The inaugural TAG Global Spirits Awards, created by world renowned mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim; U.S. industry veteran David Grapshi; and Julio Bermejo, the American ambassador for Mexico’s National Chamber of the Tequila Industry, is now open for submissions, with the entry deadline scheduled for September 1 at 11 p.m. PT. All entries can be created by visiting the TAG Global Spirits Awards website. The awards will take place October 27–30, 2021, at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
TAG Global Spirits Awards has partnered with Steelite International, a leading manufacturer and supplier of award-winning tabletop and buffet solutions for the hospitality industry, to create what they call the ultimate universal spirits glass, developed specifically for this competition. Abou-Ganim and Steelite worked together with RONA, one of the most renowned crystalline glassware manufacturers in the world, to develop and design the ultimate glass for serving all spirits, from whiskey, brandy, and rum to vodka, tequila, and mezcal. Click here to view images of the universal spirits glass and here for a video of the glassware production process presented by RONA 5 Star Glass.
“When David, Julio, and I designed this glass, we considered each aspect that affects how a spirit presents itself, from bowl opening to diameter and height. We also considered the foot and stem of the glass to ensure ease of use and overall comfort in the hand,” Abou-Ganim says. “The glass that Steellite and Rona created is the best universal tasting glass I’ve ever seen in my decades of tasting spirits and judging events, and we couldn’t be happier with the results.”
The four-day experience will include the most comprehensive global spirits competition in the world, judged by an array of experts from four continents who will crown the best-in-class Grand Finale award winners.
In addition to the category judging rounds, the TAG Global Spirits Awards will also feature educational events for consumer enthusiasts in various spirit categories that will be led by industry experts in a socially informative setting over world-class food and cocktails. Each of these ticketed events will go on sale in August, with additional information to be released at a later date.
The TAG Global Spirits Awards will culminate with a Pink Tie Gala on October 30, where the Grand Finale award winners will be featured along with other brand participants during a celebratory evening featuring food, cocktails, and live entertainment. Proceeds will benefit the Helen David Relief Fund (HDRF), which honors the memory of Tony’s cousin Helen, a beloved bar owner and community leader in Port Huron, Michigan, who beat breast cancer twice in her lifetime. In her name, the HDRF assists those in the bar industry who are fighting cancer with the same dignity and courage that Helen exemplified throughout her battle and life as a pioneer business owner in the bar industry.
For additional information and sponsorship opportunities and to stay updated on all TAG Global Spirits Awards news, visit tagspiritsawards.com and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @TAGSpiritsAwards. For questions about entries, email [email protected].
