Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Other Games in the UK - Results of the 2012 International Wine & Spirit Competition


I am going to talk about the UK and gold medals ... I know everyone has the eyes riveted on the UK right now watching the London 2012 Olympic Games but this is not about the OG. This is a different kind of competition called the International Wine & Spirit Competition (ISWC).

The International Wine & Spirit Competition released the results of its 2012 ratings for spirits this week. The results for the wine category were already announced in June. Traditionally, spirits results come one month after the wines.

ISWC was founded in 1969 and is one of the premier wine & spirits rating international competition. SEE PREVIOUS BLOG in JULY 2012 for a review of the best wine & spirits rating competitions. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world's best wines, spirits and liqueurs.

Besides the rigorous judging completed by a panel of professional experts at the ISWC, this competition is unique in the sense that the spirits are lab tested through chemical and microbiological analysis by an independent laboratory. This add a rather scientific twist to this competition which I have find rather academic and professional but it does not play much role in the rating itself.

My Comments:
. Congratulations to Baron Otard which I think is the ‘grand’ winner from this competition. As a matter of fact, right now I am working on a blog just on Baron Otard as I was there a few days ago dressed like a tourist walking around incognito. My take is that they have made a great improvement towards better quality cognacs.
. These ratings also announce the return of Bisquit I suppose.
. Rémy Martin VSOP Mature Cask Finish Cognac (receives Silver Outstanding) is the new expression of Remy VSOP and it is replacing the enigmatic dark green frosted bottle with a more common clear glass bottle. I like to see the color of cognac so I am more in favor of the clear glass. But I am sure it must not have been an easy decision to make.
. Courvoisier 21 and 12 collection is not consensual but it surely get a great score with a gold medal for the 21.
. As one would predict, Hine is particularly well represented with modest ratings for the premium cognacs. I think their Hine Rare VSOP is outstanding so no surprise to me.
. Cognac Park Extra is rewarded with a gold medal which is perfectly justified.
. Many private labels and sub-brands have done well, so business as usual.
. Some surprises and questions unanswered to me: why they are so many brands which have their VS and XO rated the same, as well as for instance the 4 distilleries from Royer rated the same, I do not think it is possible and I wonder ... I have had a number of experience where I could not prefer a VSOP to a VS, or an XO to a VSOP, but there should be a significant gap in evaluating between a VS and an XO!

GOLD OUTSTANDING MEDAL
Baron Otard VSOP
Hine Rare VSOP
Frapin Chateau Fontpinot Cognac Grande Champagne XO

ISWC Winners 2012
ISWC Winners 2012

GOLD MEDAL
Courvoisier 21 Cognac Grande Champagne
Bisquit Cognac VSOP
Bisquit Prestige Blended Cognac VSOP
Cognac Park XO Extra Grande Champagne
Louis Royer Extra Grande Champagne Cognac
Dupuy Tentation Cognac XO

SILVER OUTSTANDING MEDAL
ABK6 Cognac Extra
Cognac Leyrat VSOP Premium Fins Bois
Cognac Leyrat XO Fine Bois
Double Crown Cognac VSOP (ABK6)
Courvoisier XO
Baron Otard VS
Baron Otard XO Gold
Cognac Croizet 989
Cognac de Luze XO Fine Champagne
Pierre Ferrand Ancestrale
Cognac Campagnere VSOP
Rémy Martin VSOP Mature Cask Finish Cognac
Rémy Martin Vintage 1989 Cognac
H by Hine VSOP
Bache-Gabrielsen Grande Champagne Cognac Hors d'Age
Cognac Prulho Eclat XO

SILVER MEDAL
A. de Fussigny XO 24 Carats
Cognac Reviseur XO Petite Champagne
Double Crown Cognac XO Extra Petite Champagne (ABK6)
Albert De Montaubert Cognac Extra  http://www.montaubert.com
Chevalier Cognac VS
Courvoisier VS
Bisquit Cognac VS Classique
Bisquit Blended Cognac XO
Marks and Spencer Monnet Cognac VSOP
Ile de Ré Fine Island Cognac
Camus VS Elegance Cognac
Camus VSOP Elegance Cognac
Camus XO Elegance Cognac
Baron Otard Extra 1795
Cognac Croizet XO Grande Champagne
Cognac Croizet Expo Universelle
Cognac Alfred de Luze Fine Champagne
Cognac Gautier 1755 Extra
Cognac Gautier VSOP
Cognac VSOP Prince Hubert de Polignac
Deau Cognac Black Collection
Deau Cognac Louis Memory Collection
Deau Cognac VSOP
Richelieu XO Fine Champagne Cognac (Distell Ltd)
Merlet Cognac Brothers Blend
Rémy Martin Centaure Cognac
Rémy Martin 1898 Coupe Fine Champagne
Hine Antique XO 1er Cru
Jenssen Cognac XO Grande Champagne
Jenssen Epiphanie Hors d'Age Cognac Grande Chamapagne
Vieux Garçon Cognac V.S.  (Lidl UK)
Hienoa Konjakkia VS 6 Year Old  ( Lignell & Piispanen - lignellpiispanen.fi )
Louis Royer VS Cognac
Louis Royer VSOP Cognac
Louis Royer XO Cognac
Distillerie Chantal Bons Bois Cognac (Louis Royer)
Distillerie D'Aumagne Fins Bois Cognac (Louis Royer)
Distillerie des Saules Borderies Cognac (Louis Royer)
Distillerie de L'Ecole Petite Champagne Cognac (Louis Royer)
Cognac Leopold Raffin VSOP
Martell XO
Hine Homage to Thomas Hine Cognac XO
XO Royal Prince Hubert de Polignac

BRONZE MEDAL
Courvoisier Connoisseur Collection 12 YO
Ile de Ré - Double Matured Cognac
Ile de Ré - Cliffside Cellar Cognac
Cognac Croizet VSOP Grande Champagne Cognac
Cognac Croizet Extra Grande Champagne
Pierre Ferrand Sélection des Anges
Cognac Gautier VS
Cognac Gautier XO Gold & Blue
Cognac VS Prince Hubert de Polignac
Cognac XO Prince Hubert de Polignac
Deau Cognac VS Elegance
Deau Cognac XO Collection
Cognac Park XO
Cognac Campagnere XO
Cognac Maison Rouge VSOP (ie, Hardy/H. Mounier)
Martell Cordon Bleu

1 comment:

  1. Neither Otard, nor Hines Rare VSOP are 2012 IWSC winners!

    ReplyDelete