The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the oldest and most prestigious spirits judging event in the United States. Some of the spirits world's best judges came together recently to taste 1215 different spirits from around the world. This is the granddaddy of American spirits competitions, and one of the most highly regarded in the world.
You can see a complete list of the results on their website, including all the spirits that won medals (Gold, Silver and Bronze). Worth paying special attention to are those spirits that won Double Gold, meaning that they were awarded a unanimous Gold medal from all of the judges.
Here is a list of those spirits that were judged Best in Class. I think we can assume that all of these are oustanding (even though I haven't personally tried many of them).
Overall Category Winners:
Best Aged White Spirit: Vizcaya Solera Rum VXOP Cask 21
Best Brandy: Boulard Calvados XO
Best Liqueur: Grand Marnier Quintessence
Best Unaged White Spirit: Avion Silver Tequila
Best Whisky: Isle of Jura Single Malt Scotch 1976
Individual Category Winners:
Best Apéritif: Aperol Apéritif
Best Aged Rum: Vizcaya Solera Rum VXOP Cask 21
Best Añejo Tequila: Don Celso Añejo Tequila
Best Aquavit: Krogstad Aquavit
Best Armagnac: Comte de Lauvia Armagnac VSOP Superior
Best Blended Scotch: Whyte & Mackay 30 Year Old Scotch Supreme
Best Bourbon: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2011
Best Cachaça: Leblon Maison Leblon Cachaça Reserve Especial
Best Calvados: Boulard Calvados XO
Best Canadian Whisky: Canadian Mist Black Diamond Canadian Whisky
Best Cognac: Hennessy Cognac Richard Hennessy
Best Cream Liqueur: Mozart Gold - Chocolate Cream Liqueur
Best Flavored Vodka: EFFEN Cucumber Vodka
Best Fruit Liqueur: Grand Marnier Quintessence
Best Gin: Tanqueray London Dry Gin
Best Gold Rum: Cockspur Fine Rum
Best Irish Whiskey: Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Best Mezcal: Real Matlatl Tobala Mezcal
Best Other Whisky: Suntory Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky
Best Pisco: Waqar Pisco
Best Reposado Tequila: Alquimia Organic Reposado Tequila
Best Rum Agricole: Rhum J.M. Rhum Agricole Millésimé 2001
Best Rye: Knob Creek Rye
Best Silver Tequila: Avion Silver Tequila
Best Single Malt Scotch: Isle of Jura Single Malt Scotch 1976
Best Ultra-Aged Añejo Tequila: El Tesoro Extra-Aged Añejo Tequila Paradiso
Best Vodka: Platinka Original Vodka
Best White Rum: Kinkylux White Rum
Congratulations to all the winners!
This spirit is made under Peruvian norms, not under Chilean norms. (Look at the Peruvian norms for Pisco, and Chilean norms for Pisco, both availables in Internet)
Posted by: Rommel Cajavilca | 04/11/2012 at 10:26 AM