MAKING OF THE TOP 100 SPIRITS IN THE WORLD FOR TRADE.
Top 100 Spirits in the world for trade is out. It is curated and picked up by a leading panel of top-level spirits buyers at the London Spirits Competition with current direct commercial buying responsibility or spirits consultants and experts who are also directly involved in the development of new spirits brands or buying spirits for commercial resale.
The list of judges was drawn from leading retail chains, wholesalers, distributors, and on-trade groups across a variety of channels and disciplines including multiple retailing, convenience stores, cash and carries, specialist retailers, casual and fine dining, hospitality and the travel industry.
VOTING PROCESS AND WHY ITS GOOD FOR THE TRADE.
1. Blind tasting to determine the spirit's quality and drinkability. Spirits that are well balanced, where their acidity, tannins and alcohol levels all work seamlessly together. That’s the quality factor. Where appropriate they will also be assessed by variety, style, region, and country. London Spirits Competition wants to celebrate spirits that are both enjoyable and easy to drink.
2. Judges will then determine the value score of the spirits based on the quality and its retail price. You don't need to be the cheapest spirit on the shelf to offer the best value for money. Far from it. A spirit may have a high price tag, but can still offer great value providing it delivers the right quality and taste for a spirit at that price point. London Spirits Competition will assess each spirit for how much value it is offering its customers.
3. The judges will then be handed the bottle or format for them to be able to assess, in detail, the design, label, and packaging and determine how well that matches up to, or complements the quality of the spirit and its price point. It is how the product is perceived when placed on the spirits shelf among thousands of other spirits. The London Spirits Competition will reward those brands that show they understand their customers, and the price category they are operating in, and have produced a design and package with the right personality to attract and keep their attention.
4. The judges can discuss the spirit as a whole to help allocate scores in the four judging areas however each judge will give the wine its own score and the average will be taken as the ?nal score.
ABOUT LONDON SPIRITS COMPETITION
The London Spirits Competition looks to recognise, reward and help promote spirits brands that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific spirits drinker. For any spirits brand to earn its place on a retailer’s shelf or a restaurant’s spirits list - and then vitally stay there - they need to be marketable and consumer-driven and not just produced in the general hope it can find enough people willing to sell and buy it.
That is why the London Spirits Competition is different. It will single out and shine the spotlight on those spirits brands that consumers really want to buy and have a clear market value for trade buyers.
A competition that will judge spirits in three key areas:
- Their Quality.
- Their value for money.
- What they look like.
To be an award winner you will need to have top quality spirits, that offers both the trade and the consumer great value for money, and you will need to look good and truly stand out on the shelf and on the back bar.
Quality
The London Spirits Competition is not about recognising spirits that achieve the best quality scores, but you would struggle to drink more than a glass of. We want to celebrate spirits that are both enjoyable and easy to drink. spirits that are well balanced, where their acidity, tannins and alcohol levels all work seamlessly together. That’s the Quality factor.
Value for money
You don't need to be the cheapest Spirits on the shelf to offer the best value for money. Far from it. spirits may have a high price tag, but can still offer great value providing it delivers the right quality and taste for a spirits at that price point. The London Spirits Competition will assess each spirits for how much value it is offering its customers.
Package and Design
This is arguably the most important part of a Spirits brand to get right. For, after all, what a spirits brand looks like is how every consumer chooses the spirits they want to drink. With their eyes first. Up to 65% of consumers will try a new spirits just because it looks good and if you can match that with a price and quality of spirits that offers great value for money, then you are more than half way home. The London Spirits Competition will reward those brands that show they understand their customers, and the price category they are operating in, and have produced a design and package with the right personality to attract and keep their attention.
Commercially relevant
Crucially all the winners in the London Spirits Competition will give future trade spirits buyers, be they for a supermarket, specialist spirits retailer, casual dining or upmarket restaurant, the re-assurance that these are spirits that their customers want to buy.
Cross industry recognition
The London Spirits Competition also recognises the huge talent and skills that now exist right through the Spirits supply chain. From the Distillers and Producers that are making the spirits; through to the specialist importers and wholesalers that help bring them to market; along with the designers, packaging experts and brand development teams that ensure there is a market and customer base to sell to.
Consumer awareness
Winners in the London Spirits Competition will receive either a Gold, Silver or Bronze award and be supported by a strong consumer awareness campaign, particularly through social media channels and spirits comparison apps, to promote this new global competition.
Competition organizers
The London Spirits Competition has been created exclusively by the Beverage Trade Network, the US drinks events, services, business and publishing group dedicated to helping drinks producers and brand owners get closer to the buyers, distributors and retailers that can bring their products to market.
It is part of a new wider London drinks awards initiative that also includes The London Wine Competition that looks to reward and highlight market driven consumer.the ?nal score.
Further Links: London Spirits Competition | Top 100 Spirits