Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt – LSC’s Best Value Spirit of Year
The competition rates spirits via three main criteria – quality, value and packaging – and spirits must show a rating in all the three factors with the most weightage on quality.
The Premium Irish whiskey secured the top score for value with 93 points and a Gold medal. It also came in as the top score from Ireland.
Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt, a non-age statement Single Malt, matured in ex-Bourbon casks, is a versatile Premium whiskey. With a savoury spice note coming to the fore, this expression is perfect served neat, or through its adding a unique character to a whiskey cocktail or Irish Coffee.
Last year, Gelston’s 15 Year-Old Sherry Cask won the award for a Single Malt in the 12 to 15 Years-Old category at the 2021 Irish Whiskey Awards.
The London Spirits Competition rates spirits via three main criteria – quality, value and packaging – and spirits must show a rating in all the three factors with the most weightage on quality.
The competition attracted a record number of entrants this year, up 50% on last year, with about 2,500 spirits brands from more than 80 countries.
This year saw 447 entries from the UK (as the top entrant country), followed by 323 from Australia and 160 from the US.
Gin was the most populated category with 771 entrants followed by Whiskey and Rum.
Bareksten Navy Strength Gin from Norway emerged as the overall Best Spirits of The Year.
So what were the judges really looking for? For Fabio Spinetti, Head of Bars at Carlton Tower Jumeirah, the quality of the liquid in the bottle is essential – if that doesn’t measure up, then the spirit certainly doesn’t stand-up to closer scrutiny. But he approves of the fact that the judging incorporates other factors too.
“I like the fact that the spirits are not only judged on their flavour profile but also on the packaging, which is a crucial factor, as well as the all-important saleability,” he says, “Considering the brand as a whole, rather than simply the taste, is a really good way to assess a brand.”
Oliver Eardley, bartender at the Savoy Hotel agrees and says when it comes to buying spirits for the Savoy, that value is also a key consideration.
“First and foremost, with spirits buying, we have to look at the cost versus the actual product quality. So it’s a case of what’s going into your speed rails for your day-to-day cocktails versus what’s going to sit on your top shelf.
“It all depends on what happens in the deal and most of that is around quality vs price. The value aspect is always a serious consideration but at the end of the day if we can get a deal where it makes a Premium product more affordable we can put it into a cocktail, heightening the quality of that drink.
The London Spirits Competition is organised by Beverage Trade Network.
Contact the London Spirits Competition at brian@beveragetradenetwork.com or ring: +44 330 097 0138 | +1 302 803 4758.
