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When you raise a glass of award-winning wine or spirit, have you ever wondered how it earned the laurels and medals? At the Indian Wines And Spirits Award (IWSA), every recognition is bestowed through a rigorous blind tasting that closely aligns with global standards.
But what exactly is blind tasting, and what is its role in establishing the credibility of an award? Let’s take you behind the scenes of the IWSA Tasting Competition- where expert juries, structured scoring, and a transparent evaluation system come together to crown India’s best wines, whiskies, vodkas, and more.
What is Blind Tasting?
In simple terms, blind tasting refers to the process by which judges evaluate wines and spirits without knowing their brand, price, or origin. The bottles are carefully covered, labelled with codes, and served under strictly controlled conditions.
This process ensures that prestige, packaging or pricing don’t influence judgment. Instead, each glass is assessed only on its appearance, aroma, taste, and finish. The jury members also put on their consumer hats to analyse how the nominee fares on parameters like consumer preference and appeal.
By removing bias, blind tasting guarantees that the winners truly represent commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and authenticity.
The IWSA Blind Tasting Process
The IWSA tasting panel features sommeliers, seasoned mixologists, buyers, hoteliers, and industry veterans. These experts bring diverse perspectives to ensure that both trade professionals and consumers are represented in the final verdict.
Here’s how the process unfolds:
- The blind-tasting competition took place over two days.
- All the nominees were reviewed on a 100-point score sheet.
- Our esteemed jury members judge each nominee without any disclosure of producers or labels.
- Gold and the Best-in-Show winners are re-tasted by the panel chairs and the Chairperson.
The outcome? A transparent, democratic, and credible recognition of India’s finest.
How the Ranking System Works
Winning an IWSA medal is no small feat. Each wine or spirit goes through a tiered ranking system that rewards excellence at every level.
- Best In Show: Nominees that scored the highest points in their category.
- Gold: Nominees that scored 90+ points.
- Silver: Nominees that scored 85-89 points.
Every medal serves as a trusted marker of quality for consumers seeking the best whiskey, best vodka, or best wine in India and from international producers. For producers, it’s a stamp of approval that boosts visibility and establishes brand reputation in both domestic and international markets.
Why Blind Tasting Matters
Think of blind tasting as the great equaliser. Whether it’s a small-batch Indian single malt whisky or an imported red wine, every bottle competes on the same footing. The process celebrates authentic craftsmanship while offering consumers confidence in their choice.
For India’s alcobev landscape, where Indian wines are rapidly gaining global acclaim and categories like craft gin and premium vodka are booming, the IWSA blind tasting process sets a benchmark of trust and excellence.
At the end of the day, the magic of an IWSA blind tasting lies in its fairness and rigour. The awards are not just about naming winners, they’re about shaping the narrative of quality and innovation in India’s vibrant wine and spirits industry.
So the next time you sip an IWSA-winning label, remember: it’s not just a drink in your hand. It’s the result of hours of deliberation, unbiased judgment, and the collective expertise of the industry’s best.
To know more about the upcoming seventh edition of the competition, click here.
