Six Asian countries were represented across 50 spirits categories, with 14 products winning medals. By Holly Graham.

The Tasting Alliance – parent company of wine and spirits competitions such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the San Francisco International Wine Competition and the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition – held the first Singapore World Spirits Competition (SWSC) at The ExciseMan Whisky Bar in Singapore this June.

The SWSC applied the same judging rules used in San Francisco and New York, and judges scored products predominantly from the Asia region based on blind tastings. Judges were asked to evaluate each product individually and not compare them to other entries in the flight, finally determining which entries deserved a Gold, Silver, or Bronze medal. Entries that received a Gold medal from all judges on that panel earned a Double Gold award. These Double Gold spirits then advanced to the Sweepstakes round, where all judges chose the Best of Class Premium Award winners.

Judges for SWSC included the likes of Micaela Piccolo (Nimbility Asia), Michael Callahan (The Compound Collective) and Gan Guoyi (Jigger & Pony Group) led by head judge Anthony Dias Blue and director of judging Ch’ng Poh Tiong. The panels tasted hundreds of spirits from over 20 countries across 50 spirit categories.

2019 Best in Class medals are awarded to the following spirits from Asia:

Best Light Aroma Baijiu: Chengliji (China)
Best Baijiu, Best Mixed Aroma Baijiu: Jiahu Zhongyuanweidao (China)
Best Sauce Aroma: Guizhou Renhuai Hengfu Tiancidituo Jiancangban (China)
Best Strong Aroma Baijiu: Yifuchun Mianrou (China)
Best Rum, Best Southeast Asian Rum: Samai Premium Gold Rum (Cambodia)
Best Asian Whisky & Best Single Malt: Paul John Classic Select Cask Indian Single Malt (India)

Additional 2019 Asia winners included:

Double Gold Medal: Mangpinjiang Baijiu (China)
Gold Medal: That Boutique-y Rum Company Issan Rum (Thailand)
Gold Medal: Nocturne Noir Coffee Infused Liquor (Singapore)
Silver Medal: Rhum Sampan (Vietnam)
Silver Medal: Seekers Mekhong Dry Gin (Cambodia)
Bronze Medal: Crows Craft Gin (Philippines)
Bronze Medal: Stranger and Sons Gin (India)
Bronze Medal: Fupingchun F6 Baijiu (China)

For the full list of results, please click here.