Announcing the Winners of the 2024 New Orleans Spirits Competition
With Tales of the Cocktail in full swing in New Orleans comes the announcement of the winners for the 2024 New Orleans Spirits Competition’s Spirits of the Year and Distillery of the Year. Now in its third year, this competition spotlights world-class distillers and their spirits to the global beverage community.
The 2024 winners have been announced following an extensive series of blind tastings from a judging panel of esteemed bartenders, distillers, and writers, including Imbibe editor Paul Clarke. “Judging the New Orleans Spirits Competition was a truly challenging experience,” says Clarke. “With so many great entries and so many talented producers, determining the best of the best required all the skills this team of veteran judges could bring to the table.”
“With so many great entries and so many talented producers, determining the best of the best required all the skills this team of veteran judges could bring to the table.” —Paul Clarke
Judges were seated in four-person panels and served flights of spirits without identifying information other than the class of spirit and proof. Spirits were then rated individually by each judge, with a top score of 100. Scores from each panel were then averaged. After the medals were decided, the top finishers across each category were selected for Best of Category recognition.
Spirits of the Year were selected in several rounds of public blind tasting on Monday, July 22 and Tuesday, July 23 in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail. The finalists had been determined by a preliminary round held in June, after which the six highest-scoring spirits in Gin, Rum, Liqueur, American Whiskey, World Whisky, and Agave Spirits advanced to the final round. Spirits of the Year were determined by the judges marking their top three in order. These votes determine the best-of-class awards listed above.
2024 Spirits & Distillery of the Year
Distillery of the Year
Kanosuke Distillery
American Whisky of the Year
Widow Jane Lucky 13 Bourbon Whiskey by Samson & Surrey
World Whisky of the Year
Ledaig 10 Year Old by Tobermory Distillery
Agave Spirit of the Year
Tequila Blanco by Cutwater Spirits
Gin of the Year
Distillery of Modern Art, Nouveau Gin by Distillery of Modern Art
Vodka of the Year
Connoisseur 51 Reserve Organic Vodka by Purity Distillery AND The Community Spirit Vodka by The Community Spirit Vodka
Brandy of the Year
Yebiga ”Bela” by Tok D.o.o
Rum of the Year
Shakara Rum by Shakara
Baijiu of the Year
Ming River Sichuan Baijiu by Luzhou Laojiao
Liqueur of the Year
January Spirits Genepy by January Spirits
Specialty Spirit of the Year
Death in the Afternoon Absinthe by Key West Trading Co.
Ready to Drink Cocktail of the Year
Automatic Jones Earl Grey Negroni by The Family Jones
No/Low Elixir of the Year
Fluère Bitter by Lucas Bols USA
For a complete list of the 2024 New Orleans Spirits Competition winners, click here.
The post Announcing the Winners of the 2024 New Orleans Spirits Competition appeared first on Imbibe Magazine.