Frequently Asked Questions expand all  

Ultimate Beverage Challenge offers spirits and wine producers and importers the opportunity to gain an unbiased evaluation and authoritative endorsement for their products. All three Challenges: Spirits, Cocktails, and Wine, provide unimpeachable results of how individual products and brands compare to others in their specific category. UBC uses an innovative, multilevel and progressive system of evaluation by recognized authorities that gives each entry the ideal environment and opportunity to showcase its best qualities. UBC results are the gold standard for beverage competitions and are the ultimate marketing tool for producers and importers. Winners of UBC awards will have earned their way to the top through rigorous but unbiased evaluation and will therefore be recognized as leading brands in their category.

Ultimate SPIRITS Challenge will evaluate, score and award honors to the best spirit in its category – i.e., best gin, best tequila, best rum, best cognac, etc. There are twenty separate categories for evaluation. Judging for Ultimate Spirits Challenge will be held March 5-9, 2012.

Ultimate WINE Challenge will be held the week of April 23-27, 2012. Wine producers, importers and marketers will benefit from the UBC's groundbreaking multilevel system of entry classifications, as well as by the experience, acumen and expertise of the judging panels. Products will be evaluated, scored and awarded recognition to the best wine in its specific category – i.e., best pinot noir, best riesling, best champagne, etc.

Ultimate COCKTAIL Challenge will include two competitions and will be held June 4-8, 2012. There are two separate components for this Challenge; brands can choose to enter both or either:

• CLASSIC Cocktail Challenge will award top honors to the spirit that ‘performs’ best in a classic cocktail, i.e., best gin in a gin martini, best tequila in a margarita, best rum in a mojito, etc. There are multiple classic cocktails in each category. Eachrum entered, for instance, will be judged in each of the classic rum cocktails. This method is a complete departure from how all other cocktail competitions are conducted throughout the world and, as such, properly showcases how spirits perform in mixed drinks. To earn “Best Dry Martini Gin” award or “Best Manhattan Straight Rye” award or “Best Mojito Light Rum” award or “Best Margarita Tequila” award as deemed by the foremost cocktail experts would be a tremendous boost to any product’s marketability.
• SIGNATURE Cocktail Challenge. Here brands enter their own cocktail recipe(s) which best showcases their brand – these cocktails will go head to head with all other signature cocktails in the same category. Best cocktail wins. All cocktails will be tasted and judged against other cocktails in their category – so vodka will compete against other vodka cocktails, gin vs. gin cocktails, etc.

We have the finest judging panels, headed by internationally renowned beverage alcohol expert, F. Paul Pacult. Paul is respected for his uncompromising and unbiased approach to beverage evaluation.

UBC has the most innovative multilevel evaluation system for the sole purpose of coming to the fairest, most unbiased, and most authoritative results possible.

Beverage entries are served in the most appropriate style of glasses, and at their ideal serving temperatures in order to showcase their best attributes for the judging panels.

All the UBC Challenges will be held at the state-of-the-art facility at Astor Center in New York City. This is crucial because conducting days of formal examinations of beverage alcohol products requires a spotlessly clean and clinical facility that affords judges the appropriate environment in which to focus. Proper judging is all about concentration and method.

As a way to gain national recognition within the U.S., in order to possibly gain importers, distributors or the media’s notice. Your product's results, ratings and reviews will be widely distributbed to buyers and influencers in the wide and spirits industry through our web site, email, and publicity. 

Please see the entry forms for details. If you don’t have a US importer, UBC will assist you with the documentation required by U.S. Customs. We have included a completed form as an example in the entry form package but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Telephone us at 1. 347.878.6551 or email info@ultimate-beverage.com

No. In fact, entering the challenges is a wonderful way to attract attention for greater distribution.

Your award (many congratulations!) is identified for the specific year they are judged. Any time you mention your Chairman’s Trophy, you must also cite the year it was awarded. Any product that wins three Chairman’s Trophies, gains automatic entrance into our UBC Halls of Fame (doesn’t need to be three consecutive years).

Three reasons that your score may be better: Although most of our judges are returning for the 2012 Challenges we have many new judges. Also, the panel compositions will differ from last year. Your products will be judged against a different and most probably larger group than in a previous year. For each Challenge we can assure you of a level playing field and completely unbiased, honest and fair evaluations.

Yes. Spirits often react differently when mixed in cocktails, so it makes sense to enter a product into both UBC competitions that focus on distilled spirits. And, don’t forget, we have added Ultimate Signature Cocktail Challenge so you may enter your brand’s own best recipes in addition to or instead of Ultimate Classic Cocktail Challenge.

Yes. Concise and detailed reviews will be offered for all products in each Challenge that score 85 points and higher.

No. In our view, the problem with many competitions is that they award too many Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, thereby diluting the recognition of product excellence by frequently awarding mediocrity. Who wants a Bronze Medal or even a Silver Medal? Medals are money-making vehicles for competitions. We feel that the 100-point system is more readily understood and appreciated by consumers in making a purchasing decision.

All entries that are scored 80 and up will receive UBC Certificates of Commendation stating their score and relevant accolade. The highest scoring wine, cocktail and spirits products will receive categorical awards, such as Chairman’s Top Gin Award; Ultimate Spirits Challenge Gin Award/97 Points/Ultimate Recommendation; and Chairman’s Top France – Red Bordeaux Award. We also have a wonderful marketing section on our website where you may download artwork at no cost to use in your advertising and marketing campaigns.

Employing Paul’s innovative evaluation method for panels of judges necessitates the use of a progressive numerical system that reflects as accurately and finely as possible in one final score the composite results from multiple viewpoints. The UBC Method occurs in several stages and therefore aggregate scores are compiled for results. It is a far more complex system than the one Paul uses when he’s reviewing products alone. With his work for the Spirit Journal, star ratings reflect only Paul’s subjective opinion and therefore it is easier to employ that system.

Paul’s view is that “UBC’s groundbreaking scoring system is the culmination of two decades of intense and copious product reviewing, frequently done on my own. I also learned a lot from being Judging Director at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for ten years. Each version has its own purpose, merit, and individuality.”

Yes, there is every advantage to submitting them. Paul’s ratings/reviews in the Spirit Journal are his personal opinions (as he states on page 2 of each issue). UBC competition results are derived from the multilevel evaluations of panels of experts and authorities, who use a complex system of judging. A product might get entirely different results from UBC group evaluations.

Yes, but please note that Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Ultimate Cocktail Challenge are separate competitions that take place on different dates. If you’re entering both Challenges and it is more convenient for you to send product for both Challenges at the same time by all means do so. BUT YOU MUST ENSURE that each box is clearly marked Spirits Challenge or Classic Cocktail Challenge or Signature Cocktail Challenge. (Ultimate Cocktail Challenge, although one competition, has two separate components – Classic Cocktail Challenge and Signature Cocktail Challenge. You may enter either or both. Click here for more information.

Ultimate Spirits Challenge - entry forms available December 1, 2011.

Submissions for USC accepted from December 1, 2011 - February 17, 2012.

Ultimate Wine Challenge - entry forms available December 13, 2011.

Submissions for UWC accepted from December 13, 2011 - April 13, 2012.

Ultimate Cocktail Challenge - entry forms available January 3, 2012.

Submissions for USC accepted from January 3, 2012 - May 18, 2012.

You will find all information regarding entry fees, category codes/classifications and shipping information listed under each individual challenge on the website:

Ultimate SPIRITS Challenge: $395 per spirit submission. Click here for more information.

Ultimate COCKTAIL Challenge: click here for more information:

• Ultimate CLASSIC Cocktail Challenge: $395 per spirit submission (fee covers entry into all recipes in the relevant spirits category)
• Ultimate SIGNATURE Cocktail Challenge: $495 per recipe submission

Ultimate WINE Challenge: $95 per wine submission. Click here for more information.

You will find all information regarding entry fees, category codes/classifications, shipping information listed under each individual Challenge on the website:

Ship to: Ultimate Spirits Challenge or Ultimate Classic Cocktail Challenge, or Ultimate Signature Cocktail Challenge or Ultimate Wine Challenge,
c/o Metro-Pack, Inc., 37 Jeanne Drive, Newburgh, NY 12550, USA.
Warehouse telephone number is (845) 564-5275.
Monday to Friday shipment only.
All shipments must include 1 hard copy of the entry form and be clearly marked as to which Challenge they're being entered.

The list of category codes and classifications can be found under each Challenge's information on the website. However, if you have any questions or need advice on which category your product falls into please do not hesitate to contact us by email or by telephone at 1.347.878.6551. We are here to assist you.

Ultimate Blast: Cocktails, Spirits & Wine is Ultimate Beverage Challenge's exciting consumer, trade and media tasting event, and was held on Friday, October 14, 2011 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.  Click here to view photos from Ultimate Blast and a list of pariticipating brands and products.

No. The judging is closed to the general public. However, members of the tradeand media are welcome to stop by as long as they make a prior appointment (our judges need uninterrupted concentration so we need to monitor the number of guests).

We are represented by Manuela Savona of Savona Communications. Contact Manuela at (tel.) 917. 969.1275 or (email) manuela@savonacommunications.com