Rewarding Quality, Celebrating Excellence International Spirits Challenge 3 I Drinksint.Com I August 2013 I Supplement to Drinks International
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Rewarding quality, celebrating excellence International Spirits Challenge 3 i DRINKSINT.COM i august 2013 i Supplement to DRINKS INTERNATIONAL IntroductIon CHALLENGE OF THE CHALLENGE Contents the organisation of the International SPECIAL AWARDS 4 BRANDY/COGNAC 26 Spirits challenge is a challenge in itself – especially when, as this year, entries WHISK(E)Y 6RUM 28 exceed 1,050 across the 10 categories. the global reach of this competition VODKA 14 DESIGN & PACKAGING 31 continues to broaden as emerging LIQUEURS 18 MARKETING 34 markets find their feet internationally and seek to gain a name for themselves GIN 21 RETAILERS 36 alongside the major regions. TEQUILA 25 JUDGES 38 Eastern Europe has started to make its presence felt and an increasing number of world whisky producers are nudging better-known names, with an especially strong showing from Japan, whose suntory has once again been named Distillery of the Year. asian markets continue to excite producers outside their borders and the insistence in those countries on exacting quality is the kind of carrot that draws entrants to the International spirits Challenge. and asian players have their eyes on the west, too, with the likes of shochu and baijiu as consumers’ willingness to break out of their traditional comfort zones gains traction. the team of global experts tasked with judging this year’s showing were certainly under pressure, with a record number of entries to consider and the highest level ever of quality that saw no fewer than 24 trophies awarded – eight of those in vodka alone. as the spirits industry continues to innovate and evolve, this annual competition will only continue to be more challenging for producers and judges alike. But, in the end, that’s what it’s all about – discovering the best of the contact best and challenging everyone to step Supplement Editor Senior Account Manager Events Account Manager Drinks International up to an increasingly higher mark. Jaq Bayles Carmen Poel Francesch Rick Beaumont Zurich House, +44 (0)1293 590048 +44 (0)1293 590042 +44 (0)1293 558130 East park, [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Crawley, West sussex Contributors Events Manager Publisher rH10 6AS Lucy Britner Sarah Stevens Justin Smith united Kingdom +44 (0)1293 590049 +44 (0)1293 590041 tel: +44 (0)1293 590040 Art Editor [email protected] [email protected] Fax: +44 (0) 1293 474010 Amber Stoddart Events Co-ordinators Managing Director Commercial Manager Monica Tapias Russell Dodd Roger Betríu Nikayla Langley +44 (0)1293 590052 Jaq Bayles +44 (0)1293 590043 +44 (0)1293 590050/558131 supplEmEnt EDItor [email protected] [email protected] International Spirits Challenge 4 i DRINKSINT.COM i august 2013 i Supplement to DRINKS INTERNATIONAL SUPREME CHAMPION SPIRIT INDIVIDUAL DISTILLERY OF THE YEAR Crème de Cassis de St Lucia Distillers It’s been a bumper year for st Lucia Distillers one at Dennery, the site of the Barnard family Dijon Gabriel Boudier at the International spirits Challenge, with plantation, and the other geest-owned at the company taking five of the big awards. Roseau. Its Chairman’s Reserve Finest st Lucia that is now the location of st Lucia this is not the first year that a liqueur has The label for the Crème It is also an ingredient in many other Rum was a trophy winner, while there were Distillers, which was formed in 1972 when the won the International spirits Challenge, but de Cassis de Dijon has cocktails, including the Vermouth-Cassis golds for 1931 – 2nd Edition, admiral Rodney two distilleries amalgamated, producing a in testament to its improvement in quality, remained unchanged – a mix of a quarter of Crème de Cassis de and Chairman’s Reserve spiced – not bad for now-discontinued blend of rum, the name of Crème de Cassis de Dijon gabriel Boudier since 1874 Dijon to three-quarters of Vermouth. the a small distillery in a Caribbean island valley. which reflected the merger – Denros Bounty has gone from gold last year to supreme cocktail can be diluted with seltz water or the company describes itself as being Rum. Champion this year. fizzy water. committed to innovation and quality, with the Barnard family bought out the geest It prevailed from a field of 950 entries gabriel Boudier, which has a wide portfolio a passionate team of distillers, blenders, shares in 1992 and in 1997 it sold shares to and 24 trophy winners to scoop the ultimate of liqueurs to its name, prides itself on using engineers, technicians and administrative trinidad-based angostura. title, with the judges describing it as having traditional manufacturing processes “drawn staff working together “to produce some of this move gave the company a wider a “deep and blackcurranty nose” and being from its ancestral tradition” and which are the world’s best rums and rum products”. regional presence and the capital to pursue “highly concentrated, excellent”. “respectful of the fruit from which it extracts It also prides itself on a commitment to its product development philosophy. this supreme Champion win is a real coup all the aromas and flavours”. product development and its range includes In 2005, the Barnard family, which had for gabriel Boudier, which claims to be the only the company’s brands are available in more than 25 products, from premium rums been planters and rum distillers for more major independent Cassis de Dijon company 68 countries and it is focused on creating and liqueurs to traditional pouring rums. than a century, sold to CLICO, with third- and has always made a point of keeping the new products that fire the imagination of st Lucia Distillers emerged from a tradition generation rum-maker Laurie Barnard original label created in 1874 for the liqueur. bartenders and consumers alike. of the on-site, house-special rum production staying on as managing director. the Crème de Cassis de Dijon is said to Recent innovations have included the likes St Lucia Distillers is set in that was a common feature of the West the company maintains a commitment provide the ideal base for a Vin Blanc Cassis of saffron gin and the Bartenders’ Range of the fertile Roseau valley Indian sugar plantation. to environmental responsibility, undertaking – a favourite aperitif in France. liqueurs. By the late 1950s, two distilleries remained, several ‘green’ projects. DISTILLER OF THE YEAR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION Suntory Barry Crockett taking the Distiller of the Year award for the The Hakushu distillery after an impressive 47 years, master distiller of the single Pot still range, Midleton Barry second year running, Japan’s suntory once was built in 1973 Barry Crockett retired in March 2013 following Crockett Legacy, which marked the first time again proves its power when it comes to an illustrious career with Irish Distillers. since John Jameson that an Irish Distillers’ producing whiskies of international merit. Born in the distiller’s cottage that sits on whiskey had been named after a master Last year its gold medal haul totalled six – the grounds of the Old Midleton Distillery, distiller. this year the Yamazaki distillery has outdone Crockett was immersed in the world of craft While he will no longer be involved in itself, taking a world whiskies trophy along whiskey distilling from an early age. production, Crockett will remain a much- with three gold best in class awards and five at 17, he began learning his craft as an loved member of the team and will be taking golds. apprentice to his father and former Midleton on a new role with the company in its newly- It was in 2003 that suntory first came master distiller Max Crockett, eventually launched Irish Whiskey archive, based at the to the IsC’s attention with its gold-winning succeeding him as master distiller in 1981. old distillery in Midleton. Yamazaki 12 Year Old and it has been a During his time as master distiller, Crockett Commenting on his retirement, Crockett fixture of the competition ever since. played a significant role in the growth of the said: “Midleton Distillery may correctly be this year’s winning whiskies were: Irish whiskey category, highlighted by the described as important in the industrial history (trophy) Hibiki Blended Whisky aged 21 Yamazaki single Malt Whisky 18 Years Old. were distinct from those coming out of unprecedented success of Irish Distillers’ of Ireland – it is unique in the context of Irish Years, Hibiki Blended Whisky aged 17 Years, the distillery at Yamazaki is Japan’s Yamazaki. Hakushu is known as the Forest flagship brand, Jameson. distilling. Its success is a direct consequence Hibiki Blended Whisky aged 12 Years, the oldest, having been established in 1923, and Distillery and is at a site known for the In 1984, Crockett developed the award- of an ongoing openness to innovation and Hakushu single Malt Whisky 25 Years Old, the fact that it sits where three rivers meet pristine waters of the Ojira River, which has winning prestige blend Midleton Very Rare, development. I am fortunate to have been the Hakushu single Malt Whisky 18 Years is generally credited with creating the damp been designated one of the highest-quality before unveiling Irish Distillers’ new single part of the progress from an early age. the Old, the Hakushu single Malt Whisky atmosphere that works so well for cask water sources in the country. pot still range, the single Pot still Whiskeys lessons learnt from so many committed Heavily Peated 2012, the Yamazaki single ageing. the company has set up several initiatives of Midleton in 2011. people were vital in providing the foundation Crockett: new role with the Malt Whisky Mizunara 2012, the Yamazaki the company built its second distillery, to ensure it coexists in harmony with the Crockett was honoured by the company essential to an appreciation of the necessity Midleton Whiskey Archive single Malt Whisky Puncheon 2012, and the Hakushu, in 1973 to produce whiskies which natural surroundings.