Best Cognacs at San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2015

Regarded as one of the most influential competitions in the USA, and indeed the world, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is now in it’s 15^th year. The judging is carried out ‘blind’, by a panel of experts, including well-known mixologists, spirits buyers, restaurant owners, and spirit critics.

This year, an amazing 1,500 different spirits entered the competition. It took the panel of 41 judges three days to evaluate, with the various spirits being awarded with bronze, silver, gold, or double gold medals.

In addition to the awards, there is a prestigious prize given to double gold winning products that are deemed to be the very best in their category. Cognac did extremely well in this, with the ‘Best in Show Brandy’, ‘Best Cognac’ and ‘Best Cognac Extra Aged’ being awarded to Gautier Tradition Rare Cognac.

The Best VS Cognac award went to Meukow VS Cognac.

Best VSOP saw Camus Borderies VSOP Cognac take centre stage.

The Best XO was awarded to Claude Chatelier XO Cognac

Double gold medals

ABK6 Cognac Extra Single Estate Cognac

Camus Borderies VSOP Cognac

Claude Chatelier Cognac XO Cognac

J Dupont Art Deco Grande Champagne XO Cognac

Meukow VS Cognac

Meukow VSOP Cognac

Croizet XO Cognac

D’Usse XO Cognac

Gautier Tradition Rare Cognac

Leyrat Fine VS Cognac

Louis Royer Preference VSOP Cognac

Gold medals

ABK6 Grand Cru VSOP Single Estate Cognac

Camus XO Elegance Cognac

De Luze Fine Champagne VSOP Cognac

Commandon XO Cognac

Courvoisier VS Cognac

Delpech Fougerat VSOP Cognac

Leyrat Vielle Reserve XO Cognac

Louis Royer Force 53 Fine Champagne VSOP Cognac

Marnier XO Cognac

Merlet Brothers Blend VSOP Cognac

Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal VSOP Cognac

Tesseron Lot 76 XO Cognac

Silver Medals

A de Fussigny XO Fine Champagne Cognac

A de Fussigny VS Three Star Cognac

ABK6 Family Reserve XO Single Estate Cognac

Camus VSOP Elegance Cognac

Camus Extra Elegance Cognac

Camus Ile de Re Fine Island VS Cognac

Camus Ile de Re Cliffside Cellar XO Cognac

Camus Ile de Re Double Matured VSOP Cognac

Camus Borderies XO Cognac

Camus Elegance VS Cognac

Chabanneau VSOP Cognac

Chabanneau VS Cognac

De Luze Fine Champagne VS Cognac

J Dupont Art Nouveau Grande Champagne VSOP Cognac

Park Chai No8 Single Barrel Petite Champagne 21 Years XO Cognac

Philbert Distiller Reserve VS Cognac

Courvoisier Fine VSOP Cognac

Croizet VSOP Cognac

Croizet Extra Cognac

D’Usse VSOP Cognac

Deau VS Cognac

Leyrat Extra Glory Single Estate Cognac

Louis Royer XO Cognac

More Cognac category results: Bronze medals

Deau VSOP Cognac

Delpech Fougerat VS Cognac

Leyrat Premium VSOP Cognac

Alongside the judging of the spirits themselves is the Packaging Design Award Winners. There was only one award here in the cognac category, and that was to the Sidney Frank Importing Company for the Cocoyac Coconut Cognac.

This is a fairly new product endorsed by rap artist, Shaggy, who says he has ‘equity’ in the drink.

As far as we can tell it’s only on sale in the US right now, at around $55 for a bottle. It’s an interesting design for a bottle, that’s for sure. In our humble opinion it would look better on a dressing table or the bathroom cabinet, rather than on the bar. But then, it is the concept of a guy who is the king of bling, so that’s only to be expected.

Sources: sfspiritscomp.com, sidneyfrank.com

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