In The Spirits Business blind competition in London, Baileys, Amarula Ethiopian Coffee and Fernet-Branca won gold medals
Fair Baobab, a liqueur made with baobab pulp harvested in Senegal by French brand Fair, received the title of Liqueur Taste Master at The Liqueur & Speciality Masters 2026, a competition run by The Spirits Business magazine. The results were published on November 3. In the speciality spirits section, the equivalent title, Speciality Taste Master, went to Angr Artisan Aquavit, from Norway's Angr Spirits.
The samples were tasted blind by three panels of judges at The Wren Tavern pub in London, in a contest that ranged from fruit liqueurs to vermouth, absinthe and aperitivos. The highest medal is the Master, and the Taste Master title was decided in a final round, among the Master winners of each section only.
Among the liqueurs, Master medals also went to Joseph Cartron's Bergamote; Chinola Guava Liqueur; Soplica Quince; Hachioji Craft Liqueur, from Japan's Tokyo Hachioji Distillery; and the cream liqueur Lovely Mun Luxury Cream Liqueur. In the speciality section, Masters went to Goenchi Coconut Feni, a coconut spirit from Goa, India, and Highland Boundary's Birch and Elderflower Wild Scottish Spirit.
Several brands sold in Brazil came away with gold. In the cream liqueur round, Baileys Original Irish Cream was described by the judges as having creamy, milky sweetness, and Amarula Ethiopian Coffee also took gold. Cointreau L'Unique won gold among the fruit liqueurs, and Fernet-Branca in the fernet round. Gold also went to Becherovka Original, Olmeca Tequila Chocolate and Tullamore Dew Café Honey; Tullamore Dew Honey took silver.
According to The Spirits Business, liqueurs are enjoying a good moment thanks to moderation in alcohol consumption and demand for lighter, daytime drinks. The magazine cites Distilled Spirits Council data: in the United States, liqueur volume was flat in 2025, but sales value rose almost 10%.
Sources: The Spirits Business (November 3, 2026).
