Press Release Archives
Beefeater® Celebrates Multiple Award Wins
Purchase, NY (July 3, 2008) -- Beefeater® has claimed the top award for Gin at the prestigious 2008 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), emphasising its position as the most authoritative gin brand in the world. This is the sixth time in the last nine years that Beefeater has received the Greenall’s Trophy for Best Gin at the IWSC.*
The latest accolades contribute to a resounding run of success for Beefeater in Master Distiller Desmond Payne’s fortieth year in the industry. Beefeater London Dry recently won a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2008 as well as a Gold medal in the Premium Gin category at the 2008 Gin Masters competition.
The 2008 Gin Challenge also saw success for Beefeater with a Gold award in the London Gin category. Beefeater Brand Ambassador Dan Warner added to this amazing tally by winning the ultimate accolade at the Drinks International Cocktail Challenge, winning the coveted Trophy with his Entente Cordiale cocktail.
Nick Blacknell, Brand Director for Beefeater Gin, London, said, “After a year of investing in the iconic Beefeater brand, the continuation of our winning streak demonstrates just why it remains the world’s most popular premium gin and keeps us on track to achieve our vision of making Beefeater theworld’s leading premium gin.
The brand’s success is a tribute to Master Distiller Desmond Payne, whose commitment and experience ultimately contribute to producing such a high quality product. Desmond maintains Beefeater’s unique recipe and method, which includes steeping botanicals for 24 hours. The only international London Dry Gin that still continues to distill in London, Beefeater currently sells more than 2.4 million 9 liter cases in more than 100 countries.
Desmond Payne will celebrate his ruby jubilee stateside at the Tales of The Cocktail event in New Orleans, July 16 – 22.
Editor’s Notes
* Beefeater has been awarded the Greenall’s Trophy for Best Gin at the IWSC in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008.
Medals Won
- IWSC (2008) - Beefeater Gin - Greenall’s Trophy for Best Gin
- IWSC (2008) - Beefeater Crown Jewel - Best in Class - London Dry Gin 50% category.
- San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2008) - Beefeater Gin - Double Gold
- The Gin Masters (2008) - Beefeater Gin - Gold - Premium Gin category
- The Gin Masters (2008) - Beefeater Gin - Gold - Design and Packaging category
- The Gin Challenge (2008) - Beefeater Gin - Gold - London Gin category
- Drinks International Cocktail Challenge - Beefeater Brand Ambassador Dan Warner won the Trophy with his Entente Cordiale cocktail
The International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) is the premier competition of its kind in the world and represents a benchmark of excellence in the industry. The competition has been held annually for the last 29 years to reward outstanding quality amongst the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. Winners are selected following a rigorous blind tasting, carried out by a judging panel headed by some of the industry’s most influential members.
The Gin Challenge sees the world’s finest brands compete in a blind tasting to discover which gin represents the very best quality gin production. The winners from each category are then judged against each other, with the overall winner awarded the accolade of the Drinks International Gin Challenge Champion 2008. The judging panel comprises an authoritative panel of highly respected, independent spirits experts.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is widely recognised as one of the most important international awards events. Held in the United States on an annual basis, it was founded in 2000. The judging is based on blind taste tests and medals are awarded based on taste alone.
The Gin Masters awards the finest gin in the world the title of Gin Master, in recognition of the outstanding brands that epitomise the art of quality gin production.
The Spirits Business and its editor Patience Gould bring together a panel of leading gin and on-trade industry figures to discover who is worthy of the title Gin Master 2008.
Now in its fifteenth year, the Drinks International Cocktail Challenge has built a reputation for being the only true independent cocktail competition in the world.
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and Premium gin business of Pernod Ricard - the world’s No. 2 Wine and Spirits company. No. 2 in Scotch whisky and leader in premium gin, the Chivas Brothers portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.
Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to accept responsibility when considering consuming alcoholic beverages. For more information, please visit: www.AcceptResponsibility.org.
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About Pernod Ricard USA
Pernod Ricard USA, based in Purchase, N.Y., is a leading producer, importer and marketer of prized spirits and wine brands in the United States and is one of the fastest growing subsidiaries of the world’s #2 spirits company and #4 wine company, Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard, S.A. The completion of Pernod Ricard’s acquisition of Allied Domecq in 2005 vaulted Pernod Ricard USA to the forefront of the U.S. spirits market, doubling the company’s sales value and market share. The company is now the third largest in the U.S. spirits industry by sales value and the fifth largest by sales volume in the U.S.
Pernod Ricard USA's leading brands include Kahlúa® Liqueur, Chivas Regal® Scotch Whisky, Seagram's Extra Dry Gin®, Malibu® flavored Rum, Stolichnaya® Vodkas, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, The Glenlivet® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Wild Turkey® Bourbon, Beefeater® Gin, Hiram Walker™ Liqueurs and Martell™ Cognac, as well as Jacob's Creek® and Brancott Estate® wines, Perrier Jouët® Champagne, Mumm® Champagne and Mumm Napa™ wines, and Pernod® and Ricard® Liquors.