Diageo Brands Earn Top Honors for Exceptional Quality at 19th Annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Diageo liquids and packaging awarded total of 101 medals, including two Best in Class, 10 Prestigious Double Gold

NORWALK, Conn., June 3, 2019 – Diageo brands were recognized for their quality, craftsmanship, and overall excellence at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.  This year Diageo brands brought home a total of 101 medals, including 39 Double Gold or Gold medals.

Scotch brands performed particularly well, winning 43 of the total 101 medals.  Diageo Scotch brands were also awarded two Best in Class distinctions, with Johnnie Walker 18-Year-Old winning the coveted title of “Best Blended Scotch” and Lagavulin 9-Year-Old (Game of Thrones House Lannister) earning “Best Distillers’ Malt Scotch, Up to 12 Years.” In addition to a Double Gold, Talisker 10-Year-Old received an esteemed Platinum medal, which is given only to those spirits that have won a Double Gold medal in three consecutive competitions. While the focus was on the extraordinary liquids, the competition also paid tribute to exceptional packaging design, where the entire Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky collection was honored with a Double Gold.

“We are honored that so many incredible spirits brands across our portfolio have been recognized at this level by one of the industry’s most established competitions,” said Deirdre Mahlan, President Diageo North America. “The exceptional craftsmanship and quality that goes into every one of these brands is something we value every day, and this gives us all one more reason to celebrate.”

Several medals were awarded to Diageo’s American Whiskey brands, with Bulleit, George Dickel, and Orphan Barrel all securing Gold and above.  In the Tequila, Rum, Vodka and Gin categories, Diageo brands also performed well, winning 32 medals. Smirnoff and Zacapa each earned two Gold medals; for Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka, and the newly-released Smirnoff Zero Sugar Infusion Watermelon Mint, and Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 Rum and Zacapa Ambar 12 Rum, respectively. 

A full breakdown of Diageo’s winning brands from the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition can be found on the competition website [https://sfspiritscomp.com/results/], and all Diageo brands’ Best in Class, Double Gold and Gold medal winners are listed below (medals listed are for liquids, unless otherwise noted).

Best in Class:

• Johnnie Walker 18-Year-Old – Best Blended Scotch
• Lagavulin 9-Year-Old, Game of Thrones House Lannister – Best Distillers’ Malt Scotch, Up to 12 Years

Double Gold:

• Buchanan’s 18-Year-Old Special Reserve
• Bundaberg Master Distillers’ Collection Solera Rum
• Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection (packaging)
• Johnnie Walker 18-Year-Old
• Johnnie Walker Double Black Label
• Lagavulin 12-Year-Old
• Lagavulin 9-Year-Old, Game of Thrones House Lannister
• Mortlach 16-Year-Old
• Singleton 12-Year-Old
• Talisker 10-Year-Old
• Talisker Distiller’s Edition

Gold:

• Baileys Tres Leches
• Buchanan’s 12-Year-Old Deluxe
• Buchanan’s Master
• Bulleit 12-Year-Old Rye
• Bundaberg Master Distillers’ Collection Small Batch Silver Rum
• Cardhu Gold Reserve, Game of Thrones House Targaryen
• George Dickel Bottled in Bond
• Gordon’s Traveler’s Edition London Dry Gin
• Johnnie Walker Black Label
• Johnnie Walker Ghost and Rare Port Ellen (packaging and liquid)
• Johnnie Walker Green Label
• Johnnie Walker Red Label
• Lagavulin 8-Year-Old
• Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition
• Oban 14-Year-Old
• Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 25
• Pampero Aniversario Rum
• Royal Lochnagar 12-Year-Old, Game of Thrones House Bartheon
• Singleton 15-Year-Old
• Singleton 18-Year-Old
• Singleton of Glendullan Select, Game of Thrones House Tully
• Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
• Smirnoff Zero Sugar Infusion Watermelon Mint
• Talisker Storm
• Talisker Select Reserve, Game of Thrones House Greyjoy
• Zacapa Ambar 12 Rum
• Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23 Rum 

Founded in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one of America''s most respected international spirits events. Products are evaluated in a blind, consensual procedure ensuring the competition maintains its reputation for the highest level of integrity. Winning participants receive the awards of Double Gold, Gold, Silver or Bronze, marking their product as one of the highest quality in the world. www.sfspiritscomp.com.