Desi Daru Original Vodka - Gold Award Winning - 70cl (ABV 41%)

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Meanwhile, a trio of Master medals were found in the Organic flight. The first went to Pluto Vodka, described by Rodriguez-Curtis as being “smooth, very well done, rounded, creamy and enjoyable. It would work in a killer Martini”.

The Best if Class Vodka – Residual Base Character, Distilled Spirit is Terramar Brewstillery, Vodka. Terramar is an award-winning brewery, distillery, and cidery in the fertile Skagit Valley in Edison, Washington. It also won Best of Category in its division. The largest flight of the competition, Flavoured/Infused Vodka, saw Desi Daru Mango Vodka come out on top. Jones said that it offered: “Lovely natural mango aromas and more pulpy on the palate with a hint of tannic structure. Smooth and well-integrated alcohol.”Elyx is made with grain taken exclusively from the Råbelöf estate in Sweden and is manually distilled in a 1921 copper rectification. Another favourite in the Organic flight, this French vodka from A de Fussigny joined Pluto in the Masters-winning ranks for its “smooth, crisp and light” notes. I’m not usually a vodka drinker, but I decided to make an exception, and I wasn’t disappointed. After meeting the brand owners, I was very impressed with the quality of both vodkas, especially the stunning Alphonso Mango vodka, which is very unique.” A retaste of the highest scorers saw Desi Daru Mango Vodka selected as this year’s Vodka Taste Master.

Continue scrolling below to find 10 bottles our judges believed to be worthy of the competition’s greatest accolade: A Masters medal. Beemer Vodka was also deemed to be Master‐worthy. Tasting notes included: “A creamy start with a lovely fruity note and a soft, cooling eucalyptus palate.” Two Silver medals were also awarded. Besides impressing the judges with its sustainable principles, this vodka proved it was easy on the mouth and nose too, with one judge praising its “floral bubblegum’’ and “tart tannic grape” notes, that came with ”lots of almond and cherry”.In the Eastern Europe round two medals were awarded: a Gold award went to “vibrant, fresh” Kreskova Vodka, while a Silver was given to Von Est Sangaste Rye Organic Estonian Vodka. Koskenkorva Vodka Original showed all the qualities needed to bag a Master medal in the Scandinavia segment. Carruthers said the vodka was “extremely drinkable”, and detected notes of “lemon, pine and sweetness – very smooth”. Chambers added: “Compared with the rest, it’s very classy and elegant.” Six Golds and 13 Silvers were also awarded. Koskenkorva won three Golds for its 7 Botanicals, Lemon Lime Yarrow, and Sauna Barrel expressions.

This year, the brand has ambitious expansion plans, with the recent addition of drinks industry pioneer, Ben Reed as consultant for brand strategy and activation, a new design team and PR agency Cult Media Collectiveto its team and plans to launch a fully bespoke bottle design this year. Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business, and chair of The Global Spirits Masters Competitions (GMSC) led the third panel, which included: Matt Chambers, spirits writer and co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog; Joyce Chou, Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s translation project manager; Zaloren Gonzalez Fontes, assistant manager of Hometipple; and Herchelle Perez Terrado, founder of Drinks Partnership. Among the international entries, Vodka – Residual Base Character, Distilled, the Best of Class Vodka was Republic of Freemantle Distilling, Signature Vodka. Republic’s vodka is distilled from a wine made with locally grown Verdelho grapes. Verdelho is a white grape variety widely grown in Portugal. It is used to make Madeira, as well as dry white wines. Republic of Freemantle also took the Best of Category award in its division.

While sales appear to be stagnant for the category in the US, producers continue to invest in new products, capitalising on trends such as sustainability, low-ABV and provenance. Even ready-to-drink brands, such as White Claw and Truly, have made moves into the vodka category as demand for hard seltzers falters. As evidenced by our Taste Master winner, perhaps a renewed focus on flavours from vodka producers will help to drive growth of the category. Chou noted: “I can see some very expressive combinations of flavours, and some of them did very well in bringing different flavour profiles. The fruity ones were a little bit watered down, and too fake. But the more herbal, savoury ones did very well. There were expressive characters.”