The 2024 London Spirits Competition (LSC) was held on 20th and 21st March, in London. The international panel of judges gave the golden spiced rum from Swan Knight Distillery, a Silver medal.
The feedback from the judges on the taste of the rum was fantastic. This is what they said "Smooth and indulgent, this golden rum exudes rich caramel and vanilla notes, delivering a warm and satisfying experience with every sip."
What this award means to us
We decided to enter our golden spiced rum into this competition for a few reasons. Firstly, it allows us to get a peer review of the product and as a result, gain the confidence that consumers and businesses alike would appreciate what we have created. Secondly, this win helps with our application for an AWRS (Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme) license. The AWRS license is required for us to market and sell our product to any business or institution. This includes bars, restaurants, hotels, hospitality venues and retailers. Finally, it helps consumers and businesses get confidence in the quality of our product.
About the London Spirits Competition
2024 is the 7th year that the London Spirits Competition has been running. The competition was created by the Beverage Trade Network, who are a global drinks event, publishing and services group. The group is dedicated to helping the best drinks producers and brand owners get their products to market, by getting them closer to the relevant buyers, distributors and retailers.
The London Spirits Competition prioritizes the spirits that consumers would wish to buy, rather than distilling ability or technical expertise. This focus on commercial success is what sets the competition apart from its peers.
The judging process
The judging process starts with each judge reviewing the label on the spirit bottle, its design and overall packaging. A portion of the scoring is given based on the storytelling effectiveness, visual appeal and how well the price point and perceived value for money align with the brand's overall presentation.
The overall score is based on three judging areas. Those are quality, value and packaging. Each is given a score out of 100 and then these are combined to create a final score. This final score is used to determine the ranking of the spirit and ultimately who wins the medal awards.
The international panel of judges come from a wide range of backgrounds but they all share extensive experience and expertise in either purchasing spirits for resale or in developing new spirits brands. They include retailers, distributors, convenience stores, casual and fine dining establishments, on-trade groups, hospitality groups and the travel industry.