The London Spirits Competition has announced the first group of judges for its landmark 10th edition, assembling one of the most commercially influential judging panels in the international spirits industry. Bringing together senior spirits buyers, globally respected master blenders, luxury hotel bar directors, specialist merchants, retail decision-makers and leading mixologists, the 2027 panel reflects the competition’s distinctive approach to evaluating spirits through the lens of today’s marketplace.

Since its launch, the London Spirits Competition has distinguished itself from traditional spirits competitions by judging products not only on quality, but also on value for money and packaging. Every spirit is assessed by professionals who actively buy, source, develop, list, recommend and serve spirits as part of their daily work.

These are the decision-makers who determine what reaches retail shelves, luxury hotel bars, restaurant drinks programmes, specialist merchants and distribution portfolios, making recognition from the competition particularly valuable for spirits brands seeking commercial success.

As the competition celebrates its 10th edition, the calibre and diversity of its judges continue to reinforce its reputation as one of the industry’s most commercially relevant spirits competitions.

Master Blenders Shaping the Global Whisky Industry

The 2027 judging panel features some of the world’s most respected whisky creators and master blenders, bringing exceptional expertise in blending, maturation, sensory evaluation and product development.

The confirmed master blenders include:

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Stephanie Macleod — Master Blender and Director of Blending, Scotch Whisky for Bacardi

Emma Walker — Master Blender at Johnnie Walker

Craig Wallace — Whisky Creation Leader and Master Blender at Diageo

Together, these industry leaders bring decades of experience creating and maintaining globally recognised whisky portfolios. Their technical knowledge and understanding of complexity, consistency, balance and consumer expectations bring exceptional depth to the judging process.

Buyers Who Shape the Spirits Market

One of the defining strengths of the London Spirits Competition is its focus on judges who actively make purchasing, sourcing, product development and category decisions.

The 2027 panel includes senior buyers and commercial leaders from respected retailers, specialist merchants, wholesalers and international buying organisations.

Among them are:

Nick Larsson-Bell — Retail Buyer of the Year 2022; Senior Spirits and Beer Buyer at Harvey Nichols

Francesca Parker-Partridge — Spirits Buying Manager, Ocado Retail

Giota Polizoudi — Senior Spirits Buyer at Marks & Spencer

Neil Jamieson — Premium Spirits Buyer and Prestige Whisky Specialist for The Whisky Shop

Rachelle Carandang — Sr Manager – Product Development and Sourcing, Beverages at Sam’s Club

Andrew de Lavis-Trafford — Commercial Director at WholeCo

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David Hood — General Manager at Spirit Cartel

Nelson Reis — Retail Duty Manager at Speciality Drinks Group

Jason Vaswani — Head Buyer of Old & Rare Spirits at Speciality Drinks Group

These judges influence purchasing decisions across national retail, e-commerce, specialist spirits merchants, wholesale, sourcing and product development. Their participation ensures that every entry is considered not only for the quality of the liquid, but also for its value, presentation, category positioning and commercial potential.

Leaders from Luxury Hotels, Cruise and Hospitality Groups

Luxury hospitality remains one of the most influential sectors in premium spirits, and the London Spirits Competition continues to attract professionals responsible for some of the UK’s most prestigious bar and beverage programmes.

The confirmed hospitality leaders include:

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Michele Lombardi — Head of Bars at Four Seasons Tower Bridge

Gaetano “GDA” D’Amato — Head of Bars at Mark’s Club

Claudia Carrozzi — Head of Beverage at Cunard and UKBG President

Marcello Cauda — Bars Manager at The Berkeley Hotel, Maybourne Group, London

Phoebe Doran — Head of Bars UK at the Hakkasan Group

Anna Gaglione — Bars Manager, The Ned & Ned’s Club

Salvatore Megna — Bar Manager, Firmdale Hotels, UK

Andy Loudon — Director of Bars, Rosewood London, UK

Emilia Wrelton — Bars General Manager at St. Clement Hotel

These professionals oversee drinks programmes across luxury hotels, private members’ clubs, cruise operations and international hospitality groups. They understand what makes a spirit suitable for a premium back bar, cocktail programme or high-value guest experience.

Their first-hand knowledge of guest preferences, operational requirements, menu development and premium service ensures entries are assessed from both a quality and commercial perspective.

Leading Bartenders and Mixology Experts

Bartenders play an essential role in determining how spirits perform in the on-trade. They assess products not only on aroma and flavour, but also on balance, versatility, mixability, storytelling and their ability to engage guests.

The 2027 panel includes:

Enrico Chiappini — Senior Bartender at Dukes Hotel

Davide Sinibaldi — Assistant Bar Manager at The Spy Bar at Raffles London

Lorenzo Piscitello — Scarfes Bar Supervisor at Rosewood Hotel Group

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Cristiana Pirinu — Assistant Director of Mixology – The Donovan Bar

Harp Mann — Mixology Consultant, Cocktail Innovator and Presenter

Alessandro Vescovi — Bar Supervisor, The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel

These judges bring practical knowledge of how spirits perform behind the bar and what today’s bartenders, beverage directors and consumers expect from established and emerging brands.

Their experience ensures spirits are considered in the context in which many consumers ultimately discover and enjoy them—whether served neat, in a classic drink or as part of a contemporary cocktail.

Recognising the Growth of Low, No and Ready-to-Drink

As drinking occasions and consumer preferences continue to evolve, the London Spirits Competition has expanded its judging expertise to reflect the growing commercial importance of low-alcohol, alcohol-free and ready-to-drink products.

The confirmed category experts include:

Helena Copeland — Buyer for Low & No and Ready to Drink at Ocado

Laura Willoughby MBE — Low and No Alcoholic Drinks Buyer; Founder of Club Soda, The Mindful Drinking Movement

Their inclusion reflects the growing importance of moderation-led categories and demonstrates the competition’s commitment to remaining aligned with changing consumer behaviour and emerging market opportunities.

These categories require their own understanding of flavour delivery, drinking occasions, value, presentation and consumer expectations. Having specialist buyers involved ensures that products are evaluated by professionals who understand what succeeds in this fast-developing market.

Why These Judges Matter

The credibility of any spirits competition ultimately depends on the expertise and commercial relevance of its judges.

What makes the London Spirits Competition different is that its judges are not simply spirits experts—they are active industry decision-makers. Every member of the panel brings practical commercial experience, whether buying spirits for a national retailer, sourcing beverages for a major buying organisation, creating globally recognised whiskies, managing five-star hotel bars or developing drinks programmes for leading hospitality groups.

This means every medal is awarded by professionals who understand not only how a spirit tastes, but also whether it offers value, whether its packaging will attract its intended consumer and whether it has genuine potential in the marketplace.

For distilleries and spirits brands, this provides something far more valuable than a traditional tasting score. It offers recognition from the people who influence what consumers ultimately see, order, purchase and drink.

London Spirits Competition: Elevate Your Brand, Enter Today

Enter the London Spirits Competition to showcase your spirits, strengthen your brand’s credibility and have your products assessed by leading buyers, master blenders, bar directors and hospitality professionals.

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Looking Ahead to the 10th Edition

The 2027 London Spirits Competition marks an important milestone as the competition celebrates its 10th edition. Over the past decade, it has established itself as one of the spirits industry’s most respected commercial competitions by bringing together buyers, blenders, bartenders and hospitality professionals representing every stage of the spirits buying journey.

With judges representing organisations including Marks & Spencer, Ocado Retail, Harvey Nichols, Sam’s Club, The Whisky Shop, Johnnie Walker, Bacardi, Diageo, Four Seasons Tower Bridge, Cunard, The Berkeley Hotel, Rosewood London, Raffles London, the Hakkasan Group, The Ned and Speciality Drinks Group, the 2027 judging panel is one of the strongest ever assembled.

For distilleries and spirits brands around the world, the London Spirits Competition offers an opportunity to have their products evaluated by the professionals who shape purchasing decisions across retail, e-commerce, hospitality, specialist merchants and the international spirits trade.

Judging for the 2027 London Spirits Competition will take place on March 23 and 24, 2027, with winners announced on April 22, 2027. The Super Early Bird deadline is August 31, 2026.

As entries open for the landmark 10th edition, the London Spirits Competition continues to reinforce its position as where outstanding spirits meet commercial opportunity.

Also Read:
Craig Wallace: What It Takes to Create Award-Winning Whisky
UKBG President Claudia Carrozzi on the Future of Bartending
More Feedback and Transparency For Entrants At The London Spirits Competition