USA Spirits Ratings rewards spirits that are made well, taste great, offer great value for money, and stand out on the shelf. Winning USR Gold clearly demonstrates the trade and how well the spirits will be perceived in the market and will give the trade a very good indicator to stock those spirits.

The esteemed judging panel includes :

Teresa Dito, Mixologist Bartender at Hilton & Peninsula Golf Club

Bruce Abbott, Spirits Category Manager at Brown Jug Inc, Fairbanks, Alaska

Amber Archer, Assistant General Manager at Wit & Wisdom

Tamir Benshalom, Bar manager, BULL VALLEY ROADHOUSE LLC, THE

Nicky Beyries, Business Owner at The Bartender Knows Best

Michael Bowles, California Sales Manager, Soto Sake

Teresa Dito, Lead Bartender and Mixologist at AC Hotels by Marriott

Dayonel Duenas, Lead Bartender At Plumed Horse Group LLC

Jeff Feist, Vice President, Retail National Accounts, Casa Del Sol Tequila

Nora Furst, Beverage professional with roots in SF and The PNW

Jason Lam, Bar Manager at Sens Restaurant

Maxton Kennedy, Brand Ambassador, Copalli Rum

Natalie Lichtman, Bar Manager, PABÚ

Tim Marson MW, Category Director at @wine.com

Jacopo Rosito, Director of Operations at 54 Mint Hospitality Group

David Rowe, Lead Bartender at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Massimo Stronati, Mixologist and Hospitality Expert

Zachary Taylor Bar Manager at 83 Proof

Devin Walden, Master Distiller at Big Machine Distillery 

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 - it needs 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.

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.