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? Over the next few weeks, we’ve introduced (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 last batch — you can check out Part 1 and Part 2 for more.
Tim McDonald, Spirits Marketing and PR Expert
“I have been fortunate to judge the ADI International Spirits Competition, and it is the #1 American held International spirits judging in my opinion. The judges and the process are the best. Real global experts, top international mixologists, importers, distillers, and beverage journalists. Gold and Best of Class truly are! There are always four experts per panel. When you receive an award, you sell more bottles. If you’re a distillery and you’re thinking about entering a spirits judging, then ADI is the one to enter!”
Julia Nourney, Spirits Consultant
“Entering this competition means about learning how your product does in an international environment. And international means here not the usual European international environment, which you can experience with so many competitions, but a real international field with the background of one of the biggest markets. So if you want to go global, this is the competition to meet your competitors.”
Reece Sims, Spirits Educator and Market Researcher
“The American Distilling Institute’s International Spirits Competition is a prestigious global awards program featuring a judging panel comprised of leading experts from across the spirits industry. The competition welcomes entries from producers worldwide, without restrictions on country of origin.
Beyond the opportunity to earn a medal and industry recognition, participants receive invaluable feedback from an international panel of seasoned professionals. For producers aiming to enhance their brand visibility and explore global distribution, the competition offers a unique platform to connect with distributors, mentors, and key industry stakeholders.”
H Ehrmann, Bar Owner and Beverage Consultant
“Judging spirits with ADI over the past 15 years or so has given me a truly unique insider’s perspective on the evolution of the craft distilling industry since its earliest days. In that time it has expanded, along with the explosive growth of the industry, to become a widely respected international competition. Not only have I been afforded the opportunity to taste my way through an era that saw astounding growth and improvement, but I have been given the opportunity to do it alongside so many of the passionate individuals that are driving it ever forward. It is one of the most intensive, thorough, and insightful judging experiences in the world (and I judge several). By entering your spirits in ADI’s competition you are not only getting an honest third party evaluation of your products, but an insightful deep dive into how to improve and learn from some incredibly experienced scientists, producers, journalists and bar professionals from around the world. Very few competitions offer the same quality and diversity of judges.”
Salvador Peribán, Agave Consultant and Advocate
“Being a judge at the ADI international spirits competition has been one of the most nourishing experiences that I’ve encountered since I started working in this industry. Since the first year that I was invited my approach to spirits has drastically changed, I understood what it means to think about a specific expression in a truly holistic way. A spirit may be delicious but may only cater to a few and may struggle to find a place in the market; sometimes a “flaw” may actually be opening a significant opportunity to expand the reach of a category; the desired flavor profile that a brand is aiming for maybe could be reached using a more affordable set of techniques and materials; and so on, and so on. My main expertise is within agave and dasylirion spirits, and given how novel and young this category is, I consider that the assessments made by the judges that the ADI has selected (who have seen, and in many cases promoted, the rise of other categories) can accelerate the already stunning growth that we’ve seen in the mezcal-tequila-sotol world.”
Keli Rivers, U.S. Brand Ambassador, Sipsmith Gin
“The ADI International Spirits Competition is judged by the most diverse panel of global experts, each a thought leader in their various fields, and as inspiring as the spirits we are asked to judge. Over the years I’ve seen the world of spirits evolve, so does the competition, adapting to reflect the innovation and trends shaping the industry.”
Haley Perry, Bartender and Journalist
“ADI is a truly special place that brings together the most brilliant minds of the beverage industry, with one goal in mind: To help distillers produce the best drinks possible. The judges at ADI meticulously taste and discuss each entry, providing notes about what the spirit already does well, and what can be improved in the distillation process to bring it to the next level. If you enter your spirit into ADI ISC, you’ll receive vital feedback from experienced distillers and other industry professionals, such as bartenders who will consider how your spirit could thrive in other applications when evaluating each entry. The feedback you’ll receive will be rigorously discussed among ADI’s diverse panel of judges and written in constructive detail to help you with your future creations.”
Billy Abbott, Drinks Writer
“The ADI judging of spirits is a unique opportunity not only to have experienced spirits judges taste your products, but also get excellent feedback, from flavor to technical advice. I love judging at ADI as it brings together an excellently diverse group, with experience across the whole world of spirits, and great spirits that I’d often otherwise not get a chance to taste.”
Aaron Knoll, Author
“What’s set the experience apart for me, is the opportunity to share more than merely a number or quality assessment, but also share more detailed, qualitative feedback. I feel as if I’m contributing to something greater than a single award— I’m part of a dialogue, helping elevate the work of distillers the world around.
I think distillers around the world should enter— the quality and diversity of feedback is worth the entrance fee alone. But it’s also an opportunity to be part of a competition and organization that has valued education and elevating the craft of distillers at all steps of their journey.”
Lenny Gotter, Consultant
“I have judged in seven different spirits competitions in the last 10 years. ADI has far and away the best value for any craft distiller’s dollar. They have some of the highest quality spirits professionals on the planet and their infrastructure and categorization is far superior to any other competition. Unlike other competitions, their judges come from diverse categories and give the best tasting notes I have ever seen. I only recommend the American Distillers Institute spirits competition to my industry colleagues.”
Sara Sergent, Owner of Alpine Distilling
“By entering the ADI spirit competition, distillers and spirit brands benefit from the invaluable feedback from industry experts, and join a platform to showcase their hard work and dedication. This recognition can elevate a brand, open doors to new markets, and inspire further innovation.”
