Michael Hepworth
ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
Announces the 2015 Cocktail Results
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Five Spirits Are Given the Ultimate Rating
of Five Stars for Cocktails!
Once again, going where no other spirits competition dares to go, Ultimate Spirits Challenge™ (USC) announces the results of its innovative cocktail component for USC 2015. To further enhance USC’s evaluation data for distillers, importers, and suppliers, the USC judging panels tested hundreds of spirits in appropriate cocktails over four sessions from November to March.
For Gins entered into USC, all Gins for 2015 were tasted in a Dry Martini and a Negroni; Tequilas in a Tommy’s Margarita; North American Whiskeys in a Manhattan; World Whiskies in a Whiskey Sour; Brandies and Cognacs in Brandy & Ginger Ale, Piscos in Pisco Sour; Vodkas in Fresh Lime Juice Gimlets; and light Rums in Daiquiris and older Rums in Rum Sidecars. Next year, a different set of appropriate classic cocktails will be assigned to each relevant category.
The identical recipe was carefully measured, including dilution, in milliliters for each cocktail in every suitable category to ensure fairness. Each cocktail was judged blind individually with a glass of the spirit poured neat next to it. Cocktails were scored on a 1-to-5 star scale, with 2 ½ to 3 stars being thought Delicious, 3 ½ to 4 stars Very Delicious, and 4 ½ to 5 stars Drop Dead Delicious.
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Said USC Judging Director F. Paul Pacult, “By reintroducing the cocktail aspect to USC, we’ve enhanced the scope of analytical data for suppliers and their marketing teams. Spirits, after all, aren’t only consumed neat. Their inclusion in category appropriate cocktails to gauge their mixability is paramount to their overall purpose. To have expert analysis by mixology superstars such as Dale DeGroff, Tad Carducci, Will Shine, Steve Olson, Andy Seymour, Geoff Kleinman and more on both straight enjoyment AND how that spirit performs in a cocktail is highly advantageous to brands and consumers.”
For complete results for all cocktails go to www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2015cocktails.
For complete results for all spirits visit www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2015results.
USC results are promoted globally via email and web publication to both trade buyers and consumers. In addition, high scoring products are featured in the Ultimate Beverage Challenge Guide published each year in the October issue of Beverage Media reaching more than 65,000 on- and off-premise spirits buyers.
Ultimate Spirits Challenge…like no other competition and doesn’t want to be.
ABOUT ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE
Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) provides expert evaluation of wines and spirits for producers, importers and marketers through its two innovative annual competitions: Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Ultimate Wine Challenge. Based on exacting standards, expert judges and rigorous methodology, UBC raises the standards of spirits and wine evaluation and supplies ratings and accolades to help companies build their brands with buyers, both industry and consumer. UBC partners are F. Paul Pacult, Sue Woodley and David Talbot. Past Challenge results, event photos, entry forms and more information can be found at www.ultimate-beverage.com
Ultimate Beverage Challenge inquiries: info@ultimate-beverage.com, 1-347-878-6551
Facebook: www.facebook.com/UltimateBeverageChallenge
Michael Hepworth
287 S.Robertson Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
http://twitter.com/MrSpiritsman
