The USA Spirits Ratings looks to recognize, reward, and help promote spirit brands that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific spirit drinker. For any spirit brand to earn its place on a retailer’s shelf or a restaurant’s spirit list -  and then vitally stay there - they need to be marketable and consumer-driven and not just produced in the general hope it can find enough people willing to sell and buy it.

That is why the USA Spirits Ratings is different. It will single out and shine the spotlight on those spirit brands that consumers really want to buy and have a clear market value for trade buyers.

Ratings that will judge 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 offers 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 on the back bar.

Quality

The USA Spirits Ratings is not about recognizing spirits that achieve the best scores in terms of just quality, but you would struggle to drink more than a glass of. We want to celebrate spirits that are both enjoyable and easy to drink. spirits that are well balanced, where their acidity, tannins, and alcohol levels all work seamlessly together. That’s the quality factor.

Value for money

You don't need to be the cheapest spirit on the shelf to offer the best value for money. Far from it. A spirit may have a high price tag, but can still offer great value providing it delivers the right quality and taste for a spirit at that price point. The USA Spirits Ratings will assess each spirit for how much value it is offering its customers.

Package and Design

This is arguably the most important part of a spirit brand to get right. For, after all, what a spirit brand looks like is how every consumer chooses the spirit they want to drink. With their eyes first. Up to 65% of consumers will try a new spirit just because it looks good and if you can match that with a price and quality of spirit that offers great value for money, then you are more than halfway home. The USA Spirits Ratings will reward those brands that show they understand their customers, and the price category they are operating in, and have produced a design and package with the right personality to attract and keep their attention. 

Commercially relevant

Crucially all the winners in the USA Spirits Ratings will give future trade spirit buyers, be they for a supermarket, specialist spirit retailer, casual dining or upmarket restaurant, the reassurance that these are spirits that their customers want to buy.

USR organizers

The USA Spirits Ratings has been created exclusively by the Beverage Trade Network, the US drinks events, services, business, and publishing group dedicated to helping drinks producers and brand owners get closer to the buyers, distributors, and retailers that can bring their products to market.

It is part of a new wider USA drinks awards initiative that also includes The USA Spirit Ratings that looks to reward and highlight market-driven consumers.