Heaven Hill and Samson & Surrey brands shine bright on the international stage
BARDSTOWN, Ky. (June 30, 2023) – Heaven Hill Brands is honored to have received multiple category wins in recent awards competitions. Newly announced results from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, ASCOT Awards, San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Bartender Spirits Awards prove Heaven Hill’s portfolio stands strong when stacked up against competition from around the globe.
Heaven Hill received multiple Chairman’s Trophies in this year’s Ultimate Spirits Challenge along with more than 30 other brands receiving the coveted recognition of 90 points or higher. Henry McKenna 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bottled-In-Bond, Carolans Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur, PAMA Mandarin Orange Pomegranate Seltzer and Tequila Ocho Añejo each received the highest honor of Chairman’s Trophy. The Ultimate Spirits Challenge recognizes and promotes the unmatched quality of spirits across the globe. Their esteemed panel of judges invoke innovative, exacting methodology through rigorous judging to determine the highest-rated products, and award coveted citations of excellence.
After several hours of critical judging, Heaven Hill was awarded several top prizes in the 2023 ASCOT Awards. The awards included Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon for Parker’s Heritage Collection 16th Double Barreled Blend, Best Wheated Bourbon for Larceny Barrel Proof A123, Best Canadian Whisky for Black Velvet, Best Whiskey Club Barrel Pick for Naptown Bourbon Club’s Elijah Craig Single Barrel. Importantly, Larceny Barrel Proof A123 is still in the running for overall Best Straight Bourbon. In addition to these category wins, Heaven Hill received 10 Double Platinum awards, 15 Platinum awards and 19 Gold awards. The international spirits competition was created by Fred Minnick, spirits personality and a veteran tasting judge, to provide a unique opportunity for distillers to have their products recognized through Minnick’s media channels.
Across the portfolio, Heaven Hill also took home several medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Competition was founded in 2000 and has become a premiere tasting competition judging more than 3,000 spirits this year. William Heavenhill 9th Edition Bourbon was awarded the high honor of Best of Class in the Straight Bourbon category. Also receiving category finalist designation was Tequila Ocho Reposado for Best Reposado Tequila and Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon for Best Single Barrel Bourbon – 11 years and older. Rittenhouse received Platinum distinction for three consecutive years as a Double Gold winner. Eleven Heaven Hill products also received Double Gold status at this year’s awards.
“We’re incredibly proud of these wins across multiple categories in the Heaven Hill and Samson & Surrey portfolios,” said Heaven Hill Chief Marketing Officer Matt Blevins. “While we certainly enjoy the recognition of our brands, it is a nod to the passion of our teams who bring these products to market which gives us the most satisfaction. They deserve all the credit.”
Lastly, Heaven Hill is honored to take home the Grand World Whisky of the Year prize in this year’s Bartender Spirits Awards for Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond. This recognition is especially great because of the competition’s judging panel consisting of some of the most renowned names in the U.S. bar industry, all of them with extensive expertise within the on-premise industry. When speaking about Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond, judges remarked, “Its unrivaled flavors and unmatched quality have made it a favorite among whisky enthusiasts worldwide.” Heaven Hill is also proud to receive a dozen Gold awards for other members of the portfolio along with this top prize.
ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY -based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur, plus the newly-acquired Samson & Surrey portfolio.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kaitlynn West
kwest@heavenhill.com
