Tasting notes included “tarte tatin, butterscotch and hints of peach”.Īs we moved onto the highly regulated Cognac category, Smith, Pamplin and I awarded Silver to Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula in the Cognac VS – Super Premium heat. In the Brandy XO – Super Premium flight, Copper Republic Distilling Co took home another Gold for Zula XO Cape Brandy. Commenting on the brandies, Chambers said: “They were all very good, very solid products. The company’s Zula VSOP Cape Brandy also took home a Silver with its hints of “tropical fruits”. Two Gold medals were handed out, one to Copper Republic Distilling Co’s Rooibos Wood Finish, which was described as “sweet, rich with hints of oak spice”, and a second to the producer’s Honeybush Wood Finish, with flavours of “apricot, peach and molasses”.
“It was a bit like trying to tame a horse at times,” Pamplin noted.īrandy VS – Super Premium was assessed by Chambers, Taylor and me, and was a “very solid flight”. Both judges noted how gins in this sector could benefit from using a lower concentration of botanical oils, which sometimes overpowered the flavour. Smith found this to be “rich, citrusy, plump and very oily”. In the ultra‐premium round, a Gold medal was awarded to Albino Flamingo London Dry Gin.
A Silver was also given to Aura Gin Karbun, which the judges found to be full of “coriander and sweet citrus”. With its “complex, fragrant nose, beautiful complexity on the palate” and “fantastic warmth lingering on the finish”, the judges agreed this was wholly deserving of the top accolade. Swapping vodka for gin, another Master medal was discovered in the super‐premium heat: Tiger Gin. You can have something more neutral and clean, or something that’s very characterful and it’s indicative that producers are understanding this now and are embracing these two equally valid approaches, and I think the consumer is too.” “It also shows how at the ultra‐premium level there are different ways a vodka can express its quality.
“The innovation is there again, but it’s not just that they had a good idea, they knew how to execute it properly,” noted Smith. One Eyed Spirits’ “fragrant” Tom of Finland was a worthy Gold recipient. Royal Mash also took home a Master, praised for its “engaging nose, some salinity and some dry grain notes” and “good complexity”.
The judges said this vodka had “sweetness on the palate, lovely mouthfeel with a nice punch of spirit heat at the end”. The first Master was awarded to Monk Isidore Russian Vodka. The standard certainly increased as the price point rose, for in the Vodka – Ultra Premium flight, two Master winners were uncovered. Pamplin agreed, and although she was impressed with the overall flight, she said: “I’d expect a little more for my money.” “There were some nice ideas here, and some nice innovations that people are trying out, but the execution wasn’t always quite there,” said Smith. Two Silvers were also awarded in the opening round. Five Gold medals were awarded in this flight: Gradusnik, with “creaminess” on the palate and “some minerality” Fujimi Vodka, said to be a “well‐rounded and clean vodka” Nørderd Single Malt Vodka, described as having flavours of “a little chocolate, salted caramel” Nørderd Pure Potato Vodka, which was “rather vegetal, green, a little salty” and “classic” Nero Premium Vodka. The day’s tasting began with a flight of super‐premium vodkas, and got off to an excellent start. On a separate day, I was also joined by Matt Chambers and Karen Taylor, the co‐founders of the Whisky for Everyone blog, to sample a portion of Luxury entries. David T Smith, spirits writer and founder of the Craft Distilling Expo, and Bernadette Pamplin, spirits writer and judge, joined me, Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business magazine, for the virtual tasting. To determine the standard in the super‐premium and ultra‐premium sectors, we gathered a group of expert judges over Skype for The Luxury Masters 2020. Products at the upper end of the price spectrum are often held in high esteem. The IWSR Global Trends Report 2020 predicts premium‐ and‐above spirits will grow their global volume share to 13% by 2024. Recent data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis supports the case that consumers are actively seeking to spend their money at the higher end of the market. After years of the industry encouraging drinkers worldwide to drink less, but better, it seems the message has finally taken hold. Quality over quantity is undeniably a trend that has captivated spirits fans around the world. But when only the best will suffice, how can consumers be sure they’re spending their money wisely? SB examines what’s on offer at the super-premium-and-above end of the market. The higher the price tag the greater the expectation.