The results are in! Here's the low-down on the recent San Francisco Spirits Competition winners:
Dates of Judging: March 21 and 22, 2009
Venue: Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason Street, San Francisco
The largest spirit competition in America.
The Tasting Panel Magazine Distillery of the Year: The Glenlivet Distillery - Banffshire, Scotland
Importer of the Year: Beam Global Spirits & Wine - Deerfield, IL
Totals:
Products Entered: 876 Brands Entered: 439
Number of Judges: 27 Total Countries Entered: 63
Total Medals Awarded:
Double Gold: 122 Gold: 162 Silver: 298 Bronze: 175
Double Gold occurs when all judges on panel agrees product is Gold. It is immediately upgraded to
Double Gold.
New this year is the sponsorship of The Tasting Panel Magazine for the Distiller of the Year Award.
Categories that grew this year include Flavored Vodka, Gin, Flavored Rum, Tequila, Scotch Whisky,
Cognac, Armagnac, and Calvados.
2009 BEST IN SHOW AWARDS
THE TASTING PANEL MAGAZINE DISTILLERY OF THE YEAR
THE GLENLIVET DISTILLERY - BANFFSHIRE, SCOTLAND
IMPORTER OF THE YEAR
BEAM GLOBAL SPIRITS &WINE - DEERFIELD, IL
BEST IN SHOW -WHITE
Linie Aquavit, Norway ($25)
Importer: Capstone Int'l - St. Petersburg, FL
BEST IN SHOW - BROWN
Parker's Heritage Collection Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Kentucky, USA ($200)
BEST IN SHOW - BRANDY
Père Magloire Calvados XO, Normandy, France ($75)
Importer: USA Wine Imports - NY, NY
BEST IN SHOW - LIQUEUR
Coole Swan Cream Liqueur, Ireland ($30)
Importer: MHW Ltd. - Manhasset, NY
PLATINUM AWARD
Marquis de Montesquiou 1906 Vintage Armagnac, Eauze, France ($6,917)
Importer: House of Burgundy - NY, NY
PLATINUM AWARD
Marquis de Montesquiou Vintage Armagnac, Cuvee Pierre deMontesquiou Comte d'Artagnan,
Eauze, France ($2,516)
Importer: House of Burgundy - NY, NY
BEST VODKA
Dry Fly Vodka, Washington, USA ($30)
BEST FLAVORED VODKA
Binboa Satsuma Vodka, Turkey ($19)
BEST GIN
Bluecoat Gin, Pennsylvania, USA ($26)
BEST RUM
Angostura Rum, 1824, Tobago, Trinidad
BEST CACHAÇA
Weber Haus Silver Cachaça, Brazil ($40)
Importer: JPV Co - Petaluma, CA
BEST TEQUILA
El Tesoro Platinum Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico ($38)
Importer: Beam Global Spirits & Wine - Deerfield, IL
BEST REPOSADO TEQUILA
Blue Head Tequila Reposado Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico ($40)
Importer: Blue Head Tequila - Tampa, FL
BEST AÑEJO TEQUILA
Sol de Mexico Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico ($55)
Importer: UA Imports - Tempe, AZ
BEST EXTRA-AÑEJO TEQUILA
Casa Noble Añejo Tequila, Single Barrel, Jalisco, Mexico ($105)
Importer: Wilson Daniels - St. Helena, CA
BEST FLAVORED TEQUILA
Gran Centenario Rosangel Tequila, Hibiscus Infused, Jalisco, Mexico ($37)
Importer: Proximo Spirits - New York, NY
BEST MESCAL
Los Osuna Reposado Mescal, Mexico ($38)
Importer: Gateway Group, LLC - San Carlos, CA
BEST RYE
Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve Rye, Kentucky, USA ($30)
BEST IRISH WHISKEY
Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Ireland ($40)
Importer: Diageo North America - Norwalk, CT
BEST OTHER WHISKY
Suntory Yamakazaki Single Malt Whisky, 18 Year Old, Japan ($100)
Importer: Suntory Int'l Corp. - NY, NY
BEST BLENDED SCOTCH
Buchanan's Special Reserve 18 Year Old Scotch, Scotland ($32)
Importer: Diageo North America - Norwalk, CT
BEST SINGLE MALT SCOTCH
Port Ellen 29 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay, Scotland ($400)
Importer: Diageo North America - NY, NY
BEST COGNAC (TIE)
Courvoisier Cognac, Exclusif, Jarnac, France ($50)
Importer: Beam Global Spirits & Wine - Deerfield, IL
BEST COGNAC (TIE)
Hardy CognacNoces D'Or, D'Albatre / Rosebud, Cognac, France ($1,800)
Importer: A Hardy USA - Des Plaines, IL
BEST ARMAGNAC
Marquis de Montesquiou Cuvée Louis I Vintage Armagnac, Eauze, France ($755)
Importer: House of Burgundy - NY, NY
BEST PISCO
Estirpe Pervana Pisco, Gran Amauta de Acholado, Ica, Peru ($23)
BEST FRUIT LIQUEUR
Leopold Bros. New England Cranberry Liqueur, USA ($35)