VODKA MASTERS A very special happening indeed! Patience Gould looks back at proceedings during the 2009’s Vodka Masters, which attracted a record number of entries in its third year THE JUDGES The Vodka Masters panel comprised from far left: Peter McKay from Alcohols, Pleurat Shabani, Ian Wisnieski and Waitrose’s Keith Lyon. SB’s Daisy Jones was overseeing the results and deliberations when it came to the awards 9 VODKA MASTERS EVERYTHING CONTRIVED to make this, VODKA MASTERS 2009 the third Vodka Masters special; from the venue, the Westminster-based Cinnamon COMPANY PRODUCT AWARD Club, the judging panel – Ian Wisnieski, Standard Peter McKay, Pleurat Shabani and CEDC Graduate Gold Waitrose’s Keith Lyon – to the record Premium number of entries – well over the 120 Altia Corporation Koskenkorva Vodka Master mark. All very obvious factors – but getting Stock Spirits group Stock Prestige Master into the actual tasting there was clearly Campari (Cellar Trends) Skyy Vodka Gold something special about the vodkas too. Universal Brands Dannoff Gold Radico Magic Moments Gold From the Standard class onwards and upwards there was much hubbub among Super-premium the judges, which is always a good sign. In Stock Spirits Orzel Master my experience a completely silent panel is Adriatic Distillers Akvinta Gold very worrying as it either means they PUR Vodka PUR Vodka Gold Sipsmith Barley Vodka Gold cannot stand each other or that what has SPI Spirits Elit by Stolichnaya Gold been put in front of them is decidedly Brown Forman Finlandia Vodka Gold below par and silence is the only polite way Stock Spirits Orkisz Silver of coping with the situation. Emporia Cape North Silver Happily this was decidedly not the case Snow Queen Vodka Ltd Snow Queen Silver Brand Distillery U’Luvka Silver and unlike last year when the premium vodkas eclipsed the super-premiums in Organic terms of expectations – it was not so this Purity Vodka AB Purity Vodka Gold time around. There were two Masters GeVe Spirits Smooth Vodka Gold in the premium category, Altia’s Pure Green Vodka Co Pure Green Vodka Silver Koskenkorva and Stock Spirits’ Prestige, Russia and Stock Spirits’ Orzel picked up the New Muscovy co Ivan the Terrible Gold super-premium gong, but in terms of Gold Tovaritch & Spirits Int Vodka Tovaritch Gold Medals, three went to premium vodkas and five to super-premiums, plus four Silvers – an award tally which more than underlines the breadth and depth of this year’s super-premium entry. However, the greatest tumult from the judges’ high table came when the regional flights came up before them – noticeably those from Russia and Eastern Europe, aka Poland. Hotly contested as you can imagine as is one of the great questions of the day – that is which country is the 10 VODKA MASTERS VODKA MASTERS 2009 COMPANY PRODUCT AWARD Eastern Europe Moët Hennessy Belvedere Citrus Master CEDC Zubrowka Master Moët Hennessy Belvedere Intense Gold Stock Spirits Zoladkowa Gorzka Czysta de Luxe Gold CEDC Soplica Gold CEDC Graduate Gold Universal Brands Dannoff Gold Nemiroff Birch SpecialGold Moët Hennessy Belvedere Silver Moët Hennessy Belvedere Black Raspberry Silver Moët Hennessy Belvedere Orange Silver Europe Prodal’94 SRL Stalinskaya Silver Fraternity Spirits Vodka Boker Silver Adriatic Distillers Akvinta Silver Scandinavia Altia Corporation Koskenkorva Lingonberry Master Brown Forman Finlandia Tangerine Fusion Master Purity Vodka AB Purity Vodka Gold Brown Forman Finlandia Mango Fusion Silver Altia Corporation Koskenkorva Vodka Silver Fluid Brands Karlsson’s Gold Vodka Silver Rest of world PUR Vodka PUR Vodka Silver Flavoured CEDC Zubrowka Master Campari (Cellar Trends) Skyy Infusions Citrus Gold Brown Forman Finlandia Lime Fusion Gold Scream Retail Ltd Thunder Toffee Vodka Gold Moët Hennessy Belvedere Citrus Silver Love drinks Hangar One Mandarin Blossom Silver Radico Khaitan Magic Moments Green Apple Silver rightful home of vodka. If the awards booty is anything to go by the answer is Poland! Polish Vodkas swept the board – with CEDC’s flagship Zubrowka and Moët Hennessy’s Belvedere Citrus both taking a Master. A raft of Golds were handed out, with CEDC and Moët Hennessy vying for the honours, all of which gave Poland the edge over Russia – this year at least. Overall there was a goodly number of newcomers to the Vodka Masters fray and ALSO NOTEWORTHY IS THE happily among the award winners too. Altia’s Koskenkorva notched up a Master CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT in the premium flight – the Campari- IN FLAVOURED VODKAS – owned Skyy Vodka took gold, while CEDC’s Soplica and Graduate brands also AND FINLANDIA IS PROVING made successful debuts. It was the first time an Organic class was included in the IT’S A MASTER OF THE ART 12 VODKA MASTERS Vodka Masters, which turned out to be good news for Purity, and Pure Green. Also noteworthy is the continued improvement in the quality of flavoured vodkas, and fresh from its Master triumph last year for Finlandia Pink Grapefruit – Brown Forman fielded some recent flavour launches to good effect, with its Tangerine and Lime Fusions picking up a Master and Gold respectively. There was also a Silver for Finlandia Mango Fusion – success indeed. The Design & Packaging class was also hotly contested, which is not surprising as the overall presentation is so important when it comes to the voddy marketing mix. Two brands triumphed for the second year in a row – Elit by Stolichnaya and CEDC’s Zubrowka – this majestic duo was joined by Belvedere Scandinavia’s Danzka Vodka – the limited edition. It’s good to see this brand and its aluminium bottle making the headlines again. Special mention should also be made of Ed Hardy – a French vodka, which is destined to make its debut at this year’s TFWA in Cannes. Produced by the Meukov Cognac stable – presentation-wise at least it’s got off to a flying start! sb DESIGN & PACKAGING WAS A HOTLY CONTESTED CLASS, WHICH IS NOT SURPRISING CONSIDERING THE IMPORTANCE OF DESIGN IN THE MARKETING MIX 14 VODKA MASTERS VODKA MASTERS 2009 DESIGN & PACKAGING COMPANY PRODUCT AWARD SPI Spirits (Cyprus) Elit by Stolichnaya Master CEDC Zubrowka Master Belvedere Scandinavia Danzka Vodka Limited Edition Master Moët Hennessy Belvedere Intense Gold Pure green Vodka co Pure Green Vodka Gold Purity Vodka AB Purity Vodka Gold Adriatic Disitllers Akvinta Gold Moët Hennessy Belvedere IX Silver 50 Degrees North Wight Silver Snow Queen Vodka Snow Queen Silver Compagnie de Guyenne Ed Hardy Vodka Silver 16 VODKA MASTERS CINNAMON CLUB IS THE PERFECT VENUE With its light, airy and high-ceilinged rooms, the Cinnamon Club is proving to be a natural and favourite choice for the Spirits Masters. The food is delicious and nothing is too much trouble for the staff, be it for coffee – which was adjudged “quite delicious” or a cooling gin & tonic. However, most importantly there is a wonderfully tranquil atmosphere which is very necessary when it comes to tasting. It’s the second time The Spirits Business has returned to the Westminster venue, we debuted with the Gin Masters 2008 – and hopefully it will not be the last. Indeed it’s no surprise that the 2009 Spirits Masters Awards Luncheon is being staged, December 1, at its sister restaurant Cinnamon Kitchen, 9 Devonshire Square, London. That’s when the 2009 Grand Master will be announced! 18.