Delta Dirt Distillery, the Helena-West Helena distillery owned and operated by Harvey and Donna Williams and their three adult children Thomas, Donavan and TaHara Williams, has taken home the prestigious platinum medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the oldest and largest annual spirits competition in the U.S.
The elusive platinum medal is awarded to entrants that receive the double gold award for three consecutive years. A double gold medal is awarded to the entries that receive a gold medal from all members of the judging panel based on a blind taste testing. This year’s contest had more than 5,000 entries. At last year’s competition, only 26 of the spirits entered were awarded platinum.
Delta Dirt’s flagship Sweet Blend Vodka is distilled with sweet potatoes and corn, both grown on the Williams’ family farm. Harvey Williams told the Arkansas Times in 2022 that he started the distillery as a way to reconnect with the family farm and the soil that had been tilled, planted and harvested by three generations of Williams men.
“I grew up down here, and there were a lot of Black farmers and Black land, even in those days,” Williams said. “Many of them have since moved up north, or sold their land. There are very few Black farmers left in the area now. I’m grateful for what we have.”
Delta Dirt Distillery’s Sweet Blend Vodka is the first Arkansas-distilled vodka to win the platinum award at the SFWSC. Delta Dirt was founded by the Williams family in 2017 and opened its doors to the public in 2021. Read more from Brian Sorensen’s 2022 feature on the Williams family and their distillery here.
