Diageo Brands Triumph at 12th Annual San Francisco Spirits Competition

Diageo Products Receive 4 Double Gold Medals Including Recent Launch Captain Morgan Black

Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey Named "Best In Class"

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Apr 19, 2012, 02:03 ET

NORWALK, Conn., April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Diageo brands were recognized across the board for their excellence at the 12th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition, winning a grand total of 47 medals, 17 of which were gold or double gold. Jose Cuervo Reserva de La Familia Tequila, Tanqueray London Dry Gin, and Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey all received Double Gold recognition, and Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey was also awarded the highest accolade of "Best Irish Whiskey." One of Diageo's most recently launched products which has just hit shelves, Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum, also received Double Gold recognition.

Whisk(e)y and vodka were the standout categories for Diageo, receiving 14 and 13 medals respectively. In Scotch, Irish or Canadian whisk(e)y, Diageo whisk(e)y brands saw multiple medals across brands: Bushmills won six awards, two of which were gold and one double gold, Bulleit Bourbon won two gold medals and Crown Royal and Grand Old Parr each brought home a gold medal.

Diageo brands also performed very well in the liqueur, gin, tequila and rum categories, with most brands winning multiple medals. Don Julio and Jose Cuervo won six and five medals respectively including a double gold medal for Jose Cuervo Reserva de La Familia Tequila. Smirnoff vodka, the world's biggest selling premium spirit, received 11 medals, ranging from bronze to gold with Smirnoff Whipped Cream receiving gold.

Larry Schwartz, President, North America Diageo commented: "It is an honor to be recognized by such a prestigious award. I am especially proud that our recent innovations –Captain Morgan Black and Smirnoff Whipped Cream–received such high accolades. These fantastic results are indicative of the quality our customers have come to expect from all of our brands, and are a testament to the outstanding quality of Diageo's portfolio and innovation pipeline."

A full breakdown of Diageo winning brands at the 2012 San Francisco Spirits Competition is available on request, and all of the double gold and gold medal winning brands can be found below.

Double Gold:

Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey- Best Irish Whiskey
Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
Jose Cuervo Reserva de La Familia
Tanqueray London Dry Gin

Gold:

Baileys Original Irish Cream
Bulleit Bourbon
Bulleit Rye
Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Crown Royal Deluxe Canadian Whisky
Grand Old Parr 12 Year Old De Luxe Scotch
Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado Tequila
Smirnoff Vodka No. 21
Smirnoff 100 Proof Vodka
Smirnoff Cherry Flavored Vodka
Smirnoff Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka
Smirnoff Orange Flavored Vodka

About Diageo
Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Windsor, Buchanan's and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

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SOURCE Diageo