Rare Bourbon from Heaven Hill Distilleries outscores all Scotch, Irish Whiskies/eys—and all brandies and Cognacs, as well
BARDSTOWN, KY—In what can be considered the spirits equivalent of the famed “Judgement of Paris” wine tasting of 1976, when American wines first beat out French wines in a major organized tasting, Heaven Hill Distilleries’ Parker’s Heritage Collection® 27-Year-Old Kentucky Bourbon has captured the highest honor ever received for an American Whiskey at the just-completed 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. In naming the Parker’s Heritage Collection “Best of Show, Brown Spirits” the expert judges concluded that the super-premium, ultra-aged Kentucky Bourbon was superior not only to the full geographic range of the world’s great whiskies/eys—encompassing Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Japan—but also to the exclusive brandies, Cognacs and Armagnacs entered in the world’s foremost spirits tasting competition.
The Parker’s Heritage Collection 27-Year-Old Kentucky Bourbon, the most recent release in the annual series of rare, limited edition American Whiskeys honoring Heaven Hill Master Distiller and industry legend Parker Beam, is the first American Whiskey to be named “Best in Show, Whisky” and is a trailblazing heir to the last three august winners—Laphroaig (2006), Bowmore (2007) and Highland Park (2008). But unlike those three legendary Scotch Single Malt Whiskies, the judges further elevated Parker’s Heritage Collection 27-Year-Old to Best of Show, Brown Spirits. In order to even be considered for “Best in Show” trophies, entrants must first be designated Double Gold Medal winners in their respective spirits categories, meaning every judge on the blind tasting panels must unanimously award it a Gold Medal.
This marks the second major industry award bestowed on the Parker’s Heritage Collection 27-Year-Old Kentucky Bourbon in the past five months, with the brand capturing Malt Advocate Magazine’s “American Whiskey of the Year” at New York WhiskyFest in November. It is also the third time Heaven Hill Distilleries has captured a “Best of” trophy in San Francisco, having won “Top North American Whiskey Trophy” with Rittenhouse Bottled-In-Bond Rye Whiskey in 2006, and “Best Rye Whiskey” with Rittenhouse 23-Year-Old Single Barrel Rye Whiskey in 2008.
The 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition was held on March 21st and 22nd at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco and is the first comprehensive, international spirits judging ever held in the United States on an annual basis. Founded in 2000 by Anthony Dias Blue, the Executive Director of the San Francisco International Wine Competition and Carol Seibert, the Managing Director of the San Francisco International Wine Competition, the Spirits Competition continues to grow each year in entrants as well as in stature within the industry. This year over 900 spirits were submitted and evaluated, up from 847 last year, and six out of the seven continents (only Antarctica was missing) were represented, making it a globally influential spirits competition. Judging is based on blind taste tests and medals are awarded based on taste alone. To learn more about the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, visit www.sfspiritscomp.com.
Founded in 1934, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. (www.heaven-hill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes The Christian Brothers Brandies; Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Hpnotiq Liqueur; Whaler’s Rum; Burnett’s Gin and Vodkas; Dubonnet Aperitif; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Água Luca Brazilian Rum Cachaça, and Lunazul Tequila.
Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”
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CONTACT:
Larry Kass
Director of Corporate Communications
Heaven Hill Distilleries
(502) 413-0220
lkass@heaven-hill.com