June 30, 2021 (Hawthorne, NY) – 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!”

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.