PR%F Awards 2020 - Spirits, Wine & Beverage Competition - Announces Winners
United States, Nevada, Las Vegas - 01/30/2021 — (January 30, 2021 - LAS VEGAS) Dozens of spirit industry leaders and upwards of 700 spirits and wine brands participated in PR%F Awards 2020 and PR%F Awards Design Distinction during a two-day, double blind-tasting point-rating competition held at Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas.
The idea behind the PR%F Awards is to create an avenue to introduce emerging and established spirits brands to key decision makers and beverage buyers; therefore, all PR%F judges are mainstream buyers, distributors, and industry leaders with buying decision capability.
The awards competition was open to spirits brands, domestic and international, with more than 200 categories. This included all types of spirits, wine, champagne, sparkling wines, seltzers (spirited and nonspirited), ciders (spirited and nonspirited), frozen concoctions, novelties, coffee and flavored liquors, canned cocktails (RTD), energy drinks, waters, and mixers. In addition, women-owned brands were highlighted at this year’s PR%F Awards.
“The competition was a huge recognition that our beverage industry is still highly progressive and moving forward despite the world’s current affairs,” said Michele Tell, executive director of PR%F Awards. “The innovation, creativity, and passion toward creating the ultimate beverage, in many categories, was represented beautifully by more than 700 bottles coming into our competition this year. An astounding 20 brands received the coveted Century Award-perfect score this year under the scrutiny of talented buyers/judges from across the US, and many received double gold, gold, silver, and bronze recognition.”
“Blind spirit competitions like The PR%F Awards disregard brand marketing budgets which allow smaller, independent brands to compete with large suppliers on an even playing field,” said Brittany Chardin, CEO & Head Shaker of Movers & Shakers, Delta Sky Club Beverage Consultant/Buyer. “This allows me, as a judge, to discover new spirits and equally important to be reminded how consistently great some top brands are too, ensuring we are offering the best mix of classic and innovative brands to our clients and their guests.”
“As a beverage consultant to large, multi-unit national accounts, we are always looking for amazing quality spirits that may not have the marketing team or budget to be on our radar if not for events like the PR%F awards. Once we tasted the century award winners Anna’s Kitchen Shrub and Hardy Legend 1863 Cognac, we were amazed by their quality and knew they would be a perfect fit for our client, Delta Sky Club. Both are featured in signature cocktails (the Million Miler and the Cran-Dragon Cooler) now available at The Bar, in addition to the silver award-winning Damrak as the complimentary gin offering. We look forward to discovering even more amazing spirits at this year’s judging.”
All brand entries are rated on a proprietary 100-point system, crowning medals to those who scored 79 points or above. Awards include Bronze, Silver, Gold, Double Gold, and Century Award. 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, we added two special categories in the tasting competition—The Best of Show category won by Hardy Legend 1863, and an Innovative Spirits Award category won by Skunk Brothers Blueberry Cinnamon Cordial—each voted unanimously by the judging panel,” said Tell.
“The entries in this year’s PR%F Awards competition mirrored the trends we see in food and beverage publishing,” said Michael S. Politz, publisher of Food and Beverage Magazine and title sponsor of the PR%F Awards. “RTD cocktails, whiskeys, and flavored infused spirits remained the highest entrants, alongside vodkas and traditional bourbons. This year we had a tremendous influx of tequila and Mezcals, and many considered New World Whiskey regions joined our program. We were exceptionally pleased to see a big arrival of women-owned brands participate in the awards.
“This year, PR%F Awards Design Distinction made an incredible showing with more than 150 bottles being 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 perfection of the juice inside, and many brands were decorated with medals to honor their designs.” Politz continued.
Food and Beverage Magazine will distribute a special PR%F Awards 2020 Digizine on February 16, 2021 – highlighting all of the winners and showcasing our private judging event. It will be available at www.foodandbeveragemagazine.com
In the PR%F tasting competition, Century Award Winners earning a perfect 100-point score included 20 spirits, mixers, and wines. The top-rated winners are Hardy Legend 1863, Skunk Brothers Blueberry Cinnamon, Nemiroff Vodka Bold Orange, Fid Street Gin, El Tequileño Gran Reserva, Don Fernando Reposado, Tanduay Double Rum, Rum Co of Fiji, Ratu – Signature Rum, Öömrang Pear Brandy, E&J Distillers XO, Shinabu 15-Year Malt Whisky, Sugarlands Distilling Company Roaming Man Edition 9, Bird Dog Whiskey Chocolate Flavored Whiskey, Heritage Distilling Company BSB 103, Tempus Fugit Crème de Banana, Tempus Fugit Gran Classico Bitter, High Noon Hard Seltzer Watermelon, High Noon Hard Seltzer Pineapple, Anna’s Kitchen Shrub – Peach Jalapeno, and Barefoot Cellars Rich Red Blend.
In the PR%F Design Distinction competition, Century Award Winners earning a perfect 100-point score included: Artingstall’s Brilliant London Dry, Bandero Premium Blanco, Prim Improper Boozy Bites Moscow Mule, Boozy Bites Multi Pack and Boozy Bites Rosé, Branson Cognac VSOP, Col Bleu, Hardy Legend 1863, American Outlaw Jesse James Barrel Strength Tennessee Whiskey, Le Chemin Du Roi Brut Champagne, Starlight Distillery’s LFG Bourbon Rain Single Barrel, Ryze Vodka, and Don Fernando’s TKO Silver
Dozens of judges hailed from across the US, representing different hospitality arenas. The judges’ expertise in travel, gaming, distribution, operations, and production can determine the merits of the categories of spirits, wine, and beverages submitted worldwide, including signature partner Delta Sky Club and Green Valley Ranch Station Casinos beverage buyers. Other judges included CraftShack, Boyd Gaming, Opulent Wine & Spirits, Southern Wine & Spirits, Break Thru Beverage, RLED-California, SUR restaurant, The MINT Tavern, Specs Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods, West Coast Beverage, Liquid Distributors of Atlanta, Sonrisa Grill Group, and many more. PR%F Awards Design Distinction judges included world-renown artist Michael Godard; Jeremy Spencer, Musician/Movie Producer and New York Times best selling author (Death Punch’d: Surviving Five Finger Death Punch’s Metal Mayhem); Wyland Gallery artist Kai Delgado, and Stations Casinos’ Art Director Rafa Shrader.
During the event, James Beard Award-winning writer and food and beverage expert Jennifer English hosted several broadcasts live on PR%F Live! and Food and Beverage Magazine Live! highlighting judges, sponsors, and industry leaders – and unveiling some special winners - during the PR%F Awards competition.
The PR%F Awards 2021 is set for September 21 & 22, 2021 in Las Vegas. www.proofawards.com
About The PR%F Awards
The PR%F Awards is the premiere spirits awards program held annually in Las Vegas featuring a double-blind “buyers only" judging platform for spirits, wines, beverages-brand entries from across the globe. Entrants have an opportunity to be tasted and rated by beverage buyers (restaurants, bars, nightclubs, casinos, airlines, distributors, online distributors, liquor stores, retail chains) to win bronze, silver, gold, double gold and the coveted 100-point perfect score Century Award. For more info, visit www.proofawards.com or call 888-959-7260.
About Food & Beverage Magazine
Food & Beverage Magazine is the premiere worldwide destination multi-platform medium for global restaurants and hospitality, ideas trends, and quality - with more than 13 million readers, monthly. For more info, visit www.fb101.com
About Delta Sky Club®
Delta Sky Club is where fresh and healthy food, great amenities, and the industry’s most innovative beverage program put the pleasure back into travel. Relax in one of 54 airport locations and enjoy handcrafted cocktails, premium wines, and craft beers. For more information, visit www.delta.com/us/en/delta-sky-club/overview.
About Green Valley Ranch Resort
The AAA Four-Diamond Award-winning Green Valley Ranch Resort opened in 2001. It features almost 500 guest rooms and suites, a 30,000 square-foot resort spa and salon, and a 10-screen movie theater. The property’s restaurant collection includes Hank’s Fine Steaks & Martinis, Tides Seafood/Sushi Bar, Bottiglia Italian restaurant, Borracha Mexican restaurant, the Grand Café, Feast Buffet, Pizza Rock, and several casual dining options. The property’s gaming includes bingo, race and sports book, table games, and more than 2,100 slots/video poker machines. Other amenities include meeting and convention space, Kid’s Quest, a supervised childcare facility, and a stunning backyard pool area. Green Valley Ranch Resort is owned and operated by Stations Casinos. To learn more, please visit. www.greenvalleyranch.com.
About The NEAT Glass
In 2002, a simple glass blowing mistake revealed an amazing concept that displays all spirits’ authentic expressions, launching a new scientific approach to drinking enjoyment and understanding. Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology (NEAT) is the best spirits glass available, significantly surpassing standard tulip and snifter glasses in aroma detection and identification. The flavor is 90% aroma, and NEAT removes nose-numbing ethanol to unmask and showcase all the character aromas hidden in tulips and snifters. NEAT is changing the way the world drinks through sensory science, physics, and chemistry to deliver precisely what is in your glass without nose-numbing ethanol. Today the NEAT glass is the world’s leading judging glass, used in over 30 manor international spirits competitions. Over 120,000 spirits judged in NEAT, and over 30,000 medals awarded since 2012, makes NEAT the world’s official spirits judging glass. For more information, visit www.theneatglass.com.
For Additional Media Information:
Michele D. Tell
PR%F Awards Headquarters
Media Contacts:
Company Name: Proof AwardsFull Name: Michele Tell
Phone: 702-233-6996
Email Address: Send Email
Website: www.proofawards.com