Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/126443
RESULTS OF THE 2013 THIS WAS THE LUCKY 13TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION. H PHOTO: NIKKI RITCHER eld March 21–24 at the elegant and accommodating Hotel Nikko in downtown San Francisco, this year's event afirmed our tradition of recordbreaking entries annually. The number of submissions increased 17% this year—200 more products—compared to 10% the previous year, continuing our doubledigit growth. Many categories of spirits experienced a marked increase this year, most notably American craft whiskey, gin and herbal liqueurs. The event showcased 1,407 entries from 63 countries. A harbinger of trends in the marketplace, the competition is considered a rite of passage for top quality spirits, as it has 34 of the most professional global palates serving as judges. In our continued search to include today's top spirits experts—mixologists, writers and educators, beverage buyers, consultants and other important industry professionals—we added ive new judges this year: Jackson Cannon Mixologist and Bar Director of the Hawthorne, Island Creek Oyster Bar and Eastern Standard in Boston; Charles Joly, Mixologist and Beverage Director of Aviary, Chicago; Fred Minnick, wine and spirits journalist from Louisville, KY; Matt Myers, Director of Beverage from the MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach in Vietnam; and Levi Walker, Craft Sprits Manager of Young's Market Company, San Diego. Tony Abou-Ganim, the "Modern Mixologist, " again served as our esteemed Director of Judging. The spirits entries were broken down into 85 separate categories, each judged individually, relecting the increasing complexity of today's spirits market and the preponderance of niche and artisanal products. We are listing the Double Gold, Gold and Silver medalists here, with some categories combined for ease of reference. For complete results, go to www.sfspiritscomp.com Congratulations to all of this year's winners! We at THE TASTING PANEL look forward to working with you in celebrating the excellence of your products. —Anthony Dias Blue, Executive Director