Milagro Tequila Wins Chairman's Trophy at 2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge

NEW YORK, March 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Milagro Tequila today announced that its Select Barrel Reserve Silver tequila, one of the brand's six acclaimed variants, was most recently awarded the coveted Chairman's Trophy within the Blanco Tequila Category at this year's Ultimate Spirits Challenge.  This represents the highest honor bestowed on a spirit during the elite competition, and adds to an already lengthy list of plaudits for a brand that is renowned for its fine craftsmanship and pioneering design.

In addition to the trophy, other Milagro expressions, including Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Reposado and Select Barrel Reserve Anejo, outperformed stiff competition, with each entry receiving a rating of 90 (Highly Recommended) or higher by the esteemed judging panel.  These combined honors cement the brand's already strong reputation and reflect the exceptional quality of the Select Barrel Reserve range.

The award comes on the heels of numerous high-profile wins in recent years, including the 2011 International Wine and Spirit Competition "Tequila Trophy" for Milagro Reposado, "Best in Class" Gold award at the 2010 International Wine and Spirit Competition for Milagro SBR Silver, as well as a Double Gold award at the 2009 San Francisco Spirits Competition for Milagro SBR Reposado.  Milagro was also named a "Hot Prospects" brand by Impact magazine in October 2009, 2010 and 2011, as a testament to the stir being created by this exciting tequila.

"The continued success of Milagro in competitions such as this is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to quality," said Tom Wade, Brand Manager for Milagro Tequila. "For seventeen years, we've stayed true to traditional tequila practices while enhancing those with modern techniques and processes to produce unique, one-of-a kind liquids we are proud to deliver to trade and consumers alike."

The Ultimate Spirits Challenge is one of the most respected and celebrated competitions within the industry.  Featuring a panel of fourteen of the world's foremost distilled spirits authorities including authors, journalists, bar owners and spirits buyers, the contest samples over 650 spirits from more than 70 companies and 30 countries around the world. From this pool of distinguished entries, the esteemed judges select 31 Chairman's Trophy winners and more than 80 finalists.

A complete list of Milagro Tequila's ratings is included below.  Milagro Tequila Select Barrel Reserve is available nationwide at premium liquor stores, bars and restaurants. For more information on the brand, please visit Milagro's website (www.milagrotequila.com) or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/milagro).

2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Results—Milagro Tequila

About William Grant & Sons
William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distills some of the world's leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world's most awarded single malt Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world's fourth largest blended Scotch Grant's® as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick's® Gin, Sailor Jerry® Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey and the award-winning Milagro® Tequila.

Among the most recent accolades for the well-awarded company, William Grant & Sons was honored as the "Distiller of the Year" by the International Wine & Spirit Competition for the second year running and the fourth time since 1999. When counted along with the same designation from the International Spirits Challenge, William Grant & Sons has received this title an unprecedented nine times in the past 12 years.

Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the USA with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Milagro Tequila, Stolichnaya Vodka, Grant's, Hudson Whiskey, Gibson's Finest, Monkey Shoulder, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Lillet, Licor 43, Art In The Age, The Knot and BOLS cordials. The company has offices in New York City (sales and marketing) and Edison, NJ (bottling and warehouse facilities). For more information on the company and its brands, please visit www.grantusa.com.

SOURCE Milagro Tequila