Barr Hill Gin from Caledonia Spirits has been named spirit of the year at the 2020 USA Spirits Ratings. There were 201 gold medals, 305 silver, and 80 bronze at this year’s competition. More than 45 countries participated in the 2020 competition making it the most diverse competition so far for USA Spirits Ratings. The top countries to enter were the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the top categories were Whiskey, Gin, and Vodka.

Barr Hill Gin secured No.1 spot and was awarded “Best Spirit Of The Year” and Gold Medal with 100 points. The Gin comes from Caledonia Spirits. It also bagged Gin Of The Year, Best In Show By Country, and, Best Spirit Of The Year By Quality.

Here are the highlights:

• Spirit of the year: Barr Hill Gin from Caledonia Spirits, United States. 

• Distillery of the year: Caledonia Spirits, United States.

• Best Spirit by Quality: Barr Hill Gin from Caledonia Spirits, United States. 

• Best Spirit by Value: Black Pig Costa Alentejana Gin from Black Pig Alentejo Distillery, Portugal

• Best Spirit by Package: Black Pig Costa Alentejana Gin from Black Pig Alentejo Distillery, Portugal

• Vodka of the year: Hanson Organic Vodka from Hanson of Sonoma Distillery, United States

• Rum of the year: Rhumb Runner Monymusk from 359 Spirits, Jamaica

• Tequila of the year: Suave Reposado from Suave Spirits International, Mexico.

• Gin of the year: Barr Hill Gin from Caledonia Spirits, United States.

• Whiskey of the year: Bushmills Black Bush from Proximo Spirits, Ireland

Black Pig Costa Alentejana Gin from Black Pig Alentejo Distillery, Portugal secured the NO 2 spot and also won the best spirit by value and best spirits by package with 99 points.

View full results here

The USA Spirits Ratings looks to recognize, reward and help promote spirits brands that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific spirits drinker. For any spirits brand to earn its place on a retailer’s shelf or a restaurant’s spirits list -  and then vitally stay there - they need to be marketable and consumer-driven and not just produced in the general hope it can find enough people willing to sell and buy it.

Judges also score the brands by package which goes into the overall score.

That is why the USA Spirits Ratings is different. It will single out and shine the spotlight on those spirits brands that consumers really want to buy and have a clear market value for trade buyers.

A Competition that will judge spirits in three key areas:

1.Their quality

2.Their value for money

3.What they look like

To be an award winner you will need to have top-quality spirits, that offer both the trade and the consumer great value for money, and you will need to look good and truly stand out on the shelf and on the back bar.

Judging criteria 

To win a USA Spirits Ratings award you will need to score highly in all three areas of our judging criteria. That is why the USA spirits Ratings will be decided based on the following judging formula: Q (Quality Score) + Value Score (V) + Package Score (P) = USA Spirits Ratings Score.

Quality Score: will be marked out of 100 

Value Score: will be marked out of 100 

Package Score: will be marked out of 100 

A separate weighted score will be given for each of the three parts of the judging process (Quality gets twice the weight). 

Gold: to receive a Gold medal you need to score 90 or over. 
Silver: you need to score between 80-89. 
Bronze: you need to score between 70-79. 

The USA Spirits Ratings was assessed and judged by a leading panel of top-level spirits buyers with current direct commercial buying responsibility.

View 2020 USA Spirits Ratings Results