Heaven Hill Brands Earn over 100 Industry-Leading Awards in 2021, Rating Gold or Higher
In 2021 Heaven Hill brands earned over 130 industry-leading awards, going head-to-head with competitive brands in their respective categories. In competition, our brands often are judged by a panel of esteemed spirits enthusiasts and scored. For those competitions handing out medals, we’ve rounded up some of the best of year.
Below is a recap of awards in which our brands achieved a gold or higher rating this year.
San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Founded in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the oldest and largest competition of its kind. The competition features highly-controlled blind tasting over four days by an experienced judging panel, which does not receive any information on producer or price point and judges each entry on an individual basis.
GOLD
Gold winners are considered exceptional spirits near the pinnacle of achievement. These products set the standard for their categories.
Deep Eddy Lemon
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A121
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Evan Williams 1783
Larceny
Pikesville
DOUBLE GOLD
Double Gold award recipients reflect entries that receive a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel. These are considered by the panel to be among the finest products in the world.
Bernheim
Black Velvet Apple
Burnett’s Vodka 80 Proof
Carolans Salted Caramel
Carolans
Christian Brothers VS
Christian Brothers VSOP
Elijah Craig Rye
Elijah Craig Single Barrel
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Evan Williams Egg Nog
Evan Williams Single Barrel 2013
Rittenhouse
William Heavenhill 8th Edition
NOTABLE RECOGNITION
These entries received notable recognition, in addition to Double Gold.
Henry McKenna Single Barrel, Best Single Barrel Bourbon – Up to 10 Years
Parker’s Heritage 14th Edition, Best Small Batch Bourbon – 6 to 10 Years
Ultimate Spirits Challenge
In the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, spirits are reviewed under ideal tasting conditions over a period of time that allows the product to express its best characteristics. Each product is evaluated blind by panels in multi-stage assessments to remove any inherent or individual bias.
GREAT VALUE
PAMA, Score: 92
Carolans Cold Brew, Score: 92
Carolans Original, Score: 91
Burnett’s 80 Proof Vodka, Score 87
Black Velvet Toasted Caramel, Score: 87
Black Velvet Apple, Score: 86
Carolans Salted Caramel Cream, Score: 95
Christian Brothers VSOP, Score: 86
Christian Brothers Sacred Bond 4Y, Score: 95
Deep Eddy Lemon, Score: 95
FINALIST/TRIED & TRUE
Carolans Salted Caramel Cream, Score: 95
Domaine de Canton Ginger, Score: 93
CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY
Christian Brothers Sacred Bond 4Y, Top 100 Spirits, Score: 95
Deep Eddy Lemon, Top 100 Spirits, Score: 85
ASCOT Awards
ASCOT Awards is an international spirits competition created by spirits personality and veteran tasting judge, Fred Minnick. The competition provides a unique opportunity for distillers to have their products recognized through Fred’s Dash Radio show, YouTube channel, social media, news articles, newsletters and festival.
Taste category entries are scrutinized through a blind judging process, determining various levels of awards, and top-scoring entries proceed to a live-streamed championship round, where they are judged by Minnick and another expert for that specific class.
Best in Class, championship round participants and Double Platinum finalists receive extensive year-long exposure through Minnick’s various media channels. Heaven Hill received “Large Distiller of the Year” this year thanks to a strong showing across all categories. Many of our brands scoring Double Platinum also received Best in Class or Finalist designations.
GOLD
Admiral Nelson’s Spiced Rum
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Henry McKenna Single Barrel
Rittenhouse
PLATINUM
Bernheim
Lunazul Anejo
Sacred Bond
William Heavenhill 8th Edition
DOUBLE PLATINUM
Elijah Craig Rye, Best American Rye Whiskey Finalist
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Larceny Barrel Proof C920
Parker’s Hertiage 14th Edition, Best Small Batch Bourbon 6Y-10Y Finalist
NOTEABLE RECOGNITON
These brands received notable recognition in addition to double platinum.
Carolans Salted Caramel, Best Liqueur Cream/Dairy
Christian Brothers VS, Best Grape Brandy
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920, Best Small Batch Bourbon 11Y+
Lunazul Blanco, Best Blanco Blue Agave Tequila
PAMA, Best Liqueur Fruit
John Barleycorn Awards
John Barleycorn Awards honor the innovative distillers, writers, marketers and designers who “cultivate the fertile traditions of the spirits industry.”The judges for taste include trade writers skilled in the art of evaluating the taste, quality and character of fine spirits.Judging is conducted over a period of days in New York City, blind-tested, judged at random and not compared to other submissions in their category. Judges grade each entry on a 100-point scale, based on a series of criteria relating to appearance, aroma, taste and finish.
GOLD
Admiral Nelson’s Spiced Rum
Bernheim
Black Velvet Original
Burnett’s Vodka 80 Proof
Carolans Salted Caramel
Christian Brothers VS
Christian Brothers VSOP
Deep Eddy Original
Elijah Craig, Barrel Proof A121
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Evan Williams Single Barrel 2013
Larceny
Lunazul Blanco
Lunazul Reposado
NOTEABLE RECOGNITION
This brand received notable recognition, in addition to Gold designation.
Deep Eddy Ruby Red, Best Flavored Vodka
DOUBLE GOLD
Elijah Craig Rye
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond 7Y
Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond 7Y
Rittenhouse
NOTEABLE RECOGNITION
These brands received notable recognition in addition to Double Gold.
Black Velvet Reserve, Best Canadian Whisky
Larceny Barrel Proof A121, Best Bourbon
SIP Awards
The SIP Awards were created with a simple question in mind: What about the consumer’s opinion? The goal was to fill this void, bringing the people who regularly consume products together to decide which brands deserve this prestigious award. The SIP Awards set out to create a fair competition by strategically choosing consumers from all demographics, conceiving an event that cuts to the core of public opinion as a starting point, rather than an afterthought, in branding and product development.
The judges are consumers who assess spirits based on blind tastings.
GOLD
Admiral Nelson’s Pineapple, Consumer’s Choice
Admiral Nelson’s Spiced, Consumer’s Choice and Innovation Star
Bernheim, Consumer’s Choice
Burnett’s Vodka 80 Proof
Christian Brothers VS
Deep Eddy Lemon
Deep Eddy Lime
Deep Eddy Original, Consumer’s Choice and Innovation Star
Deep Eddy Ruby Red, Consumer’s Choice
Dubonnet, Consumer’s Choice and Innovation Star
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C920
Lunazul Reposado, Consumers’ Choice
Pikesville, Consumers’ Choice
DOUBLE GOLD
Carolans Salted Caramel, Consumers’ Choice and Innovation Star
Domaine de Canton, Consumers’ Choice
Elijah Craig Rye, Consumers’ Choice
Elijah Craig Small Batch, Consumer’s Choice
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
Evan Williams 1783, Consumers’ Choice
Larceny, Consumers’ Choice
Lunazul Extra Aged, Consumers’ Choice
Lunazul Primero, Consumers’ Choice
Rittenhouse, Consumers’ Choice
Sacred Bond, Consumers’ Choice
William Heavenhill 8th Edition, Innovation Star
PLATINUM
Admiral Nelson’s Coconut, Consumers’ Choice
Admiral Nelson’s Watermelon, Consumers’ Choice
Black Velvet Reserve, Consumers’ Choice
Carolans, Consumers’ Choice
Elijah Craig Single Barrel 18YO
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Evan Williams Black Label, Consumers’ Choice
Evan Williams Egg Nog, Consumers’ Choice and Innovation Star
Evan Williams Single Barrel 2013, Consumers’ Choice
Old Fitzgerald VVS, Consumers’ Choice
NOTABLE RECOGNITION
These brands received notable recognition in addition to Platinum.
Heaven Hill 85th Anniversary Bourbon, Best of Class
Lunazul Anejo, Best of Class, Consumers’ Choice and Innovation Star
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Fall 2020, Best of Class
International Wine & Spirit Competition
The IWSC has over 50 years of experience, world-renowned judges, an innovative and market-driven approach, and it gives feedback on all entries. The contest runs a tighly-structured, rigorous tasting process, using a double-blind method, which means samples are tasted in pre-poured, numbered glasses to ensure experts never see a bottle.
GOLD
Gold recipients are classed as “an excellent spirit with an exceptional balance and rare and complex flavors” and “an example that stands out against its peers.” These entries scored 95-100 of 100 total points.
Parker’s Heritage Rye, Score: 98
Pikesville, Score: 95
Evan Williams Single Barrel, Score: 95
Lunazul Blanco, Score: 95
World Drinks Awards
The World Drinks Awards are the global awards recognizing spirit drinks and the many styles within these categories. Presented by TheDrinksReport.com the World Drinks Awards select, reward and promote the world’s best in each spirit category to consumers and trade across the globe.
LIQUEUR
Carolans Salted Caramel, World’s Best Irish Cream Liqueur
PAMA, World’s Best Fruit Liqueur
TEQUILA
Lunazul Blanco, World’s Best Blanco
VODKA
Deep Eddy Lime, Country Winner, Best Flavored Vodka
WHISKEY
Larceny, Gold, Kentucky Bourbon
Beverage Testing Institute
Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) was founded in 1981 as the first international wine competition in the United States, adding beer, spirits, cider, sake, mead and more to the repertoire in 1994. Using industry-leading methodology co-developed with Cornell University and a one-of-a-kind approach to trade focus groups and sensory panelist recruitment, BTI’s evaluations are so much more than a competition.
GOLD
Bernheim Wheat Whiskey, 92
Elijah Craig Small Batch, 93
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, 90
Evan Williams Single Barrel 2013 Vintage, 94
Heaven Hill 7 YO Bottled-in-Bond, 93
Henry Mckenna Bourbon, 93
Larceny Small Batch, 90
Larceny Barrel Proof, 94
Rittenhouse Rye, 92
Burnett’s Vodka, 90
PLATINUM
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, 96, Best of Year
