Ultimate Spirits Challenge Announces 2015 Results for Top Gin, Vodka, Scotch, Tequila and More

Ultimate Spirits Challenge®, the world’s platinum standard for spirits competitions, announced the winners and full results for the 2015 Challenge.

Ultimate Spirits Challenge, now in its sixth year, celebrates 33 Chairman Trophy winners, the highest award along with 162 Finalists as well as Tried & True Awards and Great Values. The Challenge, which grew by 14% from 2014, was held in its specially designed evaluation center in Hawthorne, NY.

“For 2015 we have moved Ultimate Spirits Challenge into our new state-of-the-art evaluation center and also moved to a new rolling judging schedule. We broke up the Challenges into smaller categories so we are able to give each grouping of spirits greater in-depth attention, with the inclusion of cocktail evaluations. All our judges agree that this hyper-focus allows USC to provide the most trusted and sought after testimonials that help companies build their brands.”
– USC founder F. Paul Pacult

USC 2015 – CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY WINNER

Tried & True Award (T&TA): Spirit brands are eligible for the Tried & True Award if they have scored 85 points or above in at least two Ultimate Spirits Challenges since 2010. Great Values (GV): is awarded to products with a favorable relationship between their price and final USC score. They are the finest spirits within their respective price points.

VODKA

Unflavored: Russian Standard Original (GV)
Flavored: Van Gogh Dutch Caramel (GV)

GIN

Cold River (GV, T&TA)

RUM

Opthimus Finished in Port Casks 25 Years Old

TEQUILA 100% AGAVE

Blanco: El Tesoro Platinum (T&TA)
Reposado: Blue Nectar (GV)
Añejo: Siete Leguas (GV, T&TA)
Extra Añejo: Malinalli (T&TA)

MEZCAL

Amaras (GV)

WHISKEY – USA

American: Lone Elm Texas Wheat
Kentucky Straight Bourbon: Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20 Years Old (T&TA)
Rye: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight 6 Years Old (T&TA)
Tennessee: George Dickel No. 12 (GV, T&TA)

WHISKEY – IRELAND

Blended: Jameson 18 Years Old (T&TA)
Irish Pot Still: Redbreast 15 Years Old (T&TA)
Single Malt: Bushmills 16 Years Old (T&TA)

WHISKY – SCOTLAND

Blended Malt: Sheep Dip (T&TA)
Blended: Dewar’s 18 Years Old (T&TA)
Single Malt: Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt (GV, T&TA)

WHISKY – CANADA

Tap Rye Sherry Finished 8 Years Old (GV)

WHISKY – FRANCE

Armorik Single Malt Sherry Finish (T&TA)

WHISKY – WALES

Penderyn Single Malt (T&TA)

BRANDY

Armagnac: Chateau de Laubade Cask Strength 1989 25 Years Old Bas-Armagnac
Calvados: Boulard XO Auguste
Cognac: ABK6 XO Family Reserve (GV)
Grappa: Candolini Bianca (GV)
Pisco: Pisco Porton Mosto Verde Italia
Spanish Brandy: Cardenal Mendoza Solera Gran Reserva (T&TA)
Grape Brandy: Asbach Gothe Vintage Reserve 1952 Cask No. 1777

LIQUEUR

Grand Marnier Cuvee du Centenaire

VERMOUTH

Noilly Prat Rouge (GV)

SHOCHU

iichiko BLŪ

BITTERS/AMARO

Foro Amaro (GV)

All products are rated on the 100-point scale by the spirits industry’s most renowned judges including award-winning authors, buyers, journalists, educators and bar owners. The judges for USC 2015: Founder/Judging Chairman F. Paul Pacult, James Conley, Tad Carducci, Dale DeGroff, Gregg Glaser, Geoffrey Kleinman, Douglass Miller, Dan Nicolaescu, Steve Olson, Will Shine, Francis Schott, Andy Seymour and Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW.

All spirits rated 80 points and higher have a “FULL RESULTS” page which provides downloadable marketing materials and a bottle image for easy consumer identification. Spirits rated 85 points and higher also receive a “FULL RESULTS” page plus tasting notes, downloadable certificates and shelf-talkers. New for 2015 — cocktail evaluation for suitable spirits categories has been added and results will be released in April.

USC results are promoted globally via email and web publication to both trade buyers and consumers. In addition, high scoring products are featured in the Ultimate Beverage Challenge Guide published each year in the October issue of Beverage Media reaching more than 70,000 on- and off-premise spirits buyers.

For complete results CLICK HERE

Past Challenge results, event photos, entry forms and more information can be found at Ultimate-Beverage.com.