Winners of the 2010 Ultimate Cocktail Challenge Announced

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The winning spirits have been announced for the inaugural Ultimate Cocktail Challenge (UCC), held on April 12-14 at New York’s Astor Center. The competition was presented by Ultimate Beverage Challenge, a New York-based beverage competitions and events company founded by Judging Chairman F. Paul Pacult. Following on the Ultimate Spirits Challenge held earlier this year, the UCC assessed how well spirits performed in classic cocktails.

Judges included renowned mixology luminaries Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Julie Reiner, Steve Olson, Audrey Saunders, Tad Carducci, Doug Frost, Andy Seymour, Don Lee, Jim Meehan and Sean Ludford, UCC’s Assistant Judging Chairman. The cocktails were mixed by specially selected bartenders, who meticulously followed specific recipes chosen by Pacult and UCC advisors DeGroff and Wondrich. The identical recipe was used for each cocktail and all were carefully measured using jiggers. The judges (who were unaware of the identity of any of the entered spirits) evaluated how, for example, different gins performed in classic cocktails such as the Martini, the Gin & Tonic and more. Spirits were judged on a 100-point rating system in multiple rounds. The highest scoring spirit in each cocktail was awarded the UCC Chairman’s Trophy.

Unless otherwise noted, all of the winning spirits listed below were awarded the Chairman’s Trophy. Spirits shown with Judges Accolades were the highest scoring for that cocktail, but were not awarded a Chairman’s Trophy.

For the complete list of results, go to ultimate-beverage.com/UCC2010-results.

2010 Ultimate Cocktail Challenge Winners

GIN & GENEVER

• Aviation – Tanqueray No. 10
• Extra Dry Martini – Tanqueray London Dry Gin
• Gin & Tonic – Plymouth Gin
• Negroni – Tanqueray London Dry Gin
• Tom Collins – Tanqueray London Dry Gin

VODKA & AQUAVIT

• Bloody Mary – Vermont Spirits White Vodka
• Cosmopolitan – Chopin Potato Vodka
• Vodka Martini – Orzel Vodka
• Vodka & Tonic – Tito’s Handmade Vodka

TEQUILA & MEZCAL

• Margarita with Cointreau – Milagro Core Reposado Tequila
• Paloma – Tres Agaves Reposado Tequila
• Tequila Sunrise – Tres Agaves Blanco Tequila

RUM & CACHAÇA

• Cairpirinha – Pitu Cachaça (Enjoyable, Commendable)
• Daiquiri Banks 5 Island Rum
• Mai Tai Plantation Grande Reserve Rum
• Mojito Don Q Cristal Rum

COGNAC/BRANDY

• Brandy Alexander – Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac
• Brandy Julep – Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac
• Pisco Sour – Macchu Pisco (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)
• Sidecar – Remy Martin VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac
• Stinger – Remy Martin VS Petite Chamgagne Cognac

WHISKY – SCOTCH

• Blood & Sand – Highland Park 12 Years Old Scotch Whisky
• Rob Roy – Macallan Fine Oak 10 Years Old Scotch Whisky
• Rusty Nail – Macallan Fine Oak 10 Years Old Scotch Whisky
• Scotch Sour – Highland Park 12 Years Old Scotch Whisky

WHISK(E)Y – NORTH AMERICA

• Manhattan – Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey
• Mint Julep – Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey
• Old-Fashioned – Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon
• Sazerac – Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey
• Scofflaw – Canadian Mist Whisky (Good, Recommended)
• Whiskey Sour – Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon

CHAMPAGNE, PROSECCO & SPARKLING

• Bellini – Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blanc California Sparkling Wine (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)
• Champagne Cocktail – Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blanc California Sparkling Wine (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)
• French 75 – Piper Sonoma Brut California Sparkling Wine (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)
• Kir Royale – Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blanc California Sparkling Wine (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)

WINE, VERMOUTH, PORT & SHERRY

• Claret Lemonade – Jam Jar (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)
• Port Cobbler – Sandeman Founders Reserve Port (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)
• Port Whiskey Punch – Sandeman Founders Reserve Port (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)
• Sherry Cobbler – Sandeman Don Fino Sherry (Excellent, Highly Recommended)

LIQUEURS & ABSINTHE

• Absinthe Frappe – Pernod Absinthe (Very Good, Strong Recommendation)
• Classic Digestivo Cocktail – Nonino Amaro (Excellent, Highly Recommended)
• Orange Liqueurs/Triple Sec: Cosmopolitan – Cointreau Liqueur
• Orange Liqueurs/Triple Sec: Margarita – Cointreau Liqueur
• Orange Liqueurs/Triple Sec: Sidecar – Patron Citronge Orange Liqueur