Vodka of the Year goes to Blue Ice Double Espresso Vodka from the United States at the 2024 USA Spirits Ratings. Crafted in Rigby, Idaho, where the finest Idaho Russet Potatoes are harvested. Blue Ice Double Espresso Vodka was created with the finest brewed Arabica beans and Idaho Russet Potatoes, a legendary concoction that is set to take the American espresso martini consumer market by storm.

Blue Ice Vodka started with “Big Jim” Myerson’s vision, who was a man with great charisma and integrity. He had a passion for fine wines and spirits, with a passion for creating truly handcrafted spirits, leading him on a quest through the Grand Teton Mountains.  With a vision to create his vodka made with the highest quality crops that America had to offer.  He didn’t have to look very far to find the ideal crop region to craft his premium vodka.  Idaho became the region of choice, where the man behind the brand and his family came from and lived, and where the natural ingredients are sourced to make the best-tasting, handcrafted potato vodka.

More than 40 countries participated in the 2024 USA Spirits Ratings and about 20 different categories were involved. The top countries to enter were the United States, Mexico, France, and Scotland and the top categories were Whisky, Tequila, Gin, and Vodka. There was a massive increase in Chinese products and the no and low spirits category.

Here are the highlights:

Spirit Of The Year: Cierto Tequila Reserve Collection Reposado, Mexico

Distillery Of The Year: Árpád pálinka, Hungary

Best Spirit By Quality: Cierto Tequila Reserve Collection Reposado, Mexico 

Best Spirit By Value: Petrovskaia Premium Platinum, Moldova

Best Spirit By Package: Árpád Paprika Gin, Hungary

Vodka Of The Year: Blue Ice Double Espresso Vodka, United States

Tequila Of The Year: Cierto Tequila Reserve Collection Reposado, Mexico

Gin Of The Year: Sur 34 Gin, Uruguay

Whisky Of The Year: Indri Dru Single Malt Indian Whisky, India

Cognac Of The Year: Kelt Cognac Commodore, France

Brandy Of The Year: BHAKTA 50 Year Old 1868-1970 "Thatcher" Barrel 31, France

Liqueurs Of The Year: Solbevi Limoncell, Australia

Mezcal Of The Year: Creyente Tobala

Rtd Of The Year: Lyre's Amalfi Spritz, Australia

Non-Alcoholic Of The Year: Lyre's Italian Orange, Australia

Fruit Spirits Of The Year: Árpád Ginger Spirit, Hungary

Soju Of The Year: Yong Soju, United States

Pisco Of The Year: MARÍA'S de Bou Barroeta, Chile

Bitters And Mixers Of The Year: Underberg Bitters

Japanese Whiskey Of The Year: Hayashi 18-Year Ryukyu Japanese Whisky

Tennessee Whiskey Of The Year: Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey

View Full 2024 USA Spirits Ratings Results Here.

The USA Spirits Ratings looks to recognize and reward brands by Quality, Value, and Package. The international spirits competition is now one of the leading spirits competitions in the world and prides itself in having top trade buyers as judges. The competition is the most relevant spirits competition as it reviews products how trade buyers buy and how consumers buy. 

Judges also score the brands by package which goes into the overall score.

That is why the USA Spirits Ratings are different. It singles out and shines the spotlight on those spirits brands that consumers really want to buy and have a clear market value for trade buyers.

A Competition that judges spirits in three key areas:

1. Their quality
2. Their value for money
3. What they look like

To be an award winner you will need to have top-quality spirits that offer both the trade and the consumer great value for money, and you will need to look good and truly stand out on the shelf and the back bar.