Maestro Dobel Anejo by Proximo Spirits wins Tequila Of The Year, Tequila Producer Of The Year, and Gold Medal at the 2020 Bartender Spirits Awards. The 2020 Bartender Spirits Awards was held this August in San Francisco. The competition happened virtually where judges scored spirits from their homes due to Covid-19. 

The Maestro Dobe Añejo tequila is aged in select white oak barrels that have been roasted to accentuate the aromas and flavors they impart. 
 
A 100% agave Añejo tequila produced for the Maestro Dobel range by a family that has a very long history in tequila-making - they are 11th generation tequila producers! This is aged in toasted white oak barrels and tequilas of various vintages are blended together to achieve the desired flavour profile.

What makes Maestro Dobel Añejo special is the result of the combination of vintages from the different phases of the aging process. This combination is exclusive to Maestro Dobel tequilas and results in superior flavors.

Image source: https://maestrodobel.com/anejo/

Dark amber with bright golden, coppery tones and an exceptional body that comes from high- quality agaves.

The Bartender Spirits Awards judge spirits across the parameters of Mixability, Balance and Versatility, Taste, Mouthfeel and Finish, Package and Price.
 
This competition recognizes that bartenders are the true influencers – their passions and tastes provide direction for the consumer, especially via their guidance with wine, beer or spirit recommendations. “We really wanted a way to recognize those spirits that would be a great addition to any bar and that are completely on-trend in terms of packaging and price,” said Sid Patel, Founder and CEO of Beverage Trade Network. “Whether bartenders are looking to plug a very specific gap in their existing spirits inventory, or construct an entirely new cocktail menu from scratch, what better advice could they get than from fellow bartenders?”

Medals were awarded to those spirits that meet very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying spirits that should become additions to bar inventories. Each spirits brand was evaluated on Mixability, Balance and Versatility, Taste, Mouthfeel and Finish, Package and Price.

Here are the top winners of the 2020 Bartenders Spirits Awards

Spirit of the Year - DROUET VSOP COGNAC

Distillery of the Year - Drouet 

Best Value of the Year - DROUET VSOP COGNAC

Best Package of the Year - V-Sinne Gin Schwarzwald Dry Gin

Liqueur of the Year - Ginja9

Gin of the Year - Kinsale Gin

Vodka of the Year - South Fork Vodka

Tequila of the Year - Maestro Dobel Anejo

Whisky of the Year - Meiyo 17 Japanese Whisky

Brandy/ Cognac of the Year - DROUET VSOP COGNAC

Rum of the Year - Saltwater Woody REAL GRAPEFRUIT

View 2020 All Bartenders Spirits Awards Winners
 

There were 7 double gold winners which scored 96 and more points, 127 gold medals in the 2020 Bartender Spirits Awards. The 2020 competition saw submissions from 34 countries including some new additions like Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Switzerland. The United States had the top submissions where 251 brands were entered followed by Mexico and Australia demonstrating the growth in Tequila and Australian craft spirits culture. Japan was the top favorite when it came to overall quality by country with the highest average by country for gold medals.

‘Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the industry,’ explained Sid Patel, CEO of Beverage Trade Network, the Organizer company of BSA, ‘and when we come out of this, we hope to see a strong rebound in the hospitality sector. The increased number of quantity in 2020 submissions truly demonstrated the faith our industry has in the long term outlook of our hospitality industry’.

Winners will also be promoted on BTN’s new direct to consumer portals Los Angeles Drinks Guide, London Drinks Guide, and Get Drinks Delivered along with BTN’s trade portal Bartenders Business and BevRoute

The top 100 spirits for bars will also be marketed to thousands of bartenders and mixologists via the Top 100 On-Premise Spirits website.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bartender Spirits Awards along with Bartenders Business will be offering its support to the industry with Bartenders Looking For Jobs Help Page on BSA and on BB and Daily Updates On The Reopening Of On-Premise Industry.

ABOUT THE BARTENDER SPIRITS AWARDS

The aim of Bartender Spirits Awards is to provide independent and honest reviews for brands who are looking to enter the U.S. on-premise industry. The judging panel consists of some of the most renowned names in the U.S. bar industry, all of them with extensive expertise within the on-premise industry. The result will be a relevant and practical source of reference for bartenders, bar managers, bar owners, and other industry professionals when making purchasing decisions for their establishments.