ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE® 2020 Results Announced

HAWTHORNE, N.Y., July 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC), since 2010 the world's most prestigious global spirits competition, today releases the results of the 2020 Challenge. This year proved to be the eleventh consecutive year of record entries from more than 45 spirit-producing nations.

The judging, held throughout June and July, determined 45 Chairman's Trophy winners, 237 Finalists, 167 Great Values, and 88 Tried & True Award winners. USC was once again 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 the most international, with a dazzling array of quality distillates from as far away as Indonesia, India, and Iceland. Virtually all categories saw substantial gains in submissions, in particular, American whiskey, Ready-to-Drink cocktails, gin, and all brandy categories.

"Since producers enter their best marques into USC, it's clear that they look to us for the most accurate and unbiased data in the industry. We look forward to USC 2021!"

View complete results at www.ultimate-beverage.com/USC2020results/

Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2020 Chairman's Trophy Winners

AMARO
Lucano

APERITIF/APERITIVO
Vincenzi Capasso

BAIJIU
Yushan Mikado Pheasant 8 Years Old

BRANDY
American: Germain-Robin XO Alambic
Armagnac: Delord 25 Years Old Bas Armagnac
Calvados: Calvados Christian Drouin Pays d'Auge 2000
Cognac: Jean Fillioux Très Vieux XO Extra Grande Champagne
European Brandy: Asbach Selection 21 Years Old
Pisco: Gran Demonio Albilla

GIN
Gin: Gordon's Traveller's Edition London Dry Gin
Flavored Gin: Russell Henry Malaysian Lime

LIQUEUR
Berry/Fruit: Matsui Umeshu with Japanese Brandy
Citrus/Triple Sec: Bauchant
Cream/Dairy: Carolans Salted Caramel Irish Cream
Herbal/Mint/Spice/Botanical: METAXA Ouzo

MEZCAL
Mezcal Vago Elote

MIXER
Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit Soda

READY-TO-DRINK COCKTAIL
Cutwater Spirits Fugu Vodka Spicy Bloody Mary

RUM
Aged: Plantation Isle of Fiji
Dark/Gold: George Bowman Small Batch Colonial Era Dark Caribbean Rum
Flavored: Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple
White/Silver: BLY

SHOCHU
iichiko Frasco

TEQUILA, 100% AGAVE
Blanco/Plata: Tequila Ocho Single Estate
Reposado: Storywood Speyside 7 CS
Añejo: 818 Tequila
Extra Añejo: Avión Reserva 44

VERMOUTH
Cinzano 1757 Vermouth di Torino Rosso

VODKA
Boyd & Blair Potato

WHISKY – CANADA
Heaven's Door Bootleg Series 2019 Edition 26 Years Old

WHISKEY – IRELAND
Blended: Jameson Bow Street Cask Strength 18 Years Old
Single Pot Still: Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton
Single Malt: Teeling Single Cask

WHISKY – SCOTLAND
Blended: Dewar's Double Double 27 Years Old
Blended Malt: Wemyss Malts Peat Chimney
Single Malt-Highland: Oban 18 Years Old
Single Malt-Island: Highland Park 21 Year Old
Single Malt-Islay: Kilchoman Sanaig
Single Malt-Speyside: The Glenrothes 18 Years Old

WHISKEY – USA
American/Other: Barrell Dovetail
Bottled-In-Bond:  Henry McKenna Single Barrel 10 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Bourbon: Stagg, Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Rye: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
Single Malt: Westland Garryana 2019 Edition 4|1

WHISK(E)Y – WORLD
The Matsui Mizunara Cask Single Malt

All products are rated on the 100-point scale by the spirits industry's most renowned judges including buyers, journalists, educators, and bar owners.

All spirits rated 80 points and higher receive an individual results page which provides all downloadable marketing material. Spirits designated one of the year's Top 100 Spirits also receive a tasting note.

USC results are promoted globally. In addition, high scoring products are featured in the Ultimate Beverage Challenge Guide to the World's Best Spirits in the November issue of Beverage Media, which reaches more than 70,000 on- and off-premise spirits buyers.

ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE…No shortcuts. Just honest, impartial judging.

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

SOURCE Ultimate Spirits Challenge