FINDING THE WORLDS BEST SPIRITS
HOW INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS PICK THEIR WINNERS

Forbes magazine recently wrote an excellent article titled “Finding the World’s Best Spirits: How International Competitions Pick Their Winners.” One of the examples used in this article is a critical photo of the Mermaid Rum from NJoy Spirits Distillery, the 2017 Gold Medal winner (see the main image).

WORLDS BEST SPIRITS
HOW INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS PICK THEIR WINNERS

We thought you might find the following noteworthy quotations from Finding the World’s Best Spirits to be interesting:

“Spirit competitions are held internationally in hundreds of locations. Some focus on specific spirits, such as whisky or rum, while others are more generic. The judging results are released to the public annually, first in the spring and then again in the fall. Every two weeks, a statement highlighting the world’s best vodka, rum, or whisky is made.

Consumers closely observe the results. Sales of winning spirits can increase quickly when someone wins a gold medal in a major competition. Beverage companies are excited to share their findings with the public, seeing them as a chance to broaden their audience and validate their brand. Gaining recognition in international contests is crucial for a lot of nascent craft distillers in order to obtain distribution and frequently funding.”

“A number of additional factors also affect how competitions turn out. The cost is among the most significant. For example, Levy’s NYISC notes that “a $70 vodka that received a silver medal might have been a gold medalist at a $50 price.” This indicates that the NYISC takes price into account when judging spirits.

It is more likely for a producer to “do better in a competition and help bring attention to the rest of their spirits” if they enter a limited specialty category, according to Zandona. Having more judging categories is advantageous if your goal is to draw in more entries.

“The quantity of feedback provided to competitors is something that all three contests take great pride in. Feedback of this kind is crucial, particularly for up-and-coming craft producers. The IWSC and ADI do not make comments on whether a spirit’s price is appropriate, but the NYISC will. Levy notes that roughly 15% of the entrants each year are from brands that are not sold in the US and are seeking feedback prior to going on sale.”

FINDING THE WORLDS BEST SPIRITS
HOW INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS PICK THEIR WINNERS

Locating The Greatest Spirits on Earth The Forbes magazine article was written by world-renowned spirits contributor Joseph V. Micallef. In his About Page, he says, “I have been writing and speaking about wines and spirits for 20 years. Along the way, I wrote a book on Scotch Whisky: Its History, Production, and Appreciation and worked on one on Tequila. I also became an Oregon Pinot Noir winemaker and judge for several international competitions, including the Irish Whisky Awards and the International Wine and Spirits Competition. I also obtained the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits.”

“I have sampled a wide range of wines and spirits, including many of the oldest whiskies in the world, 200-year-old ports, and centuries-old Cognacs. In addition, I write about the world’s dusty, forgotten locations—places that smell of the past but have tales that are still relevant in the twenty-first century. The rest of the time, I cover international politics. An eclectic combination to be sure; then again, the state of the world would drive anyone to drink.”

FINDING THE WORLDS BEST SPIRITS
HOW INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS PICK THEIR WINNERS

You can read the full article Finding The Worlds Best Spirits for free on the Forbes website at this link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2021/02/11/finding-the-worlds-best-spirits-how-international-competitions-pick-their-winners/.

To learn more about NJoy Spirits Distillery Award-Winning Craft Liquors Wild Buck Whiskey, Mermaid Rum, and Rise-In-Shine Moonshine, please tap on any of their named links.

Finding The Worlds Best Spirits – Finding The Worlds Best Spirits – Finding The Worlds Best Spirits -Finding The Worlds Best Spirits – Finding The Worlds Best Spirits