DOUBLE-GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Pennsylvania Dutch Salted Caramel Cream Liqueur
(Dairyland Distillers, PA)  25° prf

Aroma: Caramel, salted caramel, sweet caramel, cream, buttery, almond, salty.

Palate: Caramel, creamy salted caramel, creamy, powdered sugar, vanilla, nutty, clove, salty, creamy & salt balance, as promised, as described, nails it, dense, creamy, dessert, great flavor, excellent.

Finish: Perfect caramel, vanilla, natural flavors, balanced, creamy, lush, great with coffee, delicious.

Double Gold Medal

Vicario Herbal Amaro Liqueur
(Salute!, SC)  76° prf

Aroma: Herbs, bitter herbs, dandelion, juniper, gentian, cloves, Indian spices, crushed red pepper, black pepper, sweet wine, musty, chartreuse wood.

Palate: Anise, fennel, artichoke, dandelion, alpine notes, herbaceous, intense herbal, Asian spice, white/black/red peppers, chicory, gentian, wormwood, bitter, chartreuse, savory.

Finish: Brown sugar, rhubarb, sage, spicy vermouth, bitter, drinks like higher proof, savory, beautiful.

Double Gold Medal

Du Nord Craft Spirits Cafe Frieda Coffee Liqueur
(MN)  52° prf

Aroma: Coffee, great espresso, warm roasted coffee, yummy dark roast, cold brew coffee, chicory, creamy coffee.

Palate: Real medium roast, low acidity coffee, espresso, sweet coffee, raw coffee beans, coffee grinds, hint of chicory, vanilla, toast, cold brew with a Jack, smoke, well balanced, rich, better than Starbucks.

Finish: Espresso, coffee integrated, balanced, robust, great for dessert.

Double Gold Medal

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Select Aperitif Liqueur
(Montenegro SRL, Italy)  35° prf

Aroma: Herbs, bitter herbs, bitters, bitter orange, cherry, cranberry, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, Campari, wine, sweet undertones.

Palate: Authentic bitters, bitter orange, bitter fruit, lemon, ginger root, nicely herbal, cinnamon Red Hot candy, clove, bitter/sweet, well-balanced, make me a Negroni.

Finish: Vanilla, rhubarb, lingering mint, bitter, vermouth, very soft, for cocktails.

Gold Medal

Pennsylvania Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur
(Dairyland Distillers, Phila., PA)  25° prf

Aroma: Milk chocolate, cocoa, cream, caramel, dense chocolate milk, Horchata chocolate milk, mocha, coffee.

Palate: Chocolate milk, cocoa, hot cocoa, Yoo Hoo, chocolate cake, chocolate cream, cream, white chocolate, Irish cream, hazelnut, not overly complex, smooth, better than Bailey’s Irish Cream, delicious, creamy deliciousness.

Finish: Chocolate, caramel, heavy cream, balanced, integrated flavors, nice, soft.

Gold Medal

Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur
(C88 Holdings, KY)  60° prf

Aroma: Fresh shelled pecans, damp pecans, pecan pie, butter pecan, nuts, vanilla, honey, rich.

Palate: Pecan, roasted nuts, candied pecans, sugared pecans & cashews, brown sugar, maple syrup, toffee, vanilla, toasty, baking spices, viscous, rich, full flavors, fresh in shell pecan whiskey, yum!

Finish: Pecans, nutty, maple, honey, sweet, smooth, great.

Gold Medal

Joe Gambino's Bakery King Cake Rum Cream
(Sidewalk Side Spirits, WI)  34° prf

Aroma: Sweet cream, eggnog, great rum cream, tres leches cake, pineapple, slightly fruity, cinnamon, rum.

Palate: Cream, whipped cream, spicy Irish cream, Christmas eggnog, tres leches cake, coconut, tropical fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon, layered spices, light touch on the sugar, great mouthfeel, nice balance of cream and rum, nice elegance.

Finish: Cream, cinnamon cream, Italian fruit cake, almond, lingering rum, nicely balanced, great.

Gold Medal

Sorel Artisanal Liqueur
(Jack From Brooklyn, NJ)  30° prf

Aroma: Hibiscus, plum, cranberry, pear, ginger, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, cinnamon stick, Christmas spice, Christmas candle.

Palate: Hibiscus, sorrel, cranberry, cherry, sweet prune, baked apples, pear, herbal, clove, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, tart, mulled wine, nicely blended flavors, nice balance, like homemade.

Finish: Perfect pear, orange peel, herbal, cinnamon, mulled red wine, flavorful.

Gold Medal

Amaro Sibona
(Italy)   56° prf

Aroma: Rich herbal, eucalyptus, menthol, minty, rhubarb, coca cola, tree bark, cool breezes.

Palate: Herbal, anise, licorice, spearmint, menthol, cola nut, sassafras, wormwood, alpine, jammy mouthfeel, easy, soft, smooth.

Finish: Lingering herbs, mint, dried citrus peel, touch of coffee, very smooth, flavorful, drink neat.

Gold Medal

Five Farms Single Batch Irish Cream Liqueur
(County Cork, Ireland)  34° prf

Aroma: Sweet cream, clotted cream, creamy, maple cream, caramel, rich berry quality, hints of whiskey.

Palate: Fresh cream, milk shake, sweet, cream, brown sugar, light whiskey, soft flavors, sweet, dense, creamy, delicate, classic, well done.

Finish: Cream, classic cream recipe, great whiskey flavor, creamy, pleasant, delicious.

Gold Medal

Amaro Nardini
(Italy)  58° prf

Aroma: Dried cherries, chocolate, raisins, cola, orange, herbs, herbal, mint, tree bark.

Palate: Cherry, chocolate, cola, vanilla, bitter orange, floral, Italian herbs, herbal, licorice, mint, touch of green pepper, earthy, wood, nice bitterness.

Finish: Orange peel, herbal, eucalyptus, cardamom, smooth, pleasant.

Gold Medal

Pomp & Whimsy Gin Liqueur
(L.A., CA)  60° prf

Aroma: Unripe mango, mango Jolly Rancher, Juicy Fruit gum, burnt banana, honey, florals, botanicals, herbal, bitter herbs, jalapeño.

Palate: Mango, peach, sweet pear, banana, quince, honey, maple, vanilla, herbs, herbaceous, sweetened herbs, yarrow, a bit of sage, slight green pepper, has a gin quality, silky, great for after dinner.

Finish: Rose, menthol, green pepper, fresh, nice, pleasant, easy drinking.

Gold Medal

Amaro Montenegro
(Bologna, Italy)  46° prf

Aroma: Herbal, citrus peel, Montenegro lemons, apricot, marshmallow,hint of mint, black tea, rich.

Palate: Lemon, lime, tangerine, apple, hibiscus, floral, maple, marshmallow, licorice, black tea, soft mint, herbal, wormwood, spice, woody.

Finish: Herbal, anise, licorice, lingering dried mint, floral, loads of flavors, sweet & bitter, smooth.

Gold Medal

SILVER MEDAL WINNERS

Big O Ginger Liqueur
(OTT Enterprises, MO)  34° prf

Aroma: Ginger, candied ginger, ginger beer, apricot, fennel, forest floor, alpine.

Palate: Ginger, candied ginger, ginger ale, rose, herbs, wormwood, alpine, cardamom, spicy digestif, soft.

Finish: Gingery, creamy ginger, anise, cloves, chicory, sweet, complex flavors, smooth, great cocktail mixer.

Silver Medal

Badel 1862 Antique Pelinkovac Herbal Wormwood Liqueur
(Croatia)  70° prf

Aroma: Anise, black licorice, minty, herbal, hyssop.

Palate: Anise, licorice, wormwood, minty, very herbal, Ricola, toffee, chicory, oregano, spices, bitter, intense flavor, smooth.

Finish: Anise, minty, herbal, coffee, lingering wormwood, bitter, balanced, nice complexity, authentic, smooth, easy drinking.

Silver Medal

Vicario Cocoa Inferno Liqueur
(Salute!, SC)  70° prf

Aroma: Chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa, bitter chocolate, demerara sugar, caramel, gingerbread, orange peel, Mexican red chili, chili spice, spicy.

Palate: Chocolate, cocoa, spicy chocolate, peppered chocolate, Red Hots candy, caramel, orange peel, jalapeño, chili, lingering spice, heat, salty, sweet/sour, zesty.

Finish: Chocolate, touch of caramel, orange peel, chipotle, nice heat, luscious mouthfeel, complex, interesting, compelling.

Silver Medal

Blue Rascal Distillery Blueberry Liqueur
(NJ)  60° prf

Aroma: Blueberry, blueberry compote, blueberry pie, blackberry, dried berries.

Palate: Ripe blueberries, the juice after you thaw frozen blueberries, blueberry compote, sweet berries, tonic water, hint of bitters, tart.

Finish: Mixed berries, citrus, high sugar, easy to mix for cocktail, pleasant.

Silver Medal

Rock N Roll Licor de Tequila Mango
(Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico)  64° prf

Aroma: Ripe mango, touch of tangerine, tropical fruit, bubble gum, touch of agave, funky.

Palate: Mango, dried mango, mango skin, fuzzy peach, pineapple, plum, melon, candy cane, vanilla, slight herbs, syrupy, great flavor.

Finish: Mango, citrus, tropical fruit, Coco Lopez, nice, smooth, rich.

Silver Medal

Passoã The Passion Drink Liqueur
(The Netherlands)  40° prf

Aroma: Passion fruit, mango, peach, tangerine, tropical fruit, tropical fruit punch, citrus, orange Kool-Aid, mixed fruit.

Palate: Passion fruit, mango, peach, pineapple, orange, citrus, candy confection, cake, tart, nicely balanced.

Finish: Cherry, fruit punch, tart.

Silver Medal