7 minute read
TOAST THE WINNERS
Toast Winners
PR&F Awards 2021 shines with taste.
By Debbie Hall Photos by Derek Richbell
Great spirits flowed together in camaraderie and unique tastings when over 70 spirit industry leaders gathered for PR%F Awards 2021. Officially named the world’s largest spirits and wine competition in the US, PR%F Awards 2021 encompassed innovation with judging. PR%F Awards 2021 launched a new dual adult beverage competition format including two competitions in one—PR%F Awards-Masked, The Double-Blind Tasting, and PR%F Awards-Unmasked, The Total Package.
Upwards of thousands of spirits, wine brands, and other beverages were submitted for consideration during the two-day, double blind-tasting point-rating competition held at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in October. The night before the judging, the welcoming reception brought everyone together at Benihana in the Westgate Las Vegas.
PR%F Awards was created as an avenue to introduce emerging and established spirits brands to key decision makers and beverage buyers. All PR%F judges are mainstream beverage buyers, distributors, and industry leaders with buying decision capability.
The awards competition was open to beverage brands, domestic and international, offering over 300 categories. This included spirits, wine, champagne, sparkling wines, seltzers (spirited and non spirited), ciders (spirited and non spirited), frozen concoctions, novelties, coffee liquors, canned cocktails (RTD), energy drinks, waters, and mixers.
PR%F Awards sequesters judges (based across the country) for a two-day private tasting experience in Las Vegas. Each judge is an essential buyer and decision maker in the spirits/wine industry. Each judge/buyer comes from different facets of the industry: distributors, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, resorts, airlines, retail, liquor stores, box chains, and online distributors.
The judges (buyers) asked for a total exposure of products being judged in addition to the double-blind tasting experience, so PR%F Awards expanded this year’s competition to give buyers all that they need to make buying decisions.
PR%F Awards developed the double-blind tasting competition for the judges to rate spirits, wines, and other beverages in a 100-point rating system. After tasting points were accumulated, the distinguished panel of judges evaluated entries, seeing and feeling the bottle, can, or product. They read the ingredients and saw the overall marketing package (look, feel, and approach) the brands want to convey to the patron.
The 100-point rating system includes the Century Award (100 Points), Double Gold (96 to 99 points, Gold (91 to 95 points), Silver (85 to 90 points), and Bronze (79 to 85 points). All spirits were evaluated in the NEAT Glass (Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology) designed to apply a scientific approach to spirits tasting with its patented glass shape.
This year, PR%F Awards-Unmasked, The Total Package made an incredible showing with more than bottles judged by artists and design gurus on bottle labels, shapes, theme, color patterns, and creativity. In the beverage industry, how a bottle presents itself on the shelf is just as important as the juice’s perfection, and many brands were decorated with medals to honor their designs.
All winners will receive a beautiful bespoke medal, a winner graphic, an entered graphic, online/collateral marketing use of the award, and PR%F Award logo and medals with no additional licensing fees. This special edition of PR%F Magazine featuring all PR%F Awards 2021 winners is distributed to its 14 million readers with our title sponsor Food and Beverage Magazine, following the competition.
Women-Owned spirits and wine brands that joined the PR%F Awards competition were honored with a special PR%F Awards recognition with an additional medal of accolade to congratulate their role in pushing the industry forward.
“PR%F Awards 2021 was an incredible showcase for the entire beverage industry with tequila leading the way with the most entries this year,” said Michele D. Tell, executive director/founder of the PR%F Awards. “This year’s special showcase of The Total Package event was a personal trade show for more than 70 buyers to taste and review each of our entries, learn about the brands and see the price points for a personal evaluation of what their venue needs.”
“Women-owned brands, Ready-to-Drink, and whiskeys also lead the charge for huge representation as well as botanical-based spirits, and this year, a full round of spiritless spirits,” she said. “Our judges, who come from airlines, cruise lines, restaurant groups, bars, grocery chains, resorts, and more, all gathered under the magnificent roof Westgate Las Vegas to explore the new trends of the beverage industry, give honorable ratings to those winning brands and to personally meet 1000 emerging new brands that entered this year’s competition,” she said. “It was magical.” During the two days of judging, on the first day, the judges enjoyed lunch with a delicious selection of Italian cuisine favorites at Fresco Italiano. The judges were treated to lunch on the second day at Edge Steakhouse Las Vegas, enjoying great food served with warm hospitality and a welcoming atmosphere.
PR%F Awards 2022 is a private judging competition and will be held in July. For more information, visit www.proofawards.com.
Dwight Lamb with Bashas (left) receives his own autographed copy of The Food and Beverage Magazine Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success by Michael Politz (right).
Congratulations to Corbin Cash Barrel Reserve Sweet Potato Liqueur, winner of "the Most Innovative Spirit Award" during PR%F Awards 2021.
Our Key Judges
Our Judges are the best and here are a few of them in action.
Daniel de anda Fast, Opulent Wines & Spirits Edward Allen, Carnival Cruise Line
Peter Madrigal, Vanderpump Rules on BRAVO! Frankie Lee, Frankie's Uptown Bar & Restaurant Chris Lee, Frankie's Uptown Bar & Restaurant
Michael Looby, Horse & Cow Pubs (Washington State, Northwest and Guam) Gwendolyn Jackson, Liquid Distributors in Atlanta Matthew Lindsey, Sommelier and Director of Fine Wine
Aaron "Doc" Defeo, Little Rituals in Arizona Abe Taylor, Downtown Hospitality Group, Bin18 Brittany Chardin, Delta Sky Club
Tom Mayer, Craft Shack Ken Heck, Chinglish Louis Hirsh, Breakthru Beverage
Chris Motley, Liquor World Steve Jabour, Specs Online Richard Douglas, Westgate
Rick Moonen, celebrity chef Kai Delgado, Lead Art Judge Alice Itsell (Bashas), Matthew Loren Lindsey (Lead Wine Judge) Roy Saunders (JING)
Mark Hefter, The Mint Tom Claxton (Art Design Judge) Christine Crnek (The Neat Glass) and Tom Racine, Sugar Factory Cesar de Mark, Specs Online
Brian McCullough, Specs Online Carolyn Glaser (sommelier) Mike Thompson, Westgate
OUR VALUES
ARE CHANGING THE WAY THE WORLD DRINKS
TRUTH IN SCIENCE
Twisted "marketing science" masks truth and misleads spirits drinkers. Alcohol aroma quickly destroys smell-ability forcing you to rely on your past tasting memories
TRUTH IN EDUCATION
Form your own opinions, why count on someone else's palate?
You are the best judge...especially if you use the best glass. The few critics with formal sensory education were trained with tulip glasses which hide truth, and many put personal favorites, tastes and opinions over honest evaluation
TRUTH IN GENDER EQUITY
Women's noses are more sensitive. Tulip glasses discriminate by concentrating nose-numbing alcohol
TRUTH IN PERSONAL ENJOYMENT
Glass choice is critical. NEAT is scientifically designed to divert nose-numbing ethanol, magnify aromas, enhance drinking experiences and support buying decisions
