The Spirits Business has revealed the best-performing spirits in its 2019 Global Spirits Masters blind-tasting competition.

The Atom Brands team collecting their Overall Grand Spirit Master 2019 trophy

Throughout the year, The Global Spirits Masters has named hundreds of medallists across 17 rounds, covering categories such as rum, gin, Scotch whisky and liqueurs. The blind-tasting competition is chaired by The Spirits Business and uses independent judges including retail buyers, journalists, bartenders and educators.

The series awards Silver, Gold and Master medals – the latter being the highest medal award that requires an average score of 90% or more from the tasting panel. Judges assess the appearance, aroma, taste and overall balance of each expression with no information provided except for the relevant category, ABV and, when necessary, the price bracket.

The award-winners were recognised during an event at Frederick’s restaurant in London at the end of November, during which the competition’s Grand Masters and Taste Masters were also announced.

Grand Master awards are given to the companies that accrue the highest number of points in each individual spirit category, including Silver, Gold and Master medals. Taste Master awards, meanwhile, are given to the individual expressions that are voted ‘best in class’ on the day.

The Global Spirits Masters also awards an Overall Grand Spirit Master title to the company that generates the most points throughout the whole year.

In 2019, for the third year running, that award went to Atom Brands for its exceptional performance across rounds including rum, gin, Scotch whisky and travel retail. The independent bottler and brand owner won a total of 66 medals throughout the year.

Nick Ravenhall, managing director of Atom Brands, said: “Winning the title of Overall Grand Spirit Master for the third year in a row is a great privilege for the whole team at Atom Brands. We’re delighted to see all of the hard work that goes into the creation of every bottle and every brand recognised by experts in the industry.

“This year we’ve been lucky enough to win 66 awards, including 14 Masters, for our products. We were also excited to enter the travel retail category for the first time with some brand new creations from That Boutique-y Gin Company – Sydney Garden Gin and Gold Coast Gin.”

Click through the following pages to see a full list of the 2019 Grand Masters and Taste Masters. For more information on The Global Spirits Masters, contact Rhiannon Morris – rhiannon.morris@thespiritsbusiness.com.

Grand Masters 2019

Jameson producer Irish Distillers was named Irish Whiskey Grand Master 2019

Distillery Grand Master – Kyrö Distillery Company

Tequila & Mezcal Grand Master 2019 – Borco International

Rum & Cachaça Grand Master 2019 – Groupe BBS

Asian Spirits Grand Master 2019 – The Kyoto Distillery Company

Brandy Grand Master 2019 – Distell

Cognac Grand Master 2019 – Cognac Frapin

Scotch Whisky Grand Master 2019 – Distell

Gin Grand Master 2019 – Atom Brands

American Whiskey Grand Master 2019 – Buffalo Trace

Irish Whiskey Grand Master 2019 – Irish Distillers

World Whisky Grand Master 2019 – Kavalan

Luxury Spirits Grand Master 2019 – The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Vodka Grand Master 2019 – Purity Vodka

Travel Retail Grand Master 2019 – Quintessential Brands

Liqueur Grand Master 2019 – Joseph Cartron

Speciality Grand Master 2019 – Bottleproof Cocktails

Design & Packaging Grand Master 2019 – Stranger & Stranger

Overall Grand Spirit Master 2019 – Atom Brands

Taste Masters 2019

Cotswolds Distillers won the Gin Taste Master 2019 title for its Cotswolds Dry Gin

Tequila & Mezcal Taste Master 2019 – Mezcal Koch El Tepeztate

Rum & Cachaça Taste Master 2019 – Trois Rivières – Cuvée l’Océan

Asian Spirits Taste Master 2019 – Teara Jasmine Tea Liqueur

Brandy Taste Master 2019 – Van Ryns Single Pot Still Brandy

Cognac Taster Master 2019 – Cognac Frapin Millésime 1990

Scotch Whisky Taste Master 2019 – SMWS 35.226 Nocturne du Elgin

Gin Taste Master 2019 – Cotswolds Dry Gin

American Whiskey Taste Master 2019 ­– Old Forester 1870 Original Batch

Irish Whiskey Taste Master 2019 – Teeling Whiskey 30 Year Old Vintage Reserve Single Malt Whiskey

World Whisky Taste Master 2019 – Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Luxury Spirits Taste Master 2019 – SMWS G6.9 Listening to the frog chorus

Vodka Taste Master 2019 – Hannover Vodka Straight

Travel Retail Taste Master 2019 – Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky

Liqueur Taste Master 2019 – Joseph Cartron Crème de Cassis Double Crème

Design & Packaging ‘Best in Class’ 2019 – Compass Box Stranger & Stranger