Ultimate Guide to the World's Best Spirits
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ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE 2020 IDENTIFYING THE WORLD’S BEST SPIRITS LIKE NO OTHER COMPETITION The Ultimate Guide to the World’s Best Spirits features the have advanced the entire concept of beverage competitions. highest-scoring results from Ultimate Beverage Challenge’s® The UBC Evaluation Center provides brick-and-mortar proof (UBC) major international beverage competition held in 2020: of UBC’s total commitment to doing things right. It’s the Ultimate Spirits Challenge®. UBC way, where shortcuts are never allowed.” Why has UBC become the beverage industry’s most To get the most accurate results it takes seasoned trusted and respected evaluation company? Answers UBC’s veterans on the judging and preparation teams, the ideal Judging Chairman and Co-Founder F. Paul Pacult, “Three analytical environment, and the most up-to-date methodology. If crucial factors have made UBC the world’s foremost authority on these reasons aren’t enough for you to believe in UBC as being the beverage alcohol quality. world’s finest beverage competition company, visit the UBC website “First is our rigorous, innovative methodology that creates a level for more information at ultimate-beverage.com. playing field for every product entered into USC. This includes a At Ultimate Spirits Challenge® (USC) the quality rankings unique multi-level evaluation system that allows more than one panel for every category for spirits are determined with uncommon skill to analyze each entry, entries served at optimum temperatures, and and precision by all-star Ultimate Spirits Challenge judging panels staging only small flights of 2 to 8 beverages so the judges remain convened by USC Judging Director F. Paul Pacult, whom Forbes. alert and fresh. Our goal is to provide unbiased, accurate ratings com called, “…America’s foremost spirits authority…” and just this through a meticulous series of analytical steps. year IMBIBE Magazine hailed as being “…an all-knowing spirituous “Second, because of our uncompromising and stringent procedural oracle, a J.D. Power of liquor...” standards we hire the world’s foremost authorities as our USC judges: Super-star judges include: Tad Carducci, Tim Cooper, Leo our generation’s most prominent and acknowledged beverage DeGroff, Meaghan Dorman, Tess Rose Lampert, Clay Risen, specialists, such as award-winning authors and journalists, consultants Francis Schott, Joaquín Simó, Charlotte Voisey, and James and buyers, bartenders, bar owners, and food and beverage managers. Conley. Said Pacult, “My careful selection of the world’s leading “Third, UBC has its own dedicated evaluation facility. By creating spirits authorities, journalists, buyers, restaurateurs, bar owners and a pristine and conducive environment for our staff and judges we influencers as USC judges ensures that USC’s results are credible.” JUDGING: Tasting flights are Highly Recommended; 85-89 number of submissions and PRICE: All prices listed are narrowed so that all products points: Very Good, Strong overall quality. retail prices suggested by the are evaluated like-with-like. Recommendation; 80-84 points: producer and may vary by Good, Recommended. GREAT VALUE AWARD ( ): market. Products available in SCORES & ACCOLADES: Online results for 2020 Indication of products with a the U.S. are quoted in dollars; These results represent all include tasting notes for all favorable relationship between those not imported show the products that scored 90 points products awarded Top 100 their price and final score. prices in the country of origin. and above (out of a maximum recognition and marketing score of 100 points). A complete collateral. TRIED & TRUE AWARD ( ): TOP 100 SPIRITS OF THE list of all products scoring 80 Products that were entered YEAR ( ): Products that are points and higher can be viewed TOP TWO AWARDS: Top into USC for the two previous, chosen as the top 100 entries at ultimate-beverage.com. In scoring products in each consecutive years as well as from this year’s USC. addition to the score, products category are recognized the present year and have are further distinguished: as: Chairman’s Trophy and scored 90 or higher each time, SIZE: All sizes are 750 ml 95-100 points: Extraordinary, Finalist. The number of are recognized for consistency unless otherwise noted. Ultimate Recommendation; Finalists per category will vary of product quality. 90-94 points: Excellent, depending on product type, FOR FULL RESULTS OF 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE: ULTIMATE-BEVERAGE.COM/USC2020RESULTS ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE 2021: ACCEPTING ENTRIES TO APRIL 16, 2021 AT ULTIMATE-BEVERAGE.COM Ult_Bev_Challenge_Ad1.indd 1 10/30/20 3:14 PM 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE…NO SHORTCUTS. JUST HONEST, IMPARTIAL JUDGING. APERITIF/AMARO AMARO GREAT TRIED TOP AWARD SCORE PRODUCT NAME ACCOLADE PRICE VALUE & TRUE 100 Chairman's 94 Lucano Amaro (Italy), 28% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $30.00 Trophy Finalist 92 Nonino Quintessentia Amaro (Italy), 35% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $54.99 91 Angostura Amaro (Trinidad), 35% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $27.99 91 Sibona Amaro (Italy), 28% abv. 1 L Excellent, Highly Recommended $30.00 91 Silano Amaro (Italy), 30% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $24.99 APERITIF/AMARO APERITIF GREAT TRIED TOP AWARD SCORE PRODUCT NAME ACCOLADE PRICE VALUE & TRUE 100 Chairman's 95 Vincenzi Capasso Aperitivo (Italy), 22% abv. 1 L Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation $24.99 Trophy Finalist 93 Del Professore Aperitivo (Italy), 15% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $30.99 Finalist 93 Merlet Chevessac Pineau des Charentes Extra Vieux Aperitif (France), 17% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $36.00 Finalist 93 Suze Aperitif (France), 20% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $24.99 92 Vincenzi Arancia Aperitivo (Italy), 11% abv. 1 L Excellent, Highly Recommended $24.99 91 Asbach Rose Aperitif (Germany), 15% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $24.99 90 Dubonnet Aperitif (United States), 19% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $17.99 BAIJIU/KAOLIANG GREAT TRIED TOP AWARD SCORE PRODUCT NAME ACCOLADE PRICE VALUE & TRUE 100 Chairman's 96 Yushan Kaoliang Liquor Aged 8 Years (Mikado Pheasant) , 56% abv, 600ml Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation n/a Trophy Finalist 95 Yushan Taiwan Red Kaoliang Liquor , 52% abv, 500 ml Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation n/a Finalist 94 Yushan 58% 6 Years Old Kaoliang Liquor (Taiwan), 58% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended NT$750.00 Finalist 93 Sun Yet-Sen Memorial Liquor (Aged 5 Yrs) , 52% abv, 700 ml Excellent, Highly Recommended n/a Finalist 93 Xuanwu Gold Foil Wine Kaoliang Liquor (Taiwan), 70% abv. 500 ml Excellent, Highly Recommended n/a Finalist 93 Yushan Haka Kaoliang Liquor (Taiwan), 58% abv. 600 ml Excellent, Highly Recommended NT$900.00 Finalist 93 Yushan Kaoliang Liquor (Taiwan), 54% abv. 300 ml Excellent, Highly Recommended NT$150.00 Finalist 93 Yushan Kaoliang Liquor Aged 12 Years (Red Kirin) , 52% abv , 750 ml Excellent, Highly Recommended n/a 92 Yushan 3 Years Old Kaoliang Liquor (Taiwan), 38% abv. 600 ml Excellent, Highly Recommended NT$340.00 BRANDY AMERICAN BRANDY GREAT TRIED TOP AWARD SCORE PRODUCT NAME ACCOLADE PRICE VALUE & TRUE 100 Chairman's 95 Germain-Robin XO Alambic American Brandy (United States), 40% abv. Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation $124.99 Trophy Finalist 93 Argonaut Fat Thumb Premium California American Brandy (United States), 43% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $50.00 Finalist 92 Germain-Robin 7 Year Old Alambic American Brandy (United States), 40% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $74.99 91 Sacred Bond 4 Years Old American Brandy (United States), 50% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended $17.99 90 O'Neill Brandy Lab BL00001 7 Years Old American Brandy (United States), 40% abv. 375 ml Excellent, Highly Recommended $35.00 BRANDY ARMAGNAC GREAT TRIED TOP AWARD SCORE PRODUCT NAME ACCOLADE PRICE VALUE & TRUE 100 Chairman's 97 Delord 25 Years Old Bas Armagnac (France), 40% abv. Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation $90.00 Trophy 4 Ultimate Beverage Challenge 2020 Guide To The World’s Best Spirits Comte de Lauvia Reserve Armagnac (France), 40% abv. 700 ml Finalist 96 €53.00 JEAN FILLIOUX Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation TRÈS VIEUX XO EXTRA Dartigalongue 1980 40 Years Old Bas Armagnac (France), Finalist 96 $200.00 42% abv. Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation 98 GRANDE CHAMPAGNE COGNAC France, 40% abv, $130.00 Chateau de Lacquy Hors d'Age Bas Armagnac (France), Finalist 95 $79.99 41% abv. Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation Classic and stately nose of crisp Anjou pear, Chateau de Laubade Cask Strength Vintage 2000 Bas Finalist 94 $190.00 Armagnac (France), 52.4% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended banana liqueur, coffee, mint, and orange marmalade. The palate skews slightly Comte de Lauvia Hors d'Age Armagnac (France), 40% abv. Finalist 94 € 61.00 700 ml Excellent, Highly Recommended tropical with notes of mango and lychee alongside warm, spicy oak and caramel. Darroze Grand Assemblages 20 Years Old Bas Armagnac Finalist 94 $80.00 Soft and smooth on the finish with (France), 43% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended suggestions of nuts and honey. Chateau de Lacquy Reference Bas Armagnac (France), 93 $44.99 40.5% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended Chateau de Laubade L'Unique Bas Armagnac (France), 93 $60.00 48.7% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended Comte de Lauvia Fine Armagnac (France), 40% abv. 700 ml 93 €35.00 Excellent, Highly Recommended EXTRAORDINARY, Darroze Chateau de Gaube 1972 Bas Armagnac (France), 93 $380.00 ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION, 43% abv. Excellent, Highly Recommended CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY, TOP 100 SPIRITS BRANDY CALVADOS Category: Cognac GREAT TRIED TOP heavenlyspirits.com AWARD SCORE PRODUCT NAME/ACCOLADE PRICE VALUE & TRUE 100 Chairman's Christian Drouin Pays d'Auge 2000 Calvados (France), 42% abv. 95 $150.00 Trophy Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation Boulard XO Pays d'Auge Calvados (France), 40% abv. Finalist 94 $89.99 Excellent, Highly Recommended DELORD 25 YEARS OLD Boulard VSOP Pays d'Auge Calvados (France), 40% abv. BAS ARMAGNAC Finalist 93 $45.99 Excellent, Highly Recommended 97 France, 40% abv, $90.00 Claque-Pepin Organic 10 Years Old Calvados (France), Finalist 93 $64.00 40% abv.