More than 30 spirit industry leaders and upwards of 500 spirits brands participated in the inaugural PR%F Awards and PR%F Awards Design Distinction during a two-day blind-tasting point-rating competition at Tivoli Village in Las Vegas this week.
The awards competition was open to spirits brands, domestic and international, with nearly 100 categories to enter. In addition, a selection of spirits brands also participated in a design award program to crown top labels, bottles and creative marketing. All spirits were rated on a proprietary 100-point system crowning medals to those who scored 70 points or above. (Bronze: 70 – 79 (Daily Drinker); Silver: 80-89 (Praise); Gold: 90-95 (Highly Recommended); Double Gold: 96-99 (Superlative) and Century Award: 100 Points-A Perfect Score (Highest Honor, Unparalleled, Peerless.) All spirits were evaluated in NEAT, the official judging glass, scientifically designed to deliver the best aromas for evaluation and enjoyment. Three spirits and two mixers were crowned Century Award winners; each earning a perfect 100-point score – Hardy Legend 1863, Michel Couvreur Candid Malt Whiskey; Galliano L’Apertivo Italian Amaro Bitter; Anna’s Kitchen Cranberry Mint Shrub; and Anna’s Kitchen Apple Cider Ginger Shrub.
“It was a remarkable two days of introducing new spirits brands to spirits buyers and collectively discussing the current trends of the beverage industry with the most talented minds in the industry,” said Michele Tell, Executive Director of PR%F Awards. “We are honored to have crowned so many brands with medals and accolades, and to honor the top five rated as ‘perfect’ with a Century Award,” she said.
The idea behind the PR%F Awards was to create an avenue to introduce emerging spirits brands to key decision makers in the liquor industry, and therefore, all PR%F judges were mainstream liquor buyers, distributors, and industry leaders with buying decision capability. Our judges hailed from 11 different states and hospitality arenas – Delta Sky Clubs/Delta Airlines, Young’s Market Company, The Sugar Factory, Hard Rock International,Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Spec’s, Breakthru Beverage Group, Good Spirits Distribution, BevStrat, Inc., Liquid Distributors-GA, Burke Distribution, RLED, LLC, Caesars Palace, Boyd Gaming, Sheraton, ARK 1521, The Strat Casino Hotel & Tower, Downtown Project-DTP, Alicart Restaurant Group (Carmine’s Italian, Virgil’s BBQ), Giordano’s Pizza-Corporate and Marque Media.
“The beverage industry is ever-changing and we saw those trends firsthand with the number of flavored whiskeys, ready-serve cocktails, gins and organic/kosher and health-based products that entered the PR%F Awards 2019,” said Michael S. Politz, publisher of Food and Beverage Magazine, title sponsor of the PR%F Awards. “I was especially pleased to see how many women-owned brands entered this year. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the beverage industry,” he said.
During the event, NYC based podcast shows – The Rogues on the Road and The Hangover Takeover– all top-rated podcasts on the F & B Podcast Network of shows interviewed judges, sponsors and industry leaders during the PR%F Awards competition added excitement and media hoopla with interviews and podcasting revere.
The PR%F Design Distinction Awards spirit entries – honoring the best and most creative and powerful labels were concurrently judged headed by a team of talented multi-media specialists with world-renown pop-culture artist Michael Goddard and Artist Kai Delgado and a team of creative, advertising and design industry leaders.
For more information on PR%F Awards and PR%F Awards Design Distinction, visit www.proofawards.com
About The PR%F Awards and PR%F Design Distinctions
The PR%F Awards is the premier spirits awards program and PR%F Awards Design Distinctions is headquartered at 3900 Hualapai Avenue, Las Vegas, Nev. 89123. The competition will be held annually. www.proofawards.com
About Food & Beverage Magazine
Food & Beverage Magazine is the premier worldwide destination multi-platform medium for global restaurants and hospitality, ideas trends, and quality (10 million monthly readers noted by Amazon’s Alexa rating system, and noted as the most progressive resource in the F&B industry); – located at 1930 Village Center Circle, #3197, Las Vegas, Nev., 89134 www.fbmagazine.com
About Good Spirits Distributing
Good Spirits Distributing is a premier distributor in Las Vegas and Reno, Nev. specializing in craft spirits, beer & wine located in Las Vegas at 880 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 130, Henderson, Nev., 89014. www.goodspiritsdistributing.com
About Delta Sky Clubs
Where fresh & healthy food, great amenities, and the industry’s most innovative beverage program puts the pleasure back into travel. Stop into one of 53 locations to relax and recharge and enjoy one of our hand-crafted cocktails. https://www.delta.com/us/en/delta-sky-club/overview
About Tivoli Village
From dancing in the streets to yoga on the Piazza, old-world elegance blends seamlessly with today’s active lifestyle at Tivoli Village. Anchored by Restoration Hardware’s RH Las Vegas, The Gallery at Tivoli Village, the outdoor center is complemented by a curated-collection of retailers ranging from luxury brands to one-of-a-kind boutiques. Enticing restaurants range from local favorite, Echo & Rig Butcher and Steakhouse, to national standout, Brio Tuscan Grille, while David Barton Gym and Dance With Me serve as upscale experiential destinations beyond traditional retail and dining options. Located in one of the most affluent sections of Southern Nevada, Tivoli Village is 15 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, conveniently situated near the Summerlin Parkway. The center proudly boasts 370,000 square feet of retail and restaurants and 300,000 square feet of Class A office space. Complimentary valet and covered parking are provided. Restaurant and store hours vary. Tivoli Village is located at 400 S. Rampart, Las Vegas, Nev 89145.
About The NEAT Glass
All PR%F Awards Competition spirits were evaluated in NEAT, our official judging glass, scientifically designed to deliver the best aromas for evaluation and enjoyment. The NEAT spirits glass displays all aromas for easy detection removing nose-numbing ethanol to expose the truth about spirits quality. Arsilica Inc, 452 E. Silverado Ranch Boulevard, Ste. 222, Las Vegas, NV 89183. www.theneatglass.com
About Food & Beverage Podcasts Network
Food and Beverage Magazineis expanding its universal multi-medium platform to include the new Food & Beverage Podcasts Networkfeaturing dozens of modern podcasts designed to give the discerning foodie a new group of “in your face restaurant & beverage gurus” to feast on. Current top shows include: A Fork on the Road with Comedian Mark DeCarlo and James Beard Award-Winning foodie host Jennifer English; The Art Mann Podcast – world renowned expert in drunken travel; Rogues on the Road Matt “the science teacher turned distiller” & Rich the “Brit” discuss food, travel, booze and everything in between; The Hangover Takeover with The Standby Gypsy & Juju the Model host a podcast with off-the-cuff banter on today’s headlines over drinks. www.fbpodcasts.com
About Constellation Catering
Constellation Catering is a progressive full-service liquor catering & special events company in Southern Nevada and holds liquor and alcohol concession licenses in Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson and North Las Vegas. www.constellationcatering.com
