Ultimate Beverage Challenge

ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE has set the new standard for how spirits and wines are evaluated through its procedural innovations in its two annual competitions: Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Ultimate Wine Challenge.

• UBC has instituted the industry’s most uncompromising standards and fairest approach for evaluation by employing its multi-panel, multi-stage judging system to eliminate any chance of bias.
• Careful selections of the world’s leading wine and spirits authorities, journalists, buyers, restaurateurs, bar owners and influencers as judges insures UBC’s credibility.
• With the opening of UBC’s evaluation facility the company’s commitment to unassailable methodology has been enhanced by this specially designed space, devoted solely to the assessment of beverage alcohol.
• UBC publicizes and promotes its results to consumers, media and members of the spirits and wine trade through its website, emails, social media outreach, affiliate and partner marketing.
• Support for brands’ promotional programs is provided through extensive marketing collateral such as scores, accolades, Great Value recognition, Tried & True Award, tasting notes, and more.

WHY ENTER YOUR PRODUCTS FOR EVALUATION?

Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Ultimate Wine Challenge provide the most expert and authoritative evaluation of wines and spirits for producers, marketers, importers, distributors and retailers available.

HIGHEST STANDARDS FOR JUDGING

• The industry’s finest judges, drawn from our pool of buyers, consultants, journalists, educators and international spirits and wine experts.
• Small judging flights to avoid palate fatigue. All products are tasted blind and matched like-with-like for judging.
• Ratings using the consumer-friendly 100-point scale. Ratings using the consumer-friendly 100-point scale.
• Our permanent tasting facility allows the judges to fully concentrate on each product’s profile without having to rush.
• Ultimate Spirits Challenge includes cocktail recommendations for individual spirits.

FREE MARKETING COLLATERAL

• Tasting notes for all products rated 85 points and higher.
• Challenge awards, recognizing excellence with a Chairman’s Trophy and Finalist status for each judging category.
• Tried & True Award™ recognizes brands that provide unfailing quality to consumers year after year.
• Great Value recognition for products that have a favorable score/price relationship.
• Challenge icons, free and downloadable from our website, for use in promotion, on-line and, in print.

FREE MARKETING TO TRADE AND CONSUMERS

• Results are widely distributed to retailers, restaurateurs, bartenders, distributors and consumers through our affiliation with Beverage Media, the leading trade publication and price book reaching over 72,000 wine and spirits influencers in U.S. markets.
• Spirits and wines that score 90 points and higher…
  • Have their results appear by selected categories each month in Beverage Media publications in all major U.S. markets
  • Feature on the trade’s most relied upon product ordering platform: BeverageMedia.com.
  • Results featured on over 200 ecommerce websites for retailers, which are specifically designed to sell to consumers.

ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGES TO ENTERING THE CHALLENGES

• Full details page for each product included on the results page, providing individual rating, tasting note, accolade and downloadable marketing collateral in one easily accessed place.
• Shelf talkers, bottle stickers, bottle neckers and certificates purchasable through our partner First in Print.
• Import assistance for producers without U.S. importers provided free of charge.