The Speciality Spirits Masters 2014 results

The labels categorised under Speciality Spirits for this, the latest addition to the Spirits Masters series, are essential to serious bartenders, writes Becky Paskin.

In its inaugural year, The Speciality Spirits Masters offered a smorgasbord of diverse international expressions

The world is full of headline global spirits brands and mass consumer favourites, but in among the Johnnie Walkers and Grey Gooses are a collection of niche spirits offering some much needed diversity.

To the majority of consumers and bartenders, these speciality spirits are exotic and exciting, despite some of them being wildly popular in certain local markets. And while some come packaged with that all-important tradition and heritage, modern brands are innovating and providing variety within their category, lending creativity to cocktails and long drinks.

This category is probably the most diverse of the Spirits Masters Series, so to assist me in blind tasting this smorgasbord of international spirits we enlisted the palates and open minds of a group of experts. Joining me at the Red Lemon in London’s Notting Hill were Pritesh Mody, founder of World of Zing, and Harry Bellenberg, head bartender at The Cadogan Arms.

The competition, a new addition to the series this year, began with pomace-based spirit grappa, which, being a small round, drew a Gold medal for Riserva Giusti. Mody said: “It’s a good example of a grappa – nice, spirituous and approachable. There’s a good amount of fire to it with plenty of earthy notes and good length of flavour.”

Moving on to a relatively unchartered category for all of our judges, we sampled an amarone, a rich, dry red wine spirit from Italy. Just one medal was awarded once again to Most Amarone Barrique, a sweet, fiery spirit with some rich sultana and dried fruit flavours right the way through.

The tasting then moved on into more familiar territory with a round of vermouths, which delivered a vast spectrum of flavours and styles. “This is clearly a category where there’s lots of interesting new expressions emerging and plenty of quality,” said Mody.

Judges from left to right: Harry Bellenberg, Becky Paskin, and Pritesh Mody

Surprisingly, among a sea of new and niche brands, consumer favourite Cinzano scored a Master medal, with judges describing its flavour as “vibrant, fresh, fruity and balanced”. Medals were also awarded to Contratto Vermouth Bianco, and Australia’s Regal Rogue Bianco and Rosso, the latter two of which feature domestic botanicals only.

Finally, the competition ended with a short round of bitters, which saw Amaro Montenegro score a Gold medal for its “well-balanced, herbal yet pleasantly sweet” flavour, reminiscent of cola cubes, the sweetshop classic. Becherovka Original meanwhile, secured a Silver medal.

While additional categories in the Speciality Spirits Masters were entered and judged, the above were the only ones to attract medals.

“Producers who really know their category well did fantastically with their product in this competition, although some others didn’t quite hit the mark,” said Bellenberg. “It’s a niche category people have gone into, but there were some really interesting vermouths and bitters.” Probably the biggest positive to take away from the blind tasting is the emergence of quality and diversity in vermouths and bitters, categories that are clearly of increasing interest in the cocktail world. With any luck, further diversity within the category will draw more attention to the niche spirits, both traditional and modern, now available.

Click through to the next page to see the results of The Speciality Spirits Masters 2014.

Grappa
Company	Product Name	Award
Società Agricola Giusti	Riserva Giusti	Gold

Amarone
Company	Product Name	Award
Distillerie Bepi Tosolini	Most Amarone Barrique	Silver

Vermouth
Company	Product Name	Award
Gruppo Campari	Cinzano 1757	Master
Giuseppe Contratto	Contratto Vermouth Bianco	Gold
The Regal Rogue Group	Regal Rogue Bianco	Gold
The Regal Rogue Group	Regal Rogue Rosso	Silver

Bitters
Company	Product Name	Award
Montenegro Srl	Amaro Montenegro	Gold
Jan Becher Karlovarská Becherovka	Becherovka Original	Silver