Meili Vodka, originating from Montana, has been awarded Best in Show vodka scoring an impressive 95 points.

The third annual TAG Global Spirits Awards in Las Vegas just concluded, and over the coming days, I’m looking forward to sharing notable highlights with you, starting with the top-rated vodka featured above. But first, let’s brief you on what precisely TAG is and why their evaluations matter.

Marking its presence in the crowded domain of spirits award shows is TAG, an acronym for Tony Abou-Ganim, who penned the work The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails & Vodka Distilled. He invested years on the esteemed panels of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, often considered the grail of all, before launching this one together with Julio Bermejo, an expert on tequila and currently the beverage manager of the iconic Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant, and David Graphsi, a significant figure in international spirits supplies and distribution. They’re joined by around a dozen more industry stalwarts, among them Dale DeGroff and Charlotte Voisey.

Sean Ludford, the executive director, says that “TAG is unlike others”. This year’s panel dedicated specific time to taste and identify those unique attributes that distinguish one product from others. Ultimately, they appraise each product based on a five-point scale of Sapidity — a Latin term meaning to possess and manifest flavour, taste, and savouriness.

That metric was applied to hundreds of bottlings to narrow all entries down to 56 “Best In Shows,” 99 “Finalists,” and 86 “Best Buys.” The Finalist and Best Buy classifications were both introduced in the 2024 awards.

When the time came to taste all the vodka, one bottle was conspicuously superior. The champion (scoring 95 out of 100 possible points) was Meili, a boutique brand that originates from the rugged mountains of Western Montana. The 80-proof spirit, pronounced (MAY-lee), was launched in early 2023 by actor Jason Momoa and his longtime friend and craftsman Blaine Halvorson. The brand creates uniqueness by sourcing farm fresh grains as close to the distillery as possible, and by using one of the “purest water sources on earth” — as determined by EPA standards.

Momoa, who is actually a considerable scotch enthusiast himself, was persuaded to join the venture after Halvorson convinced him that a well-crafted vodka can indeed be sippable—and flavorful—alone, even without adding ice. It’s all about the excellence of the base ingredients. While Meili doesn’t disclose the precise grains used, it’s suspected that some corn is in the distillate due to the subtle sweetness it has (and because it identifies as gluten-free). It has a lovely hint of vanilla on the nose, and there’s a delightful hint of candied citrus zest on the palate.

What you won’t detect here are any traces of ethanol burn. This is an enjoyable pour from the aroma to the finish. It’s easy to understand how it captivated the professional palates at TAG. You can form your own opinion, by purchasing a bottle of the spirit for $30. Recognizable on shelves due to its shiny, slightly iridescent packaging, made entirely from post-consumer recycled glass.

Stay tuned for more Best In Show outcomes from the TAG Global Spirits Awards in the upcoming days!

MIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 19: A sighting of Blaine Halvorson and Jason Momoa at Total Wine & More. They are promoting Meili Vodka at Grove Central on January 19, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photographed by Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images)

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