We’ve hand selected a panel of judges that have wide-ranging industry experience. From master distillers, distiller association leadership, restaurateurs, beverage writers, and distribution professionals. The thought process behind assembling our panel was to provide your distillery with broad exposure to professionals that can provide exposure to your brands, and industry experts to give you an honest and accurate rating.
In order to be included for consideration, a distillery must:
Scoring:
Each submission is rated on 22 points of quality in Appearance, Aroma, Mouth-Feel, Flavor, & Finish for a total possible score of 100. The final awarded score will be based on the average scored by Judges.
Medals are awarded by the following ranking:
This quality based scoring system allows for medals to be awarded through independent evaluation, rather than through comparison against other submissions. It is possible, and likely, that multiple gold, sliver, or bronze awards will be awarded in each category. It is also possible that not all three medals will be awarded in each category.
By using this method of scoring and medaling, distilleries are not competing against each other, but rather being evaluated on an individual basis
Distilleries will receive their overall score along with notes from each Judge, when applicable.
Accepted categories for this event are:
Bourbon, Single Malt, American Whiskey, Rye, Flavored Whiskey, Moonshine, Flavored Moonshine, Clear Rum, Spiced Rum, Aged Rum, Flavored Rum, Vodka, Flavored Vodka, Gin, Agave Spirits, Brandy, & Cordials
*East Coast Craft Spirits Awards reserves the right to adjust acceptable entry qualifications on a case by case basis.
DISTILLERY OF THE YEAR:
New in 2023, we are adding a Distillery of the Year Award Category!
Leandro DiMonriva’s decade long career behind the bar began in the world of Hollywood nightclubs. After a few years of pouring AMF’s and Redheaded sluts he found himself in the burgeoning cocktail scene in Downtown Los Angeles. He luckily found himself at Cole’s French Dip under the tutelage of Brent Falco who opened up the world of classic cocktails for young Leandro, and he has been plying his trade, mastering the classics ever since. Over the years he was lucky enough to study with some of the most talented people in the business and learn from some of the greats. In 2017 Leandro along with Producing partner Marius Haugan started The Educated Barfly Youtube channel. They saw that of the many cocktail specific channels there really weren’t any started by professional bartenders. Noticing an unfulfilled need, they started producing tutorials organized around technique and history with recipes being a close third. Since then they have amassed a Social Media Following exceeding 300,000 and have worked with many massive brands such as Sony, HBO, Luxardo and Jack Daniels. The continue to producer high quality content on YouTube as well as their website.
Erin R. Petrey is a Senior Contributor and the Cocktail Editor for Bourbon & Banter where she has been writing about spirits and cocktails for nearly a decade. She is an Executive Bourbon Steward, President of the Kentucky Society of Washington, and owner of The Cocktail Coach LLC, where she offers virtual spirits and cocktail classes and programming and has taught over 5,000 people across the globe. She is a bourbon loyalist, gin fanatic, and all-around curious drinker who loves to help others find their next favorite drink. Erin grew up in Kentucky and now lives in Washington, DC with her rescue Cairn Terrier, Lila.
Christina Dresser is the owner of Bourbon with Bunny; specializing in creating unique tasting experiences pairing whiskey with thematic storytelling. She curates a flight based on stories, past examples include Whiskey Love Stories, Bourbon and the Law, and the Music of Bourbon. Christina helped launch the Bourbon Women Atlanta branch and has served as a co-ambassador since February 2020. She became a certified Executive Bourbon Steward in November 2020.
Shannon Hood is an Executive Bourbon Steward and Whiskey Sommelier. She founded Pourly Educated to provide whiskey/bourbon education, sensory training, bourbon steward certification, as well as unique tasting experiences.
Heather Price is an ambassador for the Washington DC branch of Bourbon Women, an organization devoted to sharing Bourbon culture and appreciation with spirited women everywhere. Heather is a Certified Bourbon Steward and Executive Bourbon Steward.
I am a certified Bourbon Steward and known as the Whiskey Witch as well as an Ambassador for Bourbon Women NC. I am also an all-breed dog show judge.
Karl is the principal of VaBoozNews, a social media presence that informs about Virginia's Spirits, Beer, Wine, and events related to them.
An enthusiastic aficionado of spirits and cocktails , he loves learning and sharing about them. He's a member of the Richmond Rum Society and founder of the Virginia Beach Rum Society. As a participant in Gin World he's taken a deep dive into the world of Gin as well.
As a returning judge in the East Coast Craft Spirits Awards, he's lookin forward to a bigger 2023!
https://facebook.com/vabooznews/
Executive Bourbon Steward Certified, Member Stave & Thief Society - Specializing in Flavor Profiling, Private Barrel Selections & Tasting Events, YouTube Reviewer - Avid Bourbon/Whiskey Collector, Member Multiple Barrel Selection Teams, Member Bourbon Women’s Association (BWA): Louisville, Founding Committee & Board Member: BWA NKY/CINCY Branch, Founding Committee & Branch Ambassador: BWA Florida Branch, Stakeholder Knox Joseph Distillery at the OTR Stillhouse,
I am a Sr. HR Compliance Consultant and Attorney by day and a spirits enthusiast by night. I am an Executive Bourbon Steward, Whisky Ambassador, and Whiskey University Instructor. I am also one of the Missouri Bourbon Women Branch Ambassadors (founding member) and an active member of the STL Bourbon Society.
Retired P&G scientist. Member of Bourbon Women since 2011. NKY-Cincy BW Branch Ambassador.
A lifetime member of Bourbon Women, Eulalia lives in Chicago and tends to sip her bourbon neat while also being appreciative of a good cocktail.
I just joined Bourbon Women to learn more about a spirit I love, meet interesting fellow enthusiasts and have an excuse to try more bourbon! I recently became Co-Ambassador for the California BW Branch and look forward to working on the goals above. When I'm not drinking bourbon, I am an interior designer in the Bay Area, a passionate baseball fan and avid home cook. I live with my husband and two dogs and our now-grown children who all live nearby.
Master Rummelier® Greg D. Hill is an avid rum enthusiast and champions the sugar cane spirit. As developer of the Rummelier® Certification program, he has leveraged his 35+ years of adult education experience to create curriculums for all levels of rum enthusiasts. The Rummelier® program currently has hundreds of graduates that represent 30 countries worldwide. He founded the Richmond Rum Society with roots dating back to 2010 along with founding the Royal Rum Society in 2017 which has multiple chapters globally. An award-winning author, he has published 12 books on various topics including “It Came From The Cane” – a non-traditional book offering readers a fun-filled adventure into the world of rum. Additionally, he is a regular contributor for Newsweek Magazine as a member of their Expert Forum.
Lisa Jeffries Nobling, a 2007 graduate of N.C. State University’s Wilson College of Textiles and Poole College of Management, has been working in marketing since 2005. Her professional work experience ranges from independent, family-owned businesses to high-growth tech startups. Lisa’s specific areas of expertise include new media and experiential marketing for service-based businesses. Passionate about her clients, cheering on the Wolfpack, live music, and rescuing animals, she is also the founder of Raleigh Food & Wine and Raleighwood Wifi. Lisa completed the NC State + SKEMA Business School MSc dual master’s degree program in Global Luxury Management in 2016, publishing a thesis, Location-Based Opportunities for Brand Marketing With Emphasis on Application Within Luxury Industries.
I am the Colorado branch ambassador for Bourbon Women. I love any opportunity to test my palate & try new spirits.
Craft cocktails brought John to the study and research of all types of spirits from rum, bourbon, and whiskey to amaros. This has led him to tour distilleries both domestic and foreign over the last ten years to understand what is in the bottle and ultimately how a spirit will sip neat, on ice or mix in a cocktail. With a focus on rum, he has attended numerous rum tastings at rum events, conducted tastings, spoken at events, and judged competitions for spirits and cocktails.
https://rumconsumeralliance.com
Jill of all trades. By day medical office admin as well as craft cocktail bartender, certified bourbon steward and Whiskey University instructor who has a serious love for all things bourbon. Current Bourbon Woman ambassador for Tennessee.
A Bourbon lover, when Bourbon wasn’t cool, Kim has spread the Bourbon Gospel wherever life has taken her! Her career in the food industry, includes a stint in spice and seasoning R&D making her uniquely qualified to judge and describe spirits. Kim is a Certified Executive Bourbon Steward and the Kentucky Branch Ambassador for Bourbon Women.
I started to enjoy Scotch after my studies in Edinburgh and am now very passionate about Rum. I have co-founded rumsocialclub.com, the Boston Rum Social Club, and more recently started the Rum Consumers Alliance with several other US-based rum clubs.
I have already made several tasting and tasting notes of various spirits but never judged in an award event like this one. I would be honored to have the opportunity to judge some of the spirits submitted to the East Coast Craft Spirits Awards. Thank you for your consideration.
I am a retired CPA living in the Low Country of South Carolina. I play golf and tennis, am the the chairwomen of a foundation serving to better Daufuskie island and it’s people and enjoy learning about and sharing bourbon, whiskey and red wines. I am originally from the northeast, raised in NJ and moved to Boston after finishing college and remained in the New England area while working and raising a family. I retired 11 years ago at 50 and moved south with my husband to an island without a bridge off the coast of Savannah that is only 8 square miles. I enjoy organizing fun things to do, including travel, and Captain a tennis team a well.
I’m a wife, behavioral health social worker, perpetual learner, and bourbon enthusiast. I’m newer to the whiskey world and thoroughly enjoy learning the history, challenging my palate, and pairing flavors for cocktails. I am a Bourbon Women ambassador for Missouri and part of the St. Louis Bourbon Society.
President and CEO of Vail Consulting. Treasurer, Executive Committee Member and Board Member Bourbon Women. Bourbon Women Michigan Branch Ambassador.
Copyright © 2023 East Coast Craft Spirits Awards - All Rights Reserved.
Created by CG Inc.