The 5th Annual Ultimate Spirits Challenge

Each year, a group of the spirits industry's finest palates gather to sniff, sip and judge. Welcome to the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, one of the premier spirits competitions in the world. “Interest in Ultimate Spirits Challenge has never been greater,” says Ultimate Spirits Challenge founder F. Paul Pacult. “Companies enter because they want brands to be evaluated against their peers by the world’s best judges. USC provides the most trusted, sought after testimonials that help distillers and importers build their brands.”

Over 4 days, this group of some of the world’s most respected spirits authorities —journalists, authors, buyers, bar owners, consultants and educators—carefully blind taste hundreds of entries to determine which spirits are the best each year in over 30 categories. If it sounds like a dream job, you are only partially right — judging all of these spirits from aquavit to whisky is no easy task.

I got a peek behind the scenes last year's judging at NYC's Astor Center. Just the sheer number of bottles is a bit overwhelming. But the judges don't get to see the ballroom full of bottles — they are sequestered in the tasting room, blindly tasting flights, up to 70 spirits per day. Each judge scores the spirit on a 100-point scale, in categories such as taste, clarity, aroma, and finish. In between sips, judges cleanse their palates with crackers, cheese, cucumbers and celery. Entries that are scored 90 or higher in the first round move on to the second round to determine the Chairman’s Trophy winner, the top scoring spirit in each category.

This year’s judges were: USC Founder and Judging Chairman F. Paul Pacult, Judging Co-Chairman Sean Ludford, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tad Carducci, James Conley, Dale DeGroff, Jim Meehan, Dan Nicolaescu, Steve Olson, Andy Seymour, Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW and David Wondrich.

2014 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE - CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY WINNERS
For a complete list of results visit www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2014results


APERITIF

Luxardo Aperitivo

VODKA

Unflavored: Absolut

Flavored: Belvedere Lemon Tea

AQUAVIT

Linie Aquavit (Tried & True Award)

GIN

Tanqueray No.Ten (Tried & True Award)

RUM

Rum: Don Q Gran Añejo (Tried & True Award)

Rhum Agricole: Clement Canne Bleue

Flavored Rum: Selvarey Cacao Flavored

Spiced Rum: Lemon Hart Navy Spiced

CACHAÇA

Sagatiba Velha

TEQUILA 100% AGAVE

Blanco: Siete Leguas (Tried & True Award)

Reposado: Blue Nectar

Añejo: Siete Leguas (Tried & True Award)

Extra Añejo: Herradura Seleccion Suprema (Tried & True Award)

MEZCAL

Del Maguey Iberico

WHISKEY – USA

American: Wild Turkey Forgiven

Kentucky Straight Bourbon: George T. Stagg

Rye: Bulleit 95 Small Batch

WHISKEY - IRELAND

Blended: Tullamore D.E.W. Special Reserve 12 Years Old (Tried & True Award)

Irish Pot Still: Redbreast 21 Years Old

Single Malt: Bushmills 16 Years Old (Tried & True Award)

WHISKY - SCOTLAND

Blended Malt: Big Peat

Blended: Ballantine's 17 Years Old

Single Malt: Glenmorangie Quarter Century 25 Years Old

WHISKY - CANADA

Alberta Premium Dark Horse

WHISKY – JAPAN

Nikka Coffey Grain

BRANDY

Armagnac: Chateau de Laubade 1959 Bas-Armagnac

Calvados: Pere Magloire 20 Years Old

Cognac: Delamain Pale & Dry

Grappa: Bocchino Riserva Carlo Bocchino

Pisco: KAPPA (Tried & True Award)

Spanish Brandy: Cardenal Mendoza Carta Real Brandy de Jerez

American Brandy: Osocalis Heritage

Pineau des Charentes: Jean Fillioux Vieux

LIQUEUR

Cointreau (Tried & True Award)

VERMOUTH

Maurin Dry

SHOCHU

iichiko Frasco