ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE® 2019 Results Announced

HAWTHORNE, N.Y., April 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC), since 2010 the world's most prestigious and progressive global spirits and cocktail competition, today releases the results of the 2019 Challenge. This year proved to be the ninth consecutive year of record entries from more than 45 spirits-producing nations.

The judging held throughout March and early April, determined 45 Chairman's Trophy winners, the beverage industry's most coveted award, and 236 Finalists. USC was held at the custom-designed Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) Evaluation Center in Hawthorne, NY.

Says UBC Founder and Judging Director F. Paul Pacult, "This year's USC was genuinely international, with a dazzling array of quality distillates from 46 countries. Producers look to us for the fairest, most accurate analytical data in the industry.

"USC is the only international spirits competition that evaluates spirits in cocktails to assess their mixability. The responsibility for our judges to render reliable results is paramount to USC's mission of No Shortcuts. Just Honest, Impartial Judging."

Complete results:  www.ultimate-beverage.com/USC2019results/

2019 Chairman's Trophy Winners

AMARO
Lucano Anniversario

APERITIF
Select Aperitivo

BAIJIU
TTL Yushan Chiew XO Kaoliang

BRANDY
American: Argonaut Fat Thumb
Armagnac: Marie Duffau Hors d'Age Bas Armagnac
Calvados: Christian Drouin Pays d'Auge 1999
Cognac: Courvoisier Initiale Extra
European Brandy: Asbach 15 Years Old
Pisco: Demonio de los Andes Acholado

GIN
American: Junipero
London Dry: Fords
Matured: Tommyrotter Cask Strength Bourbon-Barrel
Navy Strength: Scapegrace Gold
World: Citadelle

LIQUEUR
Berry/Fruit: Merlet Soeurs Cerises
Citrus/Triple Sec: Grand Marnier Cuvée Louis Alexandre
Cream/Dairy: Carolans Salted Caramel Irish Cream
Herbal/Mint/Spice/Botanical: Becherovka

MEZCAL
Real Minero Barril

RUM
Aged: Appleton Estate 21 Years Old
Dark/Gold: Banks 7 Golden Age
White Rum: Banks 5 Island

SHOCHU
iichiko Reserve Zenwa 2019 Edition

TEQUILA, 100% AGAVE
Blanco: Cabeza
Reposado: Partida
Añejo: Azunia
Extra Añejo: El Tesoro

VODKA
Flavored: Van Gogh Double Expresso
Unflavored: Boyd & Blair Potato

WHISKY – CANADA
Crown Royal XR

WHISKEY – IRELAND
Blended: Jameson Bow Street Cask Strength 18 Years Old Batch 1
Single Pot Still: Red Spot
Single Malt: Knappogue Castle 14 Years Old

WHISKY – JAPAN
Kamiki Intense Wood

WHISKY – SCOTLAND
Blended: Buchanan's Special Reserve 18 Years Old
Single Malt-Highland: Glenglassaugh 30 Years Old
Single Malt-Island: Highland Park Viking Pride 18 Years Old
Single Malt-Islay: Bowmore 25 Years Old
Single Malt-Speyside: BenRiach Authenticus 30 Years Old

WHISKEY – USA
American/Other: Stolen 11 Years Old
Bourbon: George T Stagg
Rye: Peerless 3-Year-Old
Single Malt: Peat Week 5^th Annual
Tennessee: Uncle Nearest 1820 Nearest Green Single Barrel Edition US-1

WHISKY – WORLD
Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength

All products are rated on the 100-point scale by the spirits industry's most renowned judges including buyers, journalists, educators and bar owners. This year's USC judges included: Founder/Judging Chairman F. Paul Pacult,  Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tim Cooper, Tad Carducci, Dale DeGroff, Meaghan Dorman, Tyler Hudgens, Justin Lavenue, Don Lee, Clay Risen, Joaquin Simó, Charlotte Voisey, and Jillian Vose.

All spirits rated 80 points and higher receive an individual results page which provides all downloadable marketing material. Spirits rated 85 points and higher receive a tasting note.

USC results are promoted globally. High scoring products are featured in the Ultimate Beverage Challenge Guide to the World's Best Wines & Spirits published annually in the October issue of Beverage Media, which reaches more than 70,000 on- and off-premise spirits buyers.

ABOUT ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE
Ultimate Beverage Challenge provides expert evaluation of wines and spirits for producers, importers and marketers through its two innovative annual competitions: Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Ultimate Wine Challenge. UBC partners are F. Paul Pacult, Sue Woodley and David Talbot.

SOURCE Ultimate Spirits Challenge