The San Francisco World Spirits Competition has revealed its Premium Awards, Best in Show and Best of Class award winners for 2018.
Premium Awards for 2018 went to Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan (The Tasting Panel Magazine Distillery of the Year), Sazerac Company (Importer of the Year) and The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (Director’s Award of Excellence).
In the top drinks categories, Cazcanes Blanco Tequila was named Best in Show Unaged White Spirit; Best in Show Aged White Spirit went to Plantation Jamaica 2002 Vintage Rum; and The Scotch Malt Whisky Society took out Best in Show Whisky for its Cask No. 29.224 Single Malt Scotch ‘We Arrived!’.
Gautier Cognac 1755 Extra was named Best in Show Brandy, while Best in Show Liqueur was awarded to Montenegro Amaro.
Some of the Best of Class awards in major categories include Best Gin, which went to Batch Industrial Strength Gin from the UK; Best Vodka, awarded to Austria’s NEFT Vodka; Best Bourbon, awarded to Henry McKenna Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon, and Best Blended Scotch, which went to Cutty Sark Prohibition Blended Scotch.
The 2469 entries received in the competition – from over 65 countries on six continents – was the largest in its 19 years, also marking an 11 percent increase when compared to last year.
Also, an interesting sign for market tastes and the industry at large was the fact that certain categories saw major increases in their number of entries; Bourbon entries were up 60 percent, Baiju entries up 24 percent, Rye entries increased by 20 percent and Gin by 10 percent.
The full results can be found on the SFWSC website.
