First Ever Ultimate Cocktail Challenge Announces Winners and Shakes Up the Spirits World!

NEW YORK, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural Ultimate Cocktail Challenge was held on April 12-14 and today announces the winning spirits. Ultimate Beverage Challenge, a New York-based beverage competitions and events company founded by Judging Chairman F. Paul Pacult, broke new ground with Ultimate Cocktail Challenge by assessing how well spirits performed in classic cocktails.

Expert judges evaluated how, for example, different gins performed in classic cocktails such as the Martini, Gin & Tonic and more. Judges included world-renowned mixology superstars Dale DeGroff, David Wondrich, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Julie Reiner, Steve Olson, Audrey Saunders, Tad Carducci, Doug Frost, Andy Seymour, Don Lee, Jim Meehan and Sean Ludford, Assistant Judging Chairman.

Spirits were judged on the 100-point rating system in multiple rounds. The highest scoring spirit in each cocktail was awarded the coveted Ultimate Cocktail Challenge Chairman's Trophy. For the complete list of results, go to www.ultimate-beverage.com/UCC2010-results/.  

The judges did not know the identity of any of the entered spirits. Cocktails were mixed by handpicked, highly experienced bartenders who carefully followed specific recipes chosen by Judging Chairman F. Paul Pacult and UCC advisors Dale DeGroff and David Wondrich.

ABOUT ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE (www.ultimate-beverage.com)

Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) is the future of beverage competitions today and will provide the industry and consumers with irrefutable evaluations of spirits and wines.  The three Challenges include: Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Ultimate Cocktail Challenge and the upcoming Ultimate Wine Challenge (June 7–11). UBC sponsors include: Saratoga Spring Water, Dare All Natural Crackers, Arc International Chef & Sommelier Glassware and Fever Tree All Natural Premium Mixers.

Ultimate Wine Challenge is now accepting entries at http://www.ultimate-beverage.com/UWC/. May 25, 2010 entry deadline.

SOURCE Ultimate Beverage Challenge