Where The Trade Decides
This is the year that the face of beverage competitions changes!
The New York International Spirits Competition, which welcomed 187 submissions from 28 countries in 47 categories had only 1 Double Gold, 13 Golds, 36 Silver and 45 Bronze Medals. The NYISC also awarded a “Distillery of The Year” and “Importer of The Year” This is the first major international spirits competition to be judged solely by members of the trade who have purchasing power through their stores, bars, distribution networks and their resulting ability to make a direct impact on brand sales.
Held at the Brandy Library earlier this month this year’s judging panel included buyers from the top retail stores, restaurant and bar owners, distributors and importers who all donated their time and palates without hesitation or compensation.
Additionally, what sets this competition apart from others where members of the media are included in the judging process is the fact that the New York International Spirits Competition judges evaluate spirits within their categories at pricing parity. So, for instance, a whiskey that retails for $50 will be judged with other whiskeys in that price range and not be put up against whiskies that go for $100.
While keeping to the philosophy that “like should be compared with like” when it comes to pricing, the competition also strives to only award the crème de la crème in a category, instead of handing out medals to every entrant. Only the truly stand-out brands end up in the winner’s circle and then, accordingly, find themselves placed up on wine and liquor store shelves and on the city’s best back bars. In addition to considering similarly priced bottles against similarly priced bottles, each spirit was sampled for appearance, aroma, taste, mouth feel, and finish. Each panel conferred on their choices to come to a unanimous decision.
Spirits landing on these shelves are carrying awards designated as either: Double Gold, Gold, Silver, or Bronze though not every bottle entered received a medal, as is common practice with many other competitions. A Bronze medal indicates it is something a judge would consider carrying; Silver medals designate the spirit that judges really liked; Gold medals are affixed to brands that the judging panel believed was worth promoting to their customers; Gold award winners were re-tasted by all panelists to establish which brands may be eligible to receive a ‘Double Gold’ endorsement in its pricing.
Preiss Imports
Delaware Phoenix Distillery
Rum, Dark; $26-40
Vizcaya VXOP
Distillers Single Malt 10 Years And Younger & Less Than $40
Laphroaig 10 Year
Springbank CV
Distillers Single Malt 11-20 Years & $40-70
Balvenie Carribean Cask
Glenlivet Nadurra Cask
Glendronach 14Yr Virgin Oak Finish
Unaged Craft Distillery $41-70
Rye Dog
Distillers Single Malt 11-20 Year & $71-100
Benriach 15 Yr Cask 7165
Unflavored Vodka $26-40
Bootlegger 21 New York Vodka
Flavored Vodka $26-40
Hangar One Pear
Gin $41+
Oxley Gin
Pisco $30 Less
Don Alvaro
Absinthe $41+
Walton Waters
Reposado $51+
Milagro Select
Anejo $31-50
El Ultimo
Blended Scotch Whiskey 11-20 Years $40-70
Dewars 18 Year
Distillers Single Malt 11-20 Years & $40-70
Benriach 12 Year
Kilkerran
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Distillers Single Malt 11-20 Year & $71-100
Laphroaig 18 YR
Distillers Single Malt 11-20 Year & $101+
Balvenie Peated Cask
Small Batch Bourbons 10Yr and Younger & $40 Less
Woodford Reserve
Aged Craft Distillery Less Than 2 Year & $40 Less
Catoctin Roundstone Rye
Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey
Unaged Craft Distillery Less Than $40
Catoctin Organic Mosby Spirit
Unflavored Vodka Less Than $25
Finlandia Vodka
Unflavored Vodka $26-40
Comb Vodka
Silver “CHINGGIS” Mongolian Vodka
Moses Vodka
Flavored Vodka Less Than $25
Finlandia Grapefruit
Stolichynaya Blueberry
360 Vodka Cola Double Chocolate
Flavored Vodka $26-40
Hangar One Mandarin
Gin $26-40
Cardinal Gin
Rum White $25 Less
Santa Teresa Claro
Siesta Key
Rum Dark $25 Less
Bacardi Select
Rum Dark $41+
Rum Dictator 20 Yr
Rum Gold $25 Less
Cruzan 9
Rum Gold $26-40
Santa Teresa 1796
Eau-de-Vie $30 Less
Williams Crist
Coffee Liqueurs $25 Less
Fair Cafe Liqueur
Fruit Liqueurs $26-40
Crème Yvette
Ventura Limoncello
Herbal/Botanicals $26-40
St. Germain
Unlisted Spirit $26-40
Jaan Liqueur
Blanco $30 Less
Ambhar Plata
Reposado $30 Less
El Ultimo
Reposado $31-50
El Jimador
Anejo $31-50
Milagro
Anejo $51+
Milagro Select
Blended Irish Whiskey Less Than $40
Slane Castle
Blended Scotch Whiskey 10 Year And Younger & Less Than $40
Fort Glen
Blended Scotch Whiskey 11-20 Years Less Than $40
Dewars 12 Year
Blended Scotch Whiskey 11-20 Years $40-70
Black Bull 12 Year
Distillers Single Malt 11-20 Years & $40-70
Glendronach 12 Year
Distillers Single Malt 11-20 Year & $101+
GlenDronach 15 Year 1995 Cask 2045
Single Malt Irish Whiskey 10 Year & Younger $40-70
Slieve Foy
Small Batch Bourbons 10Yr and Younger & $40 Less
Basil Hayden
Straight Bourbon 10 Year and Younger & $40 Less
Old Forrester
Aged Craft Distillery Less Than 2 Year & $40 Less
Balcones Blue
Balcones Rumble
Rogue Oregon Single Malt
Aged Craft Distillery Less Than 2 Year & $41-70
Balcones True Blue
Unflavored Vodka Less Than $25
Hudson Feruss
Unflavored Vodka $26-40
Twenty 2 Vodka
666 Voka
Bee Vodka
Peabody Jones Vodka
Unflavored Vodka $41+
42 Below Vodka
Flavored Vodka Less Than $25
Stolichynaya Blakberi
Stolichynaya Gala Apple
Stolichynaya Razberry
360 Vodka- Vanilla
Flavored Vodka $26-40
Hangar One Rasberry
Gin $26-40
Comb Gin
Wild Kis Gin
Gin Craft Flavored Gin $26-40
Rogue Pink Gin
Rum Dark $25 Less
Bacardi 8
Rum Dark $26-40
Rum Dictator 12 YR
Rum Gold $25 Less
Santa Teresa Gran Reserva
Rum Spiced $25 Less
Sailor Jerry
Rum Liqueur $25 Less
Isla-N
Cognac XO $151+
‘Cognac Hors D’age Bache-Gabrielsen
French Grape Brandy $30 Less
Marquis de Villard
Other Brandies $30 Less
Staldjanska Muscat Matured Rakia
Cream/Dairy Liqueurs $25 Less
Amarula – Bronze
Molly’s Irish Cream
Fruit Liqueurs $25 Less
Pama
Herbal/Botanicals $25 Less
Sugar Maple Liqueur
Blanco $31-50
Herradura
Reposado $31-50
Ambhar
Anejo $30 Less
Sauza
Bek Allen – Partner – Hush Cocktails
Miguel Aranda – Mixologist – Apotheke
Flavian Desoblin – Owner – Brandy Library
Ray Deter – Owner – d.b.a
Eben Freeman – Beverage Director – Altamarea Group
Courtenay Greenleaf – Tequila Librarian of La Biblioteca – Richard Sandoval Restaurants
Chris Hiatt – Slope Cellars of Brooklyn
Katherine Ramos – Drink Up NY
Raphael Reyes – Mixologist – 1534
David Roth – Beverage Director- Feng Asian Bistro
Erin-Elizabeth Williams – Partner – Hush Cocktails
We invite you to register for the NYISC online, or use the downloadable form below to submit your spirit or mixer.
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