Judging Process for the London Spirits Competition

The London Spirits Competition is designed to recognize and reward spirits that are not only high in quality but also deliver value and packaging that appeal to consumers. To ensure a fair and transparent judging process, the competition evaluates entries across three key criteria:

HOW MEDALS WORK

Medals are awarded based on the average score calculated from the panel of judges. The updated thresholds for medals and recognition are as follows:

Gold: 95–100 – Excellent
Spirits in this category are exceptional in every aspect, offering unparalleled quality, remarkable value, and outstanding packaging. They are benchmarks of excellence in the Spirits industry.

Silver: 90–94 – Accomplished
Spirits that display superior quality, strong consumer appeal, and thoughtful packaging. These Spirits represent a high standard and a rewarding experience for buyers.

Bronze: 85–89 – Well Made
Spirits that are well-crafted, reliable, and enjoyable. They meet the expectations of quality, value and package but may lack the exceptional edge required for higher medals.

No Medal: 80–84 – Acceptable and Simple
Spirits in this range are palatable and straightforward but lack the depth and complexity to stand out in competitive markets.

No Medal: 75–79 – Palatable but Lacks Character
Spirits that are drinkable but fail to deliver the balance, typicity, or structure needed to merit a medal.

BLIND TASTING AND PACKAGING SCORE

Quality and Value scores are given with blind tasting. Judges will see the packaging bottles once the quality and value scores are entered for the products during each flights.

MARKET FEEDBACK

Entrants will now get feedback from the judges on a) if the product is suited for on-trade or off-trade or both b) if the product category or product country is in demand in UK or not.

Important: Please note that the updated medal awarding system will be implemented starting with the 2025 competition. Previous years utilized a different scoring and medal allocation system, which is why you may notice variations in score ranges. Moving forward, the London Spirits Competition will adopt the new criteria outlined above to better reflect industry standards and consumer expectations.