ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE® Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary and Announces This Year's Top Gin, Vodka, Scotch, Tequila and More

NEW YORK, March 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The results are in for the 2014 Ultimate Spirits Challenge®, the world's premier spirits competition. Today, Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC) announces 37 Chairman Trophy winners, the highest award, along with 218 Finalists, 171 Tried & True Awards(SM) and 89 Great Values. The Challenge, celebrating its fifth anniversary, was held in New York on March 10-14. For the second consecutive year, a perfect 100 point score was given by multiple panels to a whiskey. This year's 100-point recipient is Redbreast 21 Years Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140320/NY86881

"Interest in Ultimate Spirits Challenge has never been greater," says Ultimate Spirits Challenge founder F. Paul Pacult. "Companies enter because they want brands to be evaluated against their peers by the world's best judges. USC provides the most trusted, sought after testimonials that help distillers and importers build their brands."

This year, USC introduces the Tried & True Award(SM) to recognize brands that can be relied on to provide unfailing quality and superb taste to consumers year after year. To be eligible, brands that entered USC 2014 must have scored 85 points or higher in this year's Challenge as well as in at least two previous Challenges.

All products entered are rated on the 100-point scale by the spirits industry's most renowned judges that include award-winning authors, spirits buyers, journalists, educators, bar owners and consultants. This year's judges were: USC Founder and Judging Chairman F. Paul Pacult, Judging Co-Chairman Sean Ludford, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tad Carducci, James Conley, Dale DeGroff, Jim Meehan, Dan Nicolaescu, Steve Olson, Andy Seymour, Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, MW and David Wondrich.

THE 2014 RESULTS

All spirits rated 85 points and higher receive their own page showing current award results, downloadable score icons, tasting notes and bottle image. USC results will be promoted via the Ultimate Beverage Challenge Guide to be published in the October issue of The Beverage Media Group's top 15 U.S. markets, reaching more than 70,000 on- and off-premise spirits buyers.

For downloadable images go to www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2014photos

Next Challenge: Ultimate Wine Challenge, June 2-13, 2014. Information at: www.ultimate-beverage.com/uwc2014info

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, David Talbot and Sean Ludford. Past Challenge results and event photos, videos and press coverage can be found at www.ultimate-beverage.com.

Ultimate Beverage Challenge inquiries: info@ultimate-beverage.com, +1-347-878-6551
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