Why enter your spirits in the ADI International Spirits Competition? It all comes down to the judges. The ISC is judged by a diverse group of some of the most prominent experts in the global spirits industry — and many of them have been coming back for years or even decades. Every spirit entered is judged blind by a panel of four judges, and each of them provide written feedback on every single product. That means you get valuable insight from global tastemakers, regardless of whether you win.
Curious to know who’ll be judging in 2025? We’re introducing (in no particular order) the distillers, marketers, distributors, importers, media, and influencers who’ll be empaneled at this year’s ISC — and why they’re making time on their calendars for this event, in their own words.
Here’s the second batch — you can check out Part 1 for more.
Lara Victoria, Wine and Spirits Educator and Writer
“Distillers and spirits brands who send their products to the ADI Spirits Competition get the most comprehensive and invaluable 360 feedback that offers technical as well as market insights. This is because products go through a thorough assessment by through panels of expert judges who are everything from distillers themselves, to mixologists, educators, product writers, distributors and marketers…all of whom serve as an influential nexus between the product and the consumer. As an ADI Judge, I know that the feedback ADI provides is fueled by the drive to see a product succeed. So, whether or not a product wins a medal at ADI, the brand or distillery is always a winner receiving such thoroughly assessed, bespoke feedback from so many experts through a single competition. I’d raise a glass to that!”
Henry Preiss, Founder, Preiss Imports
“Scoring isn’t about simply handing out medals, but is done by selected judges for specific categories of spirts. ADI selects judges for having great depth of knowledge in the category they are judging. Samples are sorted for judging by category in the back room, and are sampled first by an equally decerning group of experts. This way samples, are sent to the judges in an order that makes sense rather than just handing out spirits in a category with no thought of how they should be sampled.”
Margarett Waterbury, Editor-in-Chief, Distiller Magazine
“ADI’s competition is rigorous and substantive. Its judges are among the most experienced in the industry — not only as judges, but as retailers, buyers, producers, importers, marketers, educators, and journalists. Winners don’t just get bragging rights. You also get the chance to sit down with reps from the most important distributors and importers in the country. Even if you don’t win, you’ll get written feedback from a panel of judges on every single product you enter — a valuable benefit in its own right.”
Rosie Milsom, Head of New Product Development, Craft Gin Club
“Judging for the American Distilling Institute is always an incredibly rewarding experience, surrounded by industry legends with decades of expertise from all corners of the distilling world. The product innovation gets more exciting every year, and the thorough feedback provided to every entrant ensures producers gain valuable insights. With ADI’s global recognition, it truly is a prestigious accolade for any brand.”
Joe Micaleff, Author and Writer, International Editor of Irish Whiskey Magazine
“ADI’s International Spirits Competition is tailor made for the craft distilling industry and is the single most important competition a craft distiller can enter. In addition to evaluating and rating spirits in each category, the competition also provides valuable feedback from a panel of judges with broad experience in the production and marketing of spirits. More importantly, the ADI has established a track record of being first to identify the up-and-coming superstars of craft distilling. Success at ADI’s International Spirits Competition can often unlock critical distributor relationships that are fundamental to building a brand and establishing a national distribution footprint.”
Vanessa Piromallo, Writer and Editor, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ilGin.it
“For ADI Judging I have worked both as a judge and as a steward, so I know very well how much hard work is put to guarantee a fair competition. The respect for products and producers is indisputable. I recommend entering the competition to anyone that is interested in the U.S. market. Moreover, I think it’s important to enter because the feedback given by the judges helped so many producers to develop better spirits. I don’t think there are many other competitions that are so committed to constant fairness and respect.”
Virginia Miller, Writer
“Judging for ADI for over 13 years has been a privilege. I am a judge (and lead judge) for numerous international competitions/awards and ADI has the most rigorous and thoughtful of standards and categorizations of spirits. Here, spirits get a fair shake next to spirits of like style, ingredient base, and the like. Unique and unusual is respected and highlighted, as are smaller spirits categories alongside the big ones. It is a passionate and knowledgeable group of fellow judges, and, even better, is the most diverse and inclusive of people of color and women of all the competitions I judge in. With such rigorous standards and notes provided back from the judges anonymously, it’s the most “bang for buck” of the spirit competitions you could enter.”
