Judging criteria

To win a London Spirits Competition award you will need to score highly in all three areas of our judging criteria. You might have outstanding quality spirits, but if the price and packaging are not right then you don’t, in commercial terms, have a winning spirits brand. And you will not be recognized by the London Spirits Competition. That is why the London Spirits Competition will be decided based on the following judging formula making it a more relevant global spirits competition:

Quality Score (Q) + Value Score (V) + Package Score (P) = London Spirits Competition Score.

A separate weighted score will be given for each of the three parts of the judging process (Quality gets twice the weight. The scores will be calculated with other judges for the same product on the team to give a final score from which individual prizes will be awarded.

Quality Score: will be marked out of 100

Value Score: will be marked out of 100

Package Score: will be marked out of 100

Awards

Gold: to receive a Gold medal, you need to score 90 or over.

Silver: to receive a Silver medal, you need to score between 76-89.

Bronze: to receive a Bronze medal, you need to score between 65-75.

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Special Awards

The minimum qualification for the special award is 90 points. The category that has no product that achieved 90 points will not be considered.

Spirit Of The Year

Vodka Of The Year

Rum Of The Year

Tequila Of The Year

Gin Of The Year

Whisky Of The Year

Distillery Of The Year

Best Spirit By Country

Best Spirit By Quality

Best Spirit By Value

Best Spirit By Packaging

Who are our judges?

The London Spirits Competition will be assessed and judged by a leading panel of top-level spirits buyers 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 will be 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.