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Forbes
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Top Rums Crowned At The 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Three rum cocktails on the rocks. The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one of the world's most important judgings of rum. Several hundred rum entries were evaluated at the 2025 SFWSC, and 18 of those rums, all Double Gold winners, are in the final round, contending for the best rum expression in their respective category and the crowning achievement of World's Best Rum. Below is a summary of the finalists in each of the major rum categories. The winners will be announced at the Top Shelf 2025 Awards Gala, a highly anticipated event in the beverage industry, on November 9 at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. The Unaged/White Rum finalists from the 2025 SFWSC Burdekin Rum, Distillers Edition - Coral Sea Strength Rum, is crafted in Queensland, Australia. It's bottled at 54.5% ABV. 700 ml. Oak House, Silver Rum is crafted in Georgia, USA. It is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml Cotton & Reed, White Rum, is crafted in Washington, D.C., USA. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Ten To One, White Rum, Dominican Republic. It is bottled at 45% ABV. 750 ml. Planteray Rum, 3 Stars' Rum is crafted in St. Michael, Barbados. It is bottled at 40% ABV. For backgrounds and detailed tasting notes on the 2025 SFWSC Unaged Rum finalists, see The World's Best White Rums, According to the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Aged Rum Finalists from the 2025 SFWSC Worthy Park, Select Rum is crafted in St. Catherine, Jamaica. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Worthy Park, 109 Rum is crafted in St. Catherine, Jamaica. It is bottled at 54.5% ABV. Diplomático, Planas Rum is crafted in Lara, Venezuela. It is bottled at 47% ABV. Kaniché Rum, Fiji Islands' Rum, is produced in Fiji. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Planteray Rum, Xaymaca Special Dry Rum is crafted in Jamaica. It is bottled at 43% ABV. For backgrounds and detailed tasting notes on the 2025 SFWSC Unaged Rum finalists, see The World's Best Aged Rum, According To The San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Ultra Aged Rum Finalists from the 2025 SFWSC CARTAVIO, XO Rum is crafted in LA LIBERTAD, Peru. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Zacapa, No. 23 Rum is crafted in Guatemala. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Ten To One, Five Origin Select Rum is a blend of rums sourced from Guyana, Trinidad, Dominican Republic, and Barbados. It is bottled at 46% ABV. Planteray Rum, XO 20th Anniversary Rum, is crafted in St. Michael, Barbados. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Ron del Barrilito, 3 Stars Rum, is produced in Puerto Rico. It is bottled at 43% ABV. For backgrounds and detailed tasting notes on the 2025 SFWSC Unaged Rum finalists, see The World's Best Ultra Aged Rum, According To The San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Worthy Park Overproof Rum is crafted in St. Catherine, Jamaica. It is bottled at 63% ABV. Cap & Cane Spirits, Overproof Rum is crafted in North Carolina, USA. It is bottled at 63% ABV. Planteray Rum, OFTD Rum (Old Fashioned Traditional Rum) is produced in Barbados. It is bottled at 69% ABV. For backgrounds and detailed tasting notes on the 2025 SFWSC Unaged Rum finalists, see The World's Best Ultra Aged Rum, According To The San Francisco World Spirits Competition. There are thousands of rums produced in over 100 countries worldwide. These top rums from the 2025 SFWSC are among the world's best, worth contenders for the accolade of World's Best Rum. They include legacy producers whose pedigree extends back centuries, as well as new, up-and-coming craft producers. All of them are outstanding. If you love rum, whether it's in a rum cocktail or straight up, these rums are all worth exploring. You might find one or two worth adding to your home bar!
Forbes
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Top Tequilas Crowned At The 2025 SF World Spirits Competition
Margarita cocktail with ice, lime slice and salt rim. Tequila is now the largest spirits category in the US by revenue. Several hundred Tequila entries were evaluated at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and 19 of those Tequilas, all Double Gold winners, are in the final round, contending for the best Tequila expression in their respective category and the top accolade of World's Best Tequila. Below is a summary of the finalists in each of the major Tequila categories: Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo. The winners will be announced at the Top Shelf 2025 Awards Gala, a highly anticipated event in the beverage industry, on November 9 at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. The Blanco Tequila Finalists from the 2025 SFWSC Aguasol, Tequila Blanco, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $39 Cutwater, Blanco Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $34 Sesion Tequila, Blanco, Jalisco, Mexico, The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $45 Don Vicente, Fuerte Blanco, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 54% ABV. 750 ml. $85 Tequila Volcan de mi Tierra, Blanco, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $50 For backgrounds and detailed tasting notes on the 2025 SFWSC Blanco/Joven Tequila finalists, see SF World Spirits Competition Crowns The World's Top Blanco Tequila. The Reposado Tequila Finalists from the 2025 SFWSC Occasion, Reposado Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Reposado is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $75 Aguasol, Reposado Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $47 Don Fulano, Reposado Tequila, Jalisco Mexico. The Reposado is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $62 Don Roberto, Double Cask Reposado Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. This double-casked Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $45 Mijenta, Symphony Series No. 2 Reposado Tequila, Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 45% ABV. 750 ml. $66. For backgrounds and detailed tasting notes on the 2025 SFWSC Reposado Tequila finalists, see The Top Reposado Tequila, According To The SF World Spirits Competition. The Añejo Tequila Finalists from the 2025 SFWSC Tequila De La Gente, Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $100 Cierto Tequila, Private Collection Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $175 Pantalones, Organic Añejo Tequila, Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $50 Hotel California, Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750ml. $60 Cierto Tequila, Reserve Collection Extra Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $385 For backgrounds and detailed tasting notes on the 2025 SFWSC Anejo Tequila finalists, see The Top Añejo Tequila, According To The SF World Spirits Competition. The Extra Añejo Tequila Finalists from the 2025 SFWSC Don Julio, Ultima Reserva Extra Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $484 El Tesoro, Extra Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $148 Casa Cuervo, 1800, Milenio Extra Añejo Tequila, Jalisco Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $225 Don Fulano, Tequila Imperial Extra Añejo Tequila, Jalisco Mexico. The Tequila is bottled at 40% ABV. 750 ml. $209 For backgrounds and detailed tasting notes on the 2025 SFWSC Extra Añejo Tequila finalists, see 2025 SF World Spirits Competition Crowns Top Extra Añejo Tequila. These Tequilas are among the very best of the more than 2,000 different Tequila brands currently available. Many are quite reasonably priced and would make excellent additions to your home bar. Whether your passion is a Tequila cocktail like a Margarita or a Paloma, or whether your preference is for a sipping Tequila, you are bound to find a Tequila to suit your taste among these contenders for The World's Best Tequila.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Santa Almagia, a Mother-Daughter Founded Luxury Mezcal Brand Featuring 100% Rare Agave and Ancestral Methods in Oaxaca, Secures Prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold for their Tobala Joven Mezcal
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Santa Almagia, a mother-daughter founded luxury mezcal brand, crafted in micro-lots using 100% rare agave and ancestral methods in Oaxaca, is pleased to announce their latest notable award nod via the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in which they secured a Double Gold for their Tobala Joven Mezcal, earning 97 of 100 points. "We are humbled to have some of the most reputable tastemakers in the business behind SFWSC grant us such a prestigious award so early on into the business," states Alana Abbitt, Co-Founder of Santa Almagia. Abbitt continues, "We are passionate around creating ethical, ancestral-led, extraordinary mezcal and look forward to sharing what we've built with the world in the years ahead!" Santa Almagia is a mother-daughter founded luxury mezcal brand, crafted in micro-lots using 100% rare agave and ancestral methods in Oaxaca. Launched in Feb '25, the brand has earned early praise from agave collectors, spirits judges, and specialty retailers. Backed by award-winning liquid, premium margins, and a modern brand strategy, each bottle blends cultural authenticity with commercial appeal. To learn more about or follow the company on social at @santaalmagia. Company ContactAlana AbbittCo-FounderSanta Almagia424-262-6292alana@ Communications ContactTaylor FoxmanFounder & CEOThe Industry Collective609-432-2237396459@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Santa Almagia Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
03-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Top Scotch Whisky Winners From The 2025 SF World Spirits Competition
The 2025 SFWSC Finalists in the Single Malt Scotch Whisky 20 Years & Older category Photo, courtesy Tasting Alliance/San Francisco World Spirits Competition The San Francisco World Spirits Competition, a cornerstone in the world of Scotch Whisky, is one of the most extensive and prestigious judging events. Whisky enthusiasts and the beverage industry closely follow its results, as they often set the standard for excellence in the industry. The Top Shelf 2025 Awards Gala, a highly anticipated event in the whiskey industry, will announce the winners on November 9 at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. Here are the finalists! From a diverse pool of several hundred entries, the distinguished panel of judges, comprising some 60 in total, has selected a range of finalists. These include five blended, four blended malts, and 20 single malt Scotch whiskies, each with its unique character and flavor profile. From these finalists will emerge the coveted title of World's Best Blended Scotch Whisky, Best Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, and Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky, and ultimately the highest prize of all: World's Best Scotch Whisky. The variety and quality of these finalists are sure to pique your interest. The 2025 SFWSC Blended Scotch Whisky Finalists in the No Age Statement category. Photo, courtesy Tasting Alliance/San Francisco World Spirits Competition Blended Scotch is a mix of grain whisky and single malt whisky. The Scotch Whisky Association, the industry's regulatory body, does not specify the proportions in the blend. Generally speaking, the higher the proportion of single malt in the blend, the more flavorful the whisky tends to be. The single malt portion of a blended whisky can range from as little as 10% to as much as 50% of the final blend. Under SWA rules, a no-age-statement whisky does not disclose the age of the youngest component of the blend. However, under SWA regulations, a whisky must be aged for a minimum of three years before it can carry the designation Scotch Whisky. Hence, a NAS whisky is guaranteed to be at least 3 years old. Most NAS whiskies are considerably older than the minimum three-year aging requirement. For a brief background and detailed tasting notes of the Blended Scotch Whisky finalists from the 2025 SFWSC, see SF World Spirits Competition Reveals Top Blended Scotch Whisky. The Finalists in the Blended Malt Scotch Whisky category at the 2025 SFWSC Photo, courtesy Tasting Alliance/San Francisco World Spirits Competition Blended malt is a mix of single malt Scotch whiskies. Unlike a single malt, which is a malt whisky from a single distillery, blended malts are a mix of malt whiskies from more than one distillery. The practice harkens back to the early days of the Scotch whisky industry when independent blenders created their whiskies by mixing single malt whisky from several distilleries. For background and detailed tasting notes on each of the Blended Malt Scotch Whisky finalists, see SF World Spirits Competition Reveals Top Blended Scotch Whisky. SFWSC 2025 Single Malt Scotch 13 to 19 Years Finalists Photo, courtesy Tasting Alliance/San Francisco World Spirits Competition Single malt Scotch whisky is a single malt from a single distillery. Each expression is typically a blend of different single malts from that distillery. The age statement listed on the bottle is the youngest component of that particular blend of single malts. Hence, 18-year-old Scotch whisky is not the 12-year-old expression aged for an additional six years, but rather a blend of single malt whiskies from that distillery, the youngest component of which is at least 18 years old. For a background and detailed tasting noteson these single malt Scotch whiskies, see SF World Spirits Competition Names Top Single Malt Scotch Whisky For a background and detailed tasting notes on these ultra-aged, single malt Scotch whiskies, see Best Ultra-Aged Scotch Whisky, According To The SF World Spirits Competition. These Scotch whiskies are among the very best, the crème de la crème of Scottish whisky. They are all outstanding, each reflective of the region and terroir that produced them. Some are historical names, while others are new distilleries, specialty bottlers, or once-silent distilleries that have been reborn. All are worth tasting, and if you like them, add a bottle or two to your Scotch whisky collection.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Loca Loka Tequila's Golden Hour
At first blush, the idea of a tequila from the highlands of Mexico melded with the culture and creativity of India would seem an unlikely combination. But the vision of Loca Loka Tequila's founders—Indian film star Rana Daggubati, musician and composer Anirudh Ravichander, and entrepreneur Harsha Vadlamudi—and the craftsmanship of the artisans who shepherded the tequila from agave to bottle, have been rewarded with a gold medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), one of the most prestigious spirits competitions in the world. Jalisco, By Way of New Delhi More from Robb Report Introducing Robinhood Legend, a New Frontier for Active Traders A Century in Bloom: Rioja at 100 181 Fremont's Grand Penthouse Redefines Urban Luxury The medal comes a year after the launch of Loca Loka, whose name is the Spanish word for 'crazy' and the Sanskrit word for 'world.' Jalisco, a state in Mexico where tequila is made, is more than 9,000 miles from New Delhi, India's capital. But there is common ground between the two cultures. Daggubati explains, 'Loca Loka was born from a shared passion for storytelling and cultural fusion. As co-founders, [we] brought together diverse experiences—from hospitality to music—to build a tequila brand that celebrates joy, flavor, and global connection.' With tequila having become a global phenomenon over the last couple of decades, the time has come for those who love it worldwide to use the category as a reflection of their own cultures. Loca Loka co-founder Ravichander is one of India's most renowned musicians, famed for his singing, writing, instrumental prowess and production both in films and on record. 'Music and spirits are a natural match,' Ravichander says, 'and I'd already seen tequila gaining traction in my circles. This felt like the perfect first step into entrepreneurship—an opportunity to merge my passion for music with a vibrant lifestyle brand. We're bringing the brand to life through live events and concerts, and I'm even composing original music inspired by Loca Loka.' Additive-Free, Made the Traditional Way Although Loca Loka was imagined in India, it's made according to Mexican tradition, without additives and with only the finest 100-percent blue Weber agave from the highlands of Jalisco. The agaves used to make the tequila have aged for at least six years, giving them a higher sugar content, which results in a better finished product. Loca Loka is available in two expressions: a blanco and a reposado. The blanco is unaged, showcasing the quality of the agave and the skill of the tequileros; the sweet flavor of cooked agave combines with a subtle earthiness and a smooth, prolonged finish. The reposado is aged for less than a year in a combination of French and American oak barrels. The French oak imparts a rounded sweetness while the American oak contributes vanilla and peppery spice, both of which harmonize with the sweet, lightly vegetal and mineral notes of the cooked agave, without overwhelming it. Both the blanco and the reposado are ideal for sipping as well as mixing. and the tequila's quality is evident even when tasted blind—as was the case in San Francisco, when the judges at the SFWSC awarded it the gold. Bringing Loca Loka to the World Loca Loka initially rolled out in the U.S. in 2024. In 2025, the brand looks to establish an international footprint, expanding to India as well as the U.K., Dubai, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Travel retail will also be a focus. 'With travel retail as a priority channel,' co-founder Vadlamudi explains, 'our journey will begin at [India's] Hyderabad International Airport, chosen for its growing consumer base and global connectivity. Through curated displays, tastings, and immersive brand storytelling, we aim to introduce Loca Loka as a premium discovery brand—celebrating cultural intersections and inviting international travelers to toast to a new era of celebration.' To have such a global reach is almost unheard of for such a young brand, but Loca Loka's trio of founders has positioned it as a tequila with worldwide appeal, from the stylish look of the bottles to the presence of Daggubati and Anirudh as its spokesmen. In the end, though, it's the quality of the spirit in the bottle that determines a brand's success—and as its triumph in San Francisco attests, Loca Loka's future is looking bright. To learn more about Loca Loka and the people behind it, visit the brand online at Learn More Click here to read the full article.
