Southern Vodka from Franklin Distillery, and Yvy Vodka from the Yvy Destilaria also walked away with Gold medals. A trio of Silvers elevated the flight. Four vodkas took home the Master accolade in the Flavoured/ Infused round Gold winner Maple Vodka was lauded for its “maple syrup and caramel on the nose” and “sweet and syrupy palate”. Other Gold medallists included Absolut Peppar, with its “fresh, savoury and pepper aroma”, and Sapling Zero Waste Raspberry + Hibiscus Vodka, with flavours of raspberry and a “hint of tropical, late peppery spice”. The final flight of the day, Vodka Liqueur, saw a Gold go to Edwards 1902 x Bottlegreen Elderflower Liqueur. It was praised for its “light elderflower notes” and “good acidity”.

Owned by British-born Indians Mohit and Aneet Singh, Desi Daru uses ingredients from both the jungles of Maharashtra and the English countryside. Banks and Bloom Ice Vodka impressed Filer, who said: “Soft nose with some creamy vanilla, lemon and grain. A smooth and oily mouthfeel with a saline element, and a balanced profile of peppery grain with sweet citrus, and no disruptive heat.” Slight earthiness on the nose, a bit of citrus, and some tropical fruit aromas emerge as the vodka opens up, along with a fresh, ripe apple note. Creamy and oily on the palate. Very flavorful with notes of tropical fruits, especially banana, some pepperiness, and a custard-like quality. The finish is long and creamy, with a touch of pepperiness and lingering tropical fruit notes.This is the second award for the mango vodka, which has won a Spirits Business Global Vodka Masters Awardand been scored 96 points by the International Drinks Specialists. Unsurprisingly, the panel wasn’t short on praise for it, with Rodriguez-Curtis asserting that the “palate is fantastic, the alcohol is perfectly integrated, its balanced well and the texture rounded”. Commending excellence in the vodka industry, the awards (part of the World Drink Awards) judges spirits in four categories: Pure Neutral, Infused and Botanical, Varietal and Flavoured.

Chambers said: “There’s an expectation with ultra‐premium prices that you are going to get something better and more well‐balanced. There was more expressiveness here, and you can see some producers are pushing the category in different directions.” Vodka producers are “pushing the category in different directions”, one judge saidThe first went to Desi Daru Mango Vodka, which Rodriguez-Curtis enjoyed for its “fleshy and vibrant” nose. He said: “The palate is smooth, pleasant, good level of mango flavour and good level of enjoyability. The mango has a brilliant freshness. Chilled out of the fridge or freezer, this vodka would be brilliant to enjoy.” The “bright and elegant” Muff Vodka and Altumura Vodka with its “luxurious texture” took home Gold medals. The method to the vodka isn’t exactly what one might call ordinary – it’s made from whey leftover from co-founder Bryn Perry’s cheese making, who’d had enough of constantly throwing the excess down the drain. Nine vodkas scored Best of Category. The top Vodka – Neutral Character among domestic producers is Felənē, American Handcrafted Vodka. Felənē is a Denver, Colorado-based distiller that crafts vodka from sugar cane juice.

In the Eastern Europe round two medals were awarded: a Gold award went to “vibrant, fresh” Kreskova Vodka, while a Silver was given to Von Est Sangaste Rye Organic Estonian Vodka. Koskenkorva Vodka Original showed all the qualities needed to bag a Master medal in the Scandinavia segment. Carruthers said the vodka was “extremely drinkable”, and detected notes of “lemon, pine and sweetness – very smooth”. Chambers added: “Compared with the rest, it’s very classy and elegant.” Eleven Golds were given out, including one to Neft Vodka, enjoyed for its “smooth palate with a nice body and texture”, and Sapling Climate Positive Vodka, with its nose of “fresh and toasted grain” and “nutty sweetness” on the palate. The brand’s Alphonso Mango-flavoured vodka was judged the best UK Flavoured Vodka at the World Drinks Awards, moving on to compete for the title of World’s Best Flavoured Vodka against other country winners. The Alphonso mangoes used in the flavoured bottling are sourced from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, and are prized for their superior sweetness and indulgent quality. They are referred to as ‘the king of Mangos’ in India.Mohit Singh, the founder of Desi Daru, expressed his enthusiasm, stating: “We are incredibly excited to partner with Harvey Nichols and offer our award-winning vodka range to their discerning customer base. We believe our premium spirits will resonate with those who appreciate quality and innovation.” Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business, and chair of The Global Spirits Masters Competitions (GMSC) led the third panel, which included: Matt Chambers, spirits writer and co-founder of the Whisky For Everyone blog; Joyce Chou, Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s translation project manager; Zaloren Gonzalez Fontes, assistant manager of Hometipple; and Herchelle Perez Terrado, founder of Drinks Partnership. Among the international entries, Vodka – Residual Base Character, Distilled, the Best of Class Vodka was Republic of Freemantle Distilling, Signature Vodka. Republic’s vodka is distilled from a wine made with locally grown Verdelho grapes. Verdelho is a white grape variety widely grown in Portugal. It is used to make Madeira, as well as dry white wines. Republic of Freemantle also took the Best of Category award in its division.