A Grand Achievement: Cierto Tequila Surpasses Historic 1,000+ Awards Milestone
Cierto Tequila, a portfolio of 100% natural, additive-free luxury tequilas, proudly announces a groundbreaking milestone, as it becomes the first-ever tequila brand to cross the 1,000 award mark. This incredible achievement solidifies Cierto’s position as “The World’s Finest Tequila” and a benchmark of excellence and authenticity.
By winning eight (8) medals at the 2024 New York World Spirits Competition (NYWSC), including three (3) Double Gold medals and four (4) Gold medals, Cierto’s all-time tally of international medals and awards is one thousand two (1,002) – making it the Most Awarded Tequila in History. Cierto has now been recognized as a Double Gold winning tequila by NYWSC’s elite judging panel of spirits experts every year in which it has entered the competition. The NYWSC is one of the world’s most prestigious competitions and is a member of the Tasting Alliance series of competitions.
“This is an extraordinary moment for Cierto,” said Ami-Lynn Bakshi, CEO of Elevated Spirits, which owns Cierto Tequila. “Achieving 1,000 awards is a testament to our Master Distillers’ unwavering commitment to quality, craftsmanship and authentic, additive-free tequila that respects the beauty of the agave plant. And to us, it’s a clear signal that the most discerning palates in the world agree that Cierto is truly the gold standard.”
The 1,000-award milestone punctuates a year in which Cierto has received a vast array of signature accolades, including Tequila of the Year at the 2024 London Spirits Competition; Spirit of the Year and Tequila of the Year at the 2024 USA Spirits Ratings; Best Tequila and Best in Class at the 2024 Singapore World Spirits Competition; Tequila of the Year at the 2024 Asia International Spirits Competition; Tequila of the Year at the 2024 Melbourne International Spirits Competition; Best Tequila and Best in Class at the 2024 L.A. Invitational Wine & Spirits Challenge; Best in Class at the 2024 SIP Awards; Best Extra Añejo at the 2024 World Tequila Awards; Best Extra Añejo at the 2024 New Orleans Spirits Competition; Best Añejo and Best Extra Añejo at the 2024 San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge; Best Añejo and Best Extra Añejo at the 2024 Critics Challenge Spirits Competition; and Platinum and Five Double Golds at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, among many others.
“We’re honored, but not surprised, by Cierto’s recognition as a world-class spirit. Our Master Distillers are generational tequila pioneers who continue to chart new territory with their innovative techniques and advocacy for true tequila-making,” said Bakshi. “Our business performance reflects the growing demand for authenticity, with Cierto ending its tremendously successful launch year as the #1 top-selling and fastest-growing new luxury tequila and the #1 top-selling and fastest-growing new additive-free tequila of 2023.* And we’re just getting started.”
Cierto, Spanish for “True,” is pure, elegant tequila patiently crafted using a unique combination of time-honored and globally inspired techniques. Cierto starts with estate-grown agave from the majestic Jalisco Highlands, selected by hand and harvested at peak maturity by renowned agaveros (agave farmers) and Master Distillers – Enrique Fonseca and Sergio Mendoza. The agave is hand-cut, cooked slowly and distilled in copper pots and column stills at the legendary La Tequileña distillery in the town of Tequila.
Cierto's aged tequilas mature in expensive French Limousin oak casks which previously held fine wines and spirits, including Cognac and Armagnac, specifically procured for their ability to gently persuade the agave's essence to emerge. Each aged Cierto expression is blended using unique lots from the storied Fonseca family tequila library, containing some of the rarest and oldest tequilas in existence. No additives or shortcuts are ever used to craft Cierto. The result is a luxuriously smooth and pure-tasting collection of tequilas considered to be the World’s Finest Tequila by spirits competition judges, tequila connoisseurs, sommeliers, Michelin-starred chefs and top bartenders around the world.
“Since inception, Cierto has been on a mission to disrupt the world of luxury tequila, a world rife with artifice and shortcuts,” adds Bakshi. “By putting Cierto to the test in dozens of double-blind competitions and expert tastings around the world, we’ve demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that Cierto, our authentic, true tequila with zero additives, is the best-tasting tequila on the planet.”
Cierto Tequila’s Private Collection and its highly limited Reserve Collection are available at Cierto.com, specialty spirits shops, fine dining and drinking establishments and leading resort properties nationwide.
ABOUT NEW YORK WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION
In its nine-year history, the New York World Spirits Competition, a member of the Tasting Alliance series of competitions, has established itself as one of the most respected judging events in the United States. Their judges – predominantly from the New York area – are among the wine and spirits industry’s most trusted authorities, not only about quality wines and spirits, but also on the tastes and trends that drive the wine and spirits markets.
*Source: NielsenIQ Tequila Category xAOC P52W Ending 12/31/2023
