BourbonBlog.com‘s Tom Fischer was recently invited to judge The 2012 Denver International Spirits Competition at the Omni Interlocken Resort. He was joined by friend associate Mike Manning of Proof Media Mix and ten other prominent spirits professionals in this double-blind tasting.
This was the first annual spirits competition of its kind rganized by Christopher J. Davies CEO & Co-Founder Wine Country Network, a company well respected for producing the Denver International Wine Competition and The Denver International Beer Competition.
This great pannel of judges used use a 100 point scale and all spirits will be tasted in price categories to keep things fair.
“We started in the morning and went late into the afternoon, spitting most of all of the spirits but enjoying the flavor enough to judge fairly and thoroughly,” says BourbonBlog.com‘s Tom Fischer. “However, when we were on the Bourbon and whiskey round, I just couldn’t spit…I had to swallow the sips I had. Thanks Darcy and Christopher Davies for inviting me out to Colorado to be a judge!, this was indeed a great competition with some remarkable spirits”
The 2012 Denver International Spirits Competition Results
Below Organized by: Product Name— Metads—Categories
Avion Tequila Reposado— Silver— REPOSADO TEQUILA $25 – $35
Avion Tequila Silver — Silver — SILVER/GOLD (NON-AGED) TEQUILA $25 – $35
Barenjager Honey Bourbon— Gold/Double Gold — FLAVORED WHISKEY $25 – $35
Bernheim Wheat Whiskey — Silver —OTHER WHISKEY $25 – $35
Bowman Brothers Bourbon —Bronze —SMALL BATCH BOURBON UNDER 10 YRS. $25 – $35
Breckenridge Bitters — Silver — HERBAL/BOTANICALS LIQUEURS $25 – $35
Breckenridge Bourbon — Gold/Double Gold — SMALL BATCH BOURBON 10 YRS. & YOUNGER $25 – $35
Breckenridge Spiced Rum — Bronze — RUM SPICED $25 – $35
Breckenridge Vodka — Bronze — VODKA $25 -$35
Brugal 1888 Rum — Gold/Double Gold — EXTRA-AGED RUM (MORE THAN 5 YEARS) $45 – $55
Chopin Rye Vodka — Silver — VODKA $25 -$35
Chopin Wheat Vodka — Gold/Double Gold — VODKA $25 -$35
Corretto Coffee Liqueur — Silver — COFFEE LIQUEUR UNDER $25
Dancing Pines Blackwalnut Bourbon Liqueur — Bronze FLAVORED WHISKEY — $25 – $35
Dancing Pines Espresso Liqueur — Bronze — COFFEE LIQUEUR $25 – $35
Dancing Pines Gin — Gold/Double Gold — GIN $25 – $35
Dancing Pines Rum — Bronze — RUM WHITE $25 – $35
Deep Run Vodka — Silver — VODKA $25 -$35
Deerhammer Eau-De-Vie — Bronze — EAU-DE-VIE $35 – $45
Del Maquey Mezcal Vida — Bronze — MESCAL
Donna Fida Lemon Armonia — Gold/Double Gold — LEMOMCELLO UNDER $25
Double Diamond Whiskey — Bronze — OTHER WHISKEY $25 – $35
Eagle Rare Single Barrel — Silver — SINGLE BARREL AMERICAN WHISKEY 10 YRS. & YOUNGER $25 – $35
Eljah Craig 12yrs — Silver — SMALL BATCH BOURBON OVER 10 YRS. $25 – $35
Evan Williams Single Barrel — Gold — SINGLE BARREL AMERICAN WHISKEY 10 YRS. & YOUNGER $25 – $35
Griffs Cowboy Whiskey — Bronze — AMERICAN CRAFT WHISKEY $25 – $35
Hudson Baby Bourbon — Bronze — SMALL BATCH BOURBON 10 YRS. & YOUNGER $25 – $35
Hudson Manhattan Rye — Silver — AMERICAN STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY $25 – $35
Iowa Bourbon Whiskey — Bronze — SMALL BATCH BOURBON UNDER 10 YRS. $25 – $35
John J Bowman Bourbon — Gold — SINGLE BARREL AMERICAN WHISKEY UNDER 10 YRS. $35 – $45
Kinnick Kinnic Whiskey — Gold —AMERICAN BLENDED WHISKEY $25 – $35
Lunuzul Aoejo — Bronze — AÒEJO TEQUILA UNDER $25
Malibu Rum Red Rum/Teq — Bronze — OTHER RUM $25 – $35
Montanya Oro Rum — Silver — RUM DARK/GOLD $25 – $35
Ocean Vodka — Bronze — VODKA ORGANIC $25- $35
Ole Smoky Moonshine Apple Pie — Bronze — FLAVORED MOONSHINEUNDER $25
Ould Tom Gin — Bronze — GIN GENEVER $25- $35
Pinnacle Cookie Dough Vodka — Silver —VODKA FLAVORED/ INFUSED under $25
Rebecca Creek Fine Texas Spirit Whiskey —Gold — AMERICAN BLENDED WHISKEY $25 – $35
Rehorst Gin — Silver— GIN $25 – $35
Republic Tequila Reposado — Gold — REPOSADO TEQUILA $25 – $35
Roaring Dans Rum — Bronze — RUM FLAVORED/INFUSED $25 – $35
Roundhouse Imperial Barrel Aged Gin — Silver — GIN $25 – $35
Roundhouse Gin — Bronze — GIN DRY $25- $35
Sorsasso Italian Liqueur — Bronze — GRAPPA UNDER $25
Spring44 Gin — Silver — GIN $25 – $35
Spring44 Honey Vodka — Bronze — VODKA FLAVORED/ INFUSED $25-$35
Spring44 Vodka — Silver — VODKA $25 -$35
Svedka Vodka Clementine — Bronze — VODKA FLAVORED/ INFUSED under $25
Tres Leches — Gold — CREAM/DAIRY LIQUEURS UNDER $25
Trinity Absinthe — Gold/Double Gold — ABSINTHE OVER $50
Valentine Vodka — Bronze — VODKA under $25
Valentine Vodka White Blossom — Bronze — VODKA FLAVORED/ INFUSED under $25
Vice Rei Anis Escarchado — Gold — SAMBUCCA WHITE $25 – $35
Zaya Gran Reserva Rum — Silver — EXTRA-AGED RUM (MORE THAN 5 YEARS) $25 – $35
And the photo at the end for the end of the day, once all results were in and after all judges had a chance to see what they’d been judging, here it is..
Photos from competition courtesy Darcy Davies