s rich manufacturing history,” Brichta added.
County Seat Spirits’ production distillery is open for tastings, tours and bottle sales by appointment only (info@countyseatspirits.com).
Ryan Kneller
Additionally, County Seat Spirits products can be found at its locations at La Maya Restaurant in Hellertown and The Tipsy Crow in Easton, and select products are also available for purchase at Pennsylvania Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores.
County Seat Spirits will be featuring and selling its gins and other products at the Blues, Brews & Barbecue festival, noon to 8 p.m. June 13, in downtown Allentown; and the 2026 Ginvitational, 1-4 p.m. June 14 (VIP access begins at 11 a.m.) at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.