What to drink now

If you want to know the best wines, spirits and champagnes you should be quaffing right now, check out the list of winners in the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition 2012 awards on Wednesday.

Gin

Trophy Winner, Gold Outstanding – Beefeater London Dry Gin 40% (Chivas Brothers, England)
Gold Outstanding – Old Buck Dry Gin (Henry Tayler & Ries Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – Citadelle Gin (Cognac Ferrand, France)

Vodka

Trophy Winner, Gold – Josef V Farthofer Organic Vodka (Josef V Farthofer, Austria)

Fruit Spirits (distilled)

Trophy Winner, Gold – Zwack Sándor Noble Gipsy Sour Cherry Pálinka NV (Zwack Kecskeméti Pálinkamanufaktúra, Hungary)

Tequila

Trophy Winner: Gold Outstanding – Tequila Espolón Añejo (Destiladora San Nicolas SA de CV, Mexico)
Gold Outstanding – Casco Viejo Reposado 100% Agave Tequila (Casa Camerena, Mexico)

Pisco

Gold Outstanding – Pisco Alto del Carmen Reservado (Cooperativa Agricola Pisquera Elqui Ltda – Capel, Chile)

Rum

Trophy Winner, Gold – Admiral Rodney Extra Old St. Lucia Rum (St. Lucia)

Calvados

Gold Outstanding – Lecompte Calvados 12 Ans Pays d’Auge (SACB, France)

Pomace Brandy

Trophy Winner, Gold – Le Diciotto Lune di Marzadro (Distilleria Marzadro Spa, Italy)

Worldwide Brandy

Trophy Winner, Gold Outstanding – Van Ryn’s 12 Year Old Distillers Reserve (Distell Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – Olof Bergh Solera Brandy (Henry Tayler & Ries Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – Klipdrift Gold Brandy (Distell Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – Mellow Wood 5 Year Old (Distell  Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – Viceroy (Distell Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – Oude Meester Reserve 12 Year Old (Distell Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – Vaan Ryn’s 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve (Distell Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – Oude Meester Souverein 18 Year Old (Distell Ltd, South Africa)
Gold Outstanding – KWV Grape Brandy 20 Year Old (KWV SA, South Africa

Cognac

Trophy Winner, Gold – Cognac Park XO Extra Grand Champagne (Distillerie Tessendier et Fils, France)
Gold Outstanding – Baron Otard VSOP (Chateau de Cognac, France)
Gold Outstanding – Hine Rare VSOP (Hine, France)
Gold Outstanding – Frapin Chateau Fontpinot Cognac Grande Champagne XO (SNS Pieree Frapin & Cie, France)

Worldwide Whiskey

Trophy Winner, Gold Outstanding – King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky (King Car Food Industrial Co. Ltd, Taiwan)
Gold Outstanding – Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon Whiskey (Brown-Forman Corp, USA)
Gold Outstanding – Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey (Elmer T. Lee – Buffalo Trace Distillery, USA)
Gold Outstanding – Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon Whiskey (Wild Turkey, USA)

Ireland

Gold Outstanding – Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey (Old Bushmills Dillery Co., Ireland)

Scotch Whisky

Trophy Winner, Blended Scotch Whisky, Gold – Cutty Sark Tam O’ Shanter Blended Scotch Whisky 25 Year Old (Edrington Group)
Gold Outstanding – James King Blended Scotch Whisky 8 Year Old (Quality Spirits International)
Gold Outstanding – James King Blended Scotch Whisky 21 Year Old (Quality Spirits International)
Gold Outstanding – Guneagal Deluxe Blended Scotch Whisky 12 Year Old (William Grant & Sons Distillers Ltd)
Gold Outstanding – Royal Salute Deluxe Blended Scotch Whisky 21 Year Old (Chivas Brothers, Scotland)
Gold Outstanding – Glenmorangie Signet Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Glenmorangie Distillery)
Gold Outstanding – McDonald’s Celebrated Traditional Ben Nevis Malt Whisky Under 10 Years Old (Ben Nevis Distillery, Fort William, Ltd)

Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 years and under, Trophy Winner, Gold Outstanding – The Singleton of Glen Ord Single Malt Scotch Whisky 15 Year Old (Diageo Brands BV)

Single Malt Scotch Whisky over 18 Years, Trophy Winner, Gold Outstanding – Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 25 Year Old (Glenmorangie Distillery)
Gold Outstanding – Dalmore Constellation Collection Vintage 1979 Highland Single Malt Whisky (Whyte & Mackay)
Gold Outstanding – The Dalmore Aurora Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 45 Year Old (Whyte & Mackay)

Cask Strength Scotch Whisky Trophy Winner – Glenglassaugh Aged Over 40 Years Single Malt Scotch Whisky 1966 (Glenglassaugh Distillery Company Ltd)

Single Malt Scotch Whisky no age specified Trophy Winner, Gold – The Balvenie Tun 1401 Single Malt Scotch Whisky (William Grant)

Gold Outstanding – Glenfiddich Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 15 Year Old (William Grant & Sons)
Gold Outstanding – Glen Grant Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 16 Year Old (Glen Grant)
Gold Outstanding – The Glenlivet Archive Single Malt Scotch Whisky 21 Year Old (Chivas Brothers)
Gold Outstanding – Lagavulin Distillers Edition Double Matured Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 1994 (Diageo Brands BV)
Gold Outstanding – Lagavulin Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 16 Year Old (Diageo Brands BV)

Flavoured Spirits

Gold Outstanding – Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum (Diago, USA)

Liqueurs

Trophy Winner, Gold Outstanding – Gabriel Boudier Crème de Cassis de Dijon (Gabriel Boudier, France)

For full details of Gold Medal winners in all wine and spirits categories, check out the full list at iwsc.net.