The results of the 2022 London Spirits Competition are out. This is a competition where spirits are judged for end consumers. Spirits are rated with three main criteria: quality, value, and packaging. Spirits must show a rating in all the three factors with the most weightage on quality to be a medal winner.

Some of the country’s top bartenders and spirits buyers gathered on March 23-24-25 at St Mary's Church in London’s Marylebone, sniffing, swirling, and spitting their way through a vast array of gins, cognacs, vodkas, and whiskies as well as a range of more esoteric spirits, as the judging of the London Spirits Competition reaches a peak. These include representatives from some of the country’s most prestigious restaurants, bars, and hotels, such as the Ritz, Le Manoir, Gleneagles, the Goring, the Connaught, and Claridges.

The 2022 Competition saw 447 entries from the United Kingdom as the top entrant country, followed by 323 products from Australia and 160 from the United States.

Judged on three key criteria – quality, value, and packaging, and scored on a 100-point scale, those spirits that score 90 plus points are awarded a Gold medal, while those spirits that accrue 76 – 89 points receive a Silver. Bronze award winners are those drinks that assemble between 65 – and 75 points.

Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula secured The Best Cognac of the Year Award with 92 points and a gold medal at the London Spirits Competition. Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula is a Grande Champagne cognac produced in the style of a rare 1840 bottle of Pinet Castillon Cognac, which was a favourite among nineteenth-century cognac mixologists. Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula is a young cognac that simulates a "three-star" cognac - the rough equivalent of a VS cognac before the current designation system was in place - and is also suited for use as a foundation for cognac cocktails. All Pierre Ferrand cognacs are made from Eaux-de-vie from the Angeac terroir, part of the Grand Champagne growing cru, and is widely regarded as having the best parcels in the region.

The Ferrand estate is situated in the middle of the Grande Champagne growing cru, Cognac's most prestigious appellation. The 27 hectares owned by Pierre Ferrand are among the best in Grand Champagne. Only Grand Champagne Cognacs, or cognacs made entirely from grapes grown in the chalky soils of the Grande Champagne Appellation d'origine contrôlée classification, are produced by Pierre Ferrand. The Logis d'Angeac is the Cognac Ferrand distillery in Grande Champagne, located in the heart of the family's vineyards.

Country By Origin: France 

Colour: Dark Straw with Copper Hues

Nose: Honey, Caramel, Citrus, and Cedar

Palate: Bright vanilla, Lemon Tea with Black Pepper Spice 

Finish: Sharp and Extra Long Citrus Spice 

ABV: 45% 

Size: 750ml 

The tasting notes of this winning cognac at the 2022 London Spirits Competition read, “Full-bodied profile with notes of vanilla, pear, marzipan, and subtle notes of nutmeg, cinnamon, and oak. Heavy, rich, and silky mouthfeel with a long persistent vanilla finish.” 

So what are the judges looking for? For Fabio Spinetti, head of bars at Carlton Tower Jumeirah, the quality of the liquid in the bottle is essential – if that doesn’t measure up, then the spirit certainly doesn’t stand up to closer scrutiny. 

But he approves of the fact that the judging incorporates other factors too.  “I like the fact that the spirits are not only judged on their flavour profile, but also on the packaging, which is a crucial factor, as well as the all-important saleability,” he says.  “Considering the brand as a whole, rather than simply the taste, is a really good way to assess a brand.”

2022 London Spirits Competition Winners:

Best Spirits of The Year 2022: Bareksten Navy Strength Gin, Norway

Best Spirits of The Year (by Quality): Bareksten Navy Strength Gin, Norway

Best Spirits of The Year (by Value): Samuel Gelston's Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Ireland

Best Spirits of The Year (by Package): Bareksten Navy Strength Gin, Norway

Best Vodka of The Year 2022: Vestal Vodka, Poland

Best Rum of The Year 2022: Rum Nation Panama 21 Aged Years, Panama

Best Tequila of The Year 2022: Tequila Don Fulano Imperial, Mexico

Best Gin of The Year 2022: Bareksten Navy Strength Gin, Norway

Best Whisky of The Year 2022: Spirit Hound Straight Malt Whiskey, United States

Best Brandy of The Year 2022: Grappa Riserva Invecchiata in Botti da Whiskey, Italy

Best Liqueur of The Year 2022: Amaro San Marco, Italy

Best Cognac of The Year 2022: Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula, France

View All Winners Here

About the London Spirits Competition

The London Spirits Competition is an international spirits competition organized by the Beverage Trade Network. The competition looks to recognise, reward, and help promote brands that have successfully been created to tick all the boxes - quality, value, and packaging. Learn more at London Spirits Competition.