ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE® 2021 Results Announced

HAWTHORNE, N.Y., June 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC), since 2010 the world's most prestigious global spirits competition, today releases the results of the 2021 Challenge. With an increase in entries this year of 30%, 2021 was the twelfth consecutive year of record submissions. Entries arrived from more than 52 spirit-producing nations.

The judging, held throughout May and June, determined 56 Chairman's Trophy winners, 301 Finalists, 208 Great Values, and 96 Tried & True Award winners. As always, USC was conducted at the custom-designed Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) Evaluation Center, located in Hawthorne, NY.

Says UBC Co-Founder and Judging Director F. Paul Pacult, "Aside from being by far the largest USC ever, this year's Challenge was likewise the most global, with an impressive array of quality distillates from places as far away from New York as China, Croatia, and Chile. Virtually all categories saw healthy gains in submissions, most notably gin, Ready-to-Drink cocktails, hard seltzers, craft spirits, mezcal, rum, and all whiskey and brandy categories.

"Since producers enter their top-shelf marques into USC, it's clear that they look to us for the most accurate and unbiased data in the industry. We already look forward to USC 2022!"

View complete results at:
www.ultimate-beverage.com/USC2021results/

Photos available at:
www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2021photosdownload

Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2021 Chairman's Trophy Winners

AMARO
Nonino

APERITIF/APERITIVO
Per Se

BAIJIU
Moutai BuLaoJiu

BRANDY
American: Christian Brothers Sacred Bond
Armagnac: Dartigalongue 1989 30 Years Old Bas Armagnac
Calvados: Christian Drouin Vintage 1991 Pays d'Auge
Cognac: Jean Fillioux Single Cask #212 Grande Champagne
European Brandy: Gran Duque d'Alba Oro Brandy de Jerez
Pisco: Demonio de los Andes Italia

GIN
Gin: Tanqueray
Flavored Gin: 6 O'clock Damson
Old Tom: Purity 34

HARD SELTZER
AMASS Faerie Fizz

LIQUEUR
Berry/Fruit: St. Elder Pamplemousse Pink Grapefruit
Citrus/Triple Sec: Ferrand Dry Curaçao
Coffee: Mr Black Cold Brew
Cream/Dairy: Amarula
Herbal/Mint/Spice/Botanical: Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Poblano

MEZCAL
Del Maguey Single Village Wild Papalome

MIXER
Top Tomato Spicy Tomato Cocktail Mix

READY-TO-DRINK COCKTAIL
Social Hour Gin & Tonic

RUM
Aged: Mount Gay 1703 Master Blender Collection The Port Cask Expression
Dark/Gold: Jung & Wulff Guyana No. 2
Flavored: RumHaven Caribbean Rum with Coconut Liqueur
Over-Proof: Plantation O.F.T.D.
White/Silver: Plantation 3 Stars

SHOCHU
Mizu Saga Barley

TEQUILA, 100% AGAVE
Blanco/Plata: Calle 23
Reposado: Storywood Speyside 7
Añejo: Ocho
Extra Añejo: El Tesoro
Flavored: 21 Seeds Valencia Orange

VERMOUTH
Dry: La Quintinye Royal Extra Dry
Sweet: La Quintinye Royal Rouge

VODKA
Unflavored: Hangar One
Flavored: Deep Eddy Lemon

WHISKY – CANADA
Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye

WHISKEY – IRELAND
Blended: The Legendary Silkie
Single Pot Still: Redbreast Cask Strength 12 Years Old
Single Malt: Waterford Dunmore Single Farm Origin Addition 1.2 

WHISKY – SCOTLAND
Blended: Dewar's Double Double 32 Years Old
Single Malt-Highland: Glenturret Peat Smoke 10 Years Old
Single Malt-Island: Talisker 18 Years Old
Single Malt-Islay: Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength
Single Malt-Speyside: Mortlach Distiller's Dram 16 Years Old

WHISKEY – USA
Bourbon/Bottled-In-Bond: Old Fitzgerald VVS 2020 16 Years Old Bottled-in-Bond 
Bourbon: Weller Wheated Bourbon Full Proof
Rye: Col. E.H. Taylor, Jr. Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Rye
Single Barrel/Bourbon: Blanton's Straight From The Barrel
Single Malt: Westland
Small Batch Bourbon: Black Bourbon Society's Maker's Mark Private Selection: Recipe 2
Tennessee: Uncle Nearest 1820 Single Barrel 11 Years Old
Wheat: Bainbridge Battle Point Two Islands Islay Cask Barrel Proof
Other: Mammoth Distilling Infinity

WHISK(E)Y – WORLD
Matsui Shuzo Sakura Single Cask

WHISK(E)Y FLAVORED – WORLD
Tom Bullock's Burnt Orange Bourbon

After undergoing careful analysis through multiple panels, all products are rated on the 100-point scale by the spirits industry's most renowned judges including buyers, journalists, educators, and bar owners.

Spirits scoring 85+ points receive a detailed tasting note. All spirits scoring 80+ points receive an individual results page, which provides all downloadable marketing material.

USC results are promoted globally and on social media.

ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE…No shortcuts. Just honest, impartial judging.

ABOUT ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE
Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) provides expert evaluation of spirits for producers, importers, and marketers through its innovative annual competition: Ultimate Spirits Challenge. UBC partners are F. Paul Pacult, Sue Woodley and David Talbot.