Gold Medal Ratings from all Members of the Judging Panel Recognizes the Finest Spirits in the World

Hanover, MD, April #, 2022 – GEORGE’S BEVERAGE COMPANY™️ is pleased to announce OLD BAY® VODKA was awarded the Double Gold Medal in the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Double Gold Medal is awarded to entries that receive Gold Medal ratings from all 34 members of the judging panel who are well-established spirits industry experts.

“We launched OLD BAY® VODKA last month after working for three years to create a great tasting spirit with the quintessential yet subtle flavors of OLD BAY,” said Greg David, co-owner, GEORGE’S BEVERAGE COMPANY™️. “The goal was to make a great tasting and balanced flavored vodka that is both drink and food recipe driven. Now, less than one month later, to receive the highest award in the most prestigious competition on an international level, is validation of the teams’ hard work and passion to bring a great spirit to life to share with the public. The perfect partnership between GEORGE’S BEVERAGE COMPANY™️, OLD BAY®, a brand of McCormick & Company, Inc., and McClintock Distilling – all MD based, paved the way to this success.”

The Judging Process

OLD BAY® VODKA went through four days of highly controlled blind tastings by an experienced panel of judges that taste each spirit to decide if its medal worthy. The judges do not receive any information on the producers or price points to ensure each spirit is judged fairly, equally and without bias.

The second round of judging, called the Medal Round allows for judging each entry on its own merit. While tasting, judges evaluate each product on an individual basis – not compared to other entries in the flight. During this stage, judges determine which entries are worthy of a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal. Entries that receive a gold medal from all the judges on the panel earn a Double Gold Medal.

The Story

Crafted at McClintock Distilling in Frederick, Md., OLD BAY® VODKA is all natural, made from corn and six times distilled for maximum purity and smoothness. The vodka perfectly highlights the quintessential flavor of the iconic OLD BAY® spice blend.

“The idea to collaborate to craft OLD BAY® VODKA made perfect sense from the start,” said Greg David, co-owner, GEORGE’S BEVERAGE COMPANY™️. “We already had national distribution with top liquor distributors and a sustainable supply chain. The next step was identifying a local craft distillery that we could trust and that shared the same commitment to quality, craftmanship and sustainability, we found all this in McClintock Distilling.”

“OLD BAY® has been a fan-favorite for over 75 years in the Chesapeake Bay region and beyond,” said Jill Pratt, Chief Marketing Excellence Officer, McCormick. “Our fans are loyal and passionate when it comes to all things OLD BAY®. We’re thrilled to work with George’s to bring the one-of-a-kind flavor of OLD BAY® to fans in entirely new, exciting, and innovative ways.”

McClintock Distilling, named best craft vodka distillery in the country by USA Today, is a craft distillery located in Frederick, Md. The company mirrors the GEORGE’S BEVERAGE COMPANY™️ values as a locally sourced business with a focus on product quality, environmental impact, and community betterment. When approached about the opportunity to craft the first OLD BAY® VODKA, the McClintock team said, “absolutely” and built out a dedicated state of the art facility for production.

Bringing together expertise in flavor, spirits, and craft distilling – OLD BAY® VODKA combines the taste of the region with the smooth finish that’s easy to drink on or off the rocks or as a unique ingredient upgrade for classic cocktails and alcohol-infused recipes alike. OLD BAY® VODKA is seventy proof or 35% ABV. It is distributed by Breakthru Beverage MD and Breakthru Beverage DE.

For more information and recipes, visit OLDBAYVODKA.COM. Share your love of OLD BAY® by following the brand on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.