The results of the 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC) were published this month and the small, Pittsburgh-based craft spirits producer, Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries (Pennsylvania Pure), has risen to the top yet again, with two Chairman’s Trophies and six spirits ranking 93 or higher.
The Chairman’s Trophy is the highest accolade that can be given to a spirit by the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and this is the third Chairman’s Trophy for the distillery’s flagship brand, Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka, which also took the trophy in 2019 and 2020. It is also the vodka’s 4th time being ranked among the world’s Top 100 Spirits, beating out many globally-known luxury brands.
But perhaps even more notable was the victory of the Boyd & Blair Blood Orange Cosmo, a ready-to-drink cocktail also produced by Pennsylvania Pure which received a near-perfect score of 99 and claimed a Chairman’s Trophy for the second year running. Even more impressive, this ready-to-drink cocktail earned itself the #2 spot on the USC’s Top 100 Spirits of 2023, outperforming not only other ready-to-drink cocktails, but spirits of all kinds including world-renowned vodkas, gins, single malts and aged whiskeys.
The Boyd & Blair brand has a full line of ready-to-drink cocktails which are made using their award-winning Potato Vodka and Silver Rum. The cocktails are never carbonated and packaged in bottles (not cans like most others in the category) and 3 of these bottled ready-to-drinks placed as finalists in the competition, with the Boyd & Blair Keystone Tea receiving a 95 and the Boyd & Blair Grapefruit Mule receiving a 93.
While many other brands often pay to play, buying awards to promote their products, The Ultimate Spirits Challenge remains the industry’s most reputable awards program, relying on the integrity of top experts and a stringent judging system.
“In order to make a truly award-winning spirit, you need to start with great ingredients,” said Barry Young, Master Distiller at Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries. “Our Blood Orange Cosmo is made with natural blood orange, cranberry, lime and our Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka, which is in turn, made from locally grown potatoes and distilled using champagne yeast. These ingredients and the patient processes by which we put them together are to thank for these high scores.”
About Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries
Based in Pennsylvania and captained by our award-winning master distiller, Barry Young, Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries is an independently run craft distillery that produces award-winning Boyd & Blair spirits and read-to-serve cocktails. The success of our flagship 98-rated Potato Vodka led to the development of Cucumber Vodka, Silver Rum and our line of bottled (never canned) and batched by hand cocktails including the Espresso Martini, Blood Orange Cosmo, Lavender Martini and Grapefruit Mule to name a few. Leveraging locally-sourced, premium ingredients and patient, methodical processes, each bottle is a testament to the profound level of care, craftsmanship and experience behind our distillery door. To learn more, please visit boydandblair.com.
Terry Bunch
