About the awards
World Vodka Awards 2024 - OPEN FOR ENTRIES
The World Vodka Awards are the global awards selecting the very best in all internationally recognised styles of vodka.
Dates for your diary:
- Shipping Opens: 1st April 2023
- Entry Deadline: 1st October 2023
- Shipping Deadline (product received by): 15th October 2023
Every entrant receives…
- A personalized World Drinks Awards tasting note
- Invitation to the World Drinks Awards final round tasting in London
Winners receive…
- Extensive coverage on WorldDrinksAwards.com
- High resolution logos
- International, regional and national coverage targeting spirit consumers and trade buyers
- Point of sale materials including: stickers and collarets with your award in corporate collars
- All country and world winners are featured in the annual Best Spirits publication
Icons of Drinks
Taste categories
Minimum ABV: 30%ABV. Products can be sweetened. The specific flavour(s) must be declared on the entry form. If more than one flavour is included in the vodka, then main flavour(s) should be specified.
A flavoured vodka is one where the spirit has been processed to add flavour beyond that of the vodka’s base raw materials. It is made by either:
i) the addition of flavouring or essences (“compounding”);
ii) the infusion/maceration of raw material in the vodka;
iii) or a combination of the two.
Aged vodka is a subcategory of flavoured vodka and is a vodka aged in barrels or with wooden chips, staves, etc..
A vodka that has been flavoured, at least in part, by the distillation of botanicals or plant materials and does not solely use extracts/flavourings or infusions. Specific flavour(s) must be declared on the entry form.
Vodka distilled by any method (using pot or column), from any permitted base material(s), in accordance with the country of origin’s regulations. In addition, impurities in aroma and flavour should be filtered out to leave a clear spirit of clean, flavourless, neutral character. Minimum ABV: 37.5%ABV.
Vodkas entered into this category will be judged based on their neutrality / flavourless qualities.
If a vodka has residual base character coming through from the raw materials, it should be entered into the Varietal Vodka category.
An unflavoured vodka where at least some of the residual character of the base material is retained after distillation e.g. apple, potato, etc., but no other flavours are added. Minimum ABV: 37.5%ABV.
Vodkas in this category will be judged on the residual character that comes through from the base spirit. Please declare the base material on the entry form to enable the spirit to be judged appropriately.
Design categories
The overall design of the glass or PET bottle: shape, colour, functionality and any embossing, decorative finishes, coatings or direct printed elements as well as visual appeal.
This includes all aspects of on-bottle brand/product communication, including the application of any direct printing onto bottle, capsule or closure, as well as paper and film labels and sleeves. The pack will be judged on the overall design and quality of materials, print, decoration and application.
This category applies to pack designs where the number produced was limited, such as for a special production, occasion or season.
Packaging for a new product launched after February 1, 2019.
This applies to the secondary, outer, presentation packaging, such as cartons, boxes, cases, plinths, chests etc. The presentation will be judged on the overall effect with the bottle in place.
This is a packaging design that carries through and unites a range or ‘family’ of different products from one producer or brand.
This category refers to a new or refreshed packaging design created for an existing product and introduced to the market after February 1, 2019. A picture or sample of the previous packaging must be supplied along with a description of what changes have been made and why
Packaging created specifically for sale in the duty-free / travel retail market
The judging process
TASTEThe taste judging is held in three rounds.
Round 1Each vodka is tasted in its relevant style to identify and select the style winners. Judges making up the World Vodka Awards panel include international, leading journalists, specialist drinks retailers and industry experts.
Round 2Style winners are tasted against each other to identify the ‘Best’ vodka in each category.
Round 3The ‘Best’ vodka in each category are then tasted against each other one last time to select the World’s Best Vodka. Judges at this stage include those in Round 1 and 2 to whom are added a panel of leading distillers and experts from the vodka industry.
DESIGNAll DESIGN judging is conducted by a panel of leading international design experts.
Please send 3 bottles. If you have entered only in design, please only send 2 bottles.
Shipping
For any enquiries regarding your shipments, please contact
info@worlddrinksawards.com Anita Ujszaszi
Rates
Entry fees
Early Entry Rates - Only until 31 August |
|---|
| Note: price is for each entry |
|---|
| | 1 entry | 2 entries | 3 entries | 4+ entries |
|---|
| Sterling |
| Taste & Design | £245 + VAT | £235 + VAT | £225 + VAT | £215 + VAT |
| Design | £169 + VAT | £164 + VAT | £159 + VAT | £154 + VAT |
| Taste or Design | £169 + VAT | £164 + VAT | £159 + VAT | £154 + VAT |
| Euro |
| Taste & Design | €315 | €305 | €295 | €285 |
| Design | €210 | €205 | €200 | €195 |
| Taste or Design | €210 | €205 | €200 | €195 |
| USD |
| Taste & Design | $410 | $395 | $380 | $365 |
| Design | $280 | $270 | $260 | $250 |
| Taste or Design | $280 | $270 | $260 | $250 |
| Canadian Dollar |
| Taste & Design | $460 | $445 | $430 | $415 |
| Design | $320 | $310 | $300 | $290 |
| Taste or Design | $320 | $310 | $300 | $290 |
Standard Pricing |
|---|
| Note: price is for each entry |
|---|
| | 1 entry | 2 entries | 3 entries | 4+ entries |
|---|
| Sterling |
| Taste & Design | £260 + VAT | £245 + VAT | £235 + VAT | £225 + VAT |
| Design | £184 + VAT | £179 + VAT | £169 + VAT | £164 + VAT |
| Taste or Design | £184 + VAT | £179 + VAT | £169 + VAT | £164 + VAT |
| Euro |
| Taste & Design | €325 | €315 | €305 | €295 |
| Design | €215 | €210 | €205 | €200 |
| Taste or Design | €215 | €210 | €205 | €200 |
| USD |
| Taste & Design | $430 | $415 | $400 | $385 |
| Design | $290 | $280 | $270 | $260 |
| Taste or Design | $290 | $280 | $270 | $260 |
| Canadian Dollar |
| Taste & Design | $490 | $475 | $460 | $445 |
| Design | $335 | $325 | $315 | $305 |
| Taste or Design | $335 | $325 | $315 | $305 |
Terms & conditions
- Products must be sent by prepaid post and be received by the Shipping Date listed.
- Entries are only accepted on a completed online entry form with the appropriate entry fee.
- If an entry is withdrawn by the Due Date (or disqualified), the entry fee will be returned subject to an administration charge of 50% of the entry fee. Products will be made available for collection at the entrant’s expense or retained by the Organiser if not collected within eight weeks of the due date. Due Date is the entry deadline.
- If an entry is withdrawn after the Due Date, no refunds will be given. This includes entries for which product has not been received.
- Payment in full is required before judging commences.
- Substitutions of entries is possible, but needs to be communicated to the World Drinks Awards prior to the Due Date.
- If you are shipping your entries yourself, please ensure that all customs, clearance and any associated costs have been paid in advance. If these costs are not paid, the World Drinks Awards will invoice any costs occurred, including an administration fee. If these costs remain unpaid, the World Drinks Awards are unable to accept the entries.
- The judges’ decision on all matters is final.
- The Organisers may, at their discretion, refuse to accept an entry.
- The Organisers may alter the closing date for the awards, place an entry in the most appropriate style, rule that an entry may not compete or is ineligible to compete, or alter the date, time or place on or at which the awards are scheduled to take place.
- The Chair of Judges has the power to disqualify any entry not deemed as meeting the entry criteria.
- These rules are governed by the laws of the UK.
- Please note, bottles are unable to be returned. Our policy on unreturned bottles is as follows:
- Opened bottles may be poured at trade and consumer events to promote the individual brand, or included in a charity bottling, the proceeds of which are distributed to charity.
- Closed bottles may be distributed to individual charities on a case by basis, or presented for auction, all proceeds of which are distributed to charity.