TheFiftyBest.com rating of the finest in wines and spirits has once again shined its spotlight on American-made vodkas. TheFiftyBest.com recently hosted a domestic vodka tasting where 45 contenders were evaluated for the distinguished "Best Domestic Vodka" Awards for 2014.
According to their official press release, "TheFiftyBest.com is very pleased to announce that LEAF made from Alaskan Glacial Water was awarded a Double Gold medal and LEAF made from Rocky Mountain Water was awarded a Gold medal."
Using professional criteria, the prequalified panel of judges blind tasted the vodkas and rated them individually on a 1-5 point scoring system, with 5 being the best. After tallying the scores, medals were awarded based on the judges' impressions.
"There are hundreds of vodkas to choose from. The question is, what is vodka's most distinguishing characteristic?" asked Julius Criscione, national sales and marketing director for Megapolis USA, the American subsidiary for Global Spirits, owners of LEAF Vodka.
"LEAF believes it's vodka's main ingredient, water. There's something in it that shapes the world's favorite spirit. That's why we searched the world to find only the best. The competition tasting notes clearly show that water makes all the difference!"
Competition tasting notes for LEAF Vodka made from Alaskan Glacial Water:
Nose: Almond oil, unsweetened cocoa, light anise, faint lemon rind, crisp
Palate: Vanilla, buttery, creamy, wood, herbal, black pepper, wet stone, mineral, rich.
Finish: Cocoa, touch of vanilla, light pepper, dusty, velvety, silky, soft, clean, delicate
Competition tasting notes for LEAF Vodka made from Rocky Mountain Water:
Nose: Sweet lemon, banana, grassy.
Palate: Butter, creamy, dark fruit, lemon, green apple, grain, pastry dough, grassy, herbal, cedar, pepper, white pepper, spicy, dusty, mineral.
Finish: Cedar, pepper, brine, crisp.
The complete ranking results, along with tasting notes, can be viewed at http://www.thefiftybest.com/spirits/domestic_vodka/.
These accolades follow several recent awards including a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Silver medals at the International Spirits Challenge [ISC] and Wine & Food Spirit Wholesalers Association [WSWA] in 2014, and a score of 90 from the 2014 Ultimate Spirits Challenge for LEAF Alaskan Glacial Water Vodka. LEAF Rocky Mountain Water Vodka also received a Silver medal from the ISC, a Double Gold medal from the WSWA, and a score of 90 from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. In addition, LEAF Vodka was awarded WSWA's Hot, New, Now Media Award for their innovative booth presentation, overall product design.