IDS is a unique drinks industry feedback, evaluation and awards entry consultancy. Our product evaluation gives: confidential, honest, accurate and constructive feedback from leading global drinks judges and experts; consumer-friendly tasting notes; and a score which indicates potential results at competitions.
Our score badge is also a good reflection of the product’s quality to buyers and consumers, and is increasingly used by our clients alongside medals and awards. In addition we provide advice on awards and competitions entry strategies.
We’ve helped many small and medium sized distillers and brand owners: from those starting at the R&D stage, through to those with high quality, well-established products. IDS has a solid track record of assisting producers: we’ve helped clients turn already-good products into some of the best in the world, and winners of top medals/awards at respected international events.
Recent Posts
- We are 4 years old now – big thanks to all our supporters on this lovely milestoneby Tobias GornWe are 4 years old with a major industry award and many happy clients and over 50 members of a…
- Reflections on Drinks Competition Judgingby Tobias Gorn“How do you even end up with this amazing job? What’s the trick?” I get this question all the…
- In The Welsh Windby Tobias GornIt’s now time to highlight a very special distillery in Wales. Peculiar name, great location and a lot of knowledge and innovation makes this project very exciting and unique. Not to mention their journey on the route to their very own whisky.
- INDIA: EMERGING AS A THRIVING DESTINATION FOR WHISKY ENTHUSIASTSby Rojita TiwariWhile it may not be officially recognized yet, India, the world’s most populous country, is rapidly becoming one of the most promising markets for whisky sales. Rojita Tiwari provides insights into this growing trend
- Shochu by Toshio Ueno and Marie Cheong-Thongby Marie Cheong-Thong and Toshio UenoShochu: The Drink of the Gods The world of spirits – of the imbibing kind – is indeed intriguing, from whisky to vodka to a plethora of world gins to Asian spirits and many, many more.
- Tobias ‘Toby’ Gorn – On Drinks Competition Judgingby Tobias Gorn‘How do you even end up with this amazing job? What’s the trick?’
In The Welsh Wind
We were referred to IDS by one of the brands that we work with. We were particularly keen to receive feedback on our first ‘own brand’ gin, after developing award winning gins for other brands and businesses. We recognised the value in having our spirits assessed by such a well qualified panel and felt that this would give us confidence in marketing and promoting our product. The process was incredibly easy. After speaking with Toby, we simply sent him a bottle of our gin and he organised samples etc for the tasting panel. We received detailed and valuable feedback which has helped us as we enter awards – and we were delighted to see the scores we received from IDS quickly reflected in competitions such as Gin Masters and USA Spirits Ratings.
Broken Hill Distillery – Australia
“As a small, some would say micro distillery, located in the vast Outback of Australia, in 3 years, we have created our fleet of gins into multi award winners on the world stage. But we knew with a little bit of help, we could make them even more accomplished.
We reached out to Tobias and International Drink Specialists to gain the sort of feedback and commentary that will indeed fine tune our Gins and lift them to the next level.
The response and critiques were both educated and genuine. With their advice taken on board we are now progressing on our desired path with a clear focus. The cost of this critique process is far outweighed value received. Fantastic communication, brilliant people and great delivery.”
Eric Hanna, Broken Hill Distillery.
Sky Wave Gin
We wholeheartedly recommend these guys. Great service and robust, honest feedback.
[and commenting on the above testimonial from Spirit of One]
We agree. These guys are just fabulous and a wonderful asset and resource for the industry.
The Wrecking Coast Distillery
Mahua
I was recommended to work with International Drinks Specialists through a friend. It is hard to start a new venture – Sometimes it feels like pushing a shopping trolley up a mountain full of rocks, but Tobias reassured us that our product was superior to others in the market and he did this with such easy charm that we thought that it was well worth it. We are really glad that we did as it has been great to tap into such an extensive knowledge base and to always know that we can get support when we need it. We have found the entire experience invaluable.
So many thanks for all of your support and advice. You’ve been utterly amazing!
Marcel Gin Liqueur
My sincere appreciation for the invaluable feedback and support that IDS has provided in our quest to develop something out of the ordinary . Their expertise and professionalism have made a significant difference in our journey so far.
IDS has been our trusted pilot, offering honest and constructive feedback, both positive and negative. Working with Tobias and his team has been exceptional. Their professionalism and knowledge are unparalleled, and the feedback process has been thorough and efficient. Tobias’s advice on worldwide competitions was also very helpful.
From now on, IDS will be our go-to for benchmarking our products. Their judging panel ensures that consumers trust in the quality of our offerings.
We highly recommend IDS to any business, established or new, seeking to improve and succeed in this field.
Desi Daru
IDS has been a wonderful service for Desi Daru. As a research scientist by profession, I have spent many months developing a vodka to be proud of, and IDS provides the perfect service for someone in my shoes. I want honest, candid feedback which would help me improve and enhance my product. The professionalism showed by Tobias is exceptional, and I look forward to continuing to work with IDS on our future product lines.
Nordic Gin House
By entering a formal cooperation with IDS we have gained a very honest and trustworthy evaluation on each of our brands. Useful and professional feedback to bring forward to our marketing and production team to improve our ambition to bring the best for the Nordic area.
Steam Gin
We would like to thank the @internationaldrinksspecialists for their amazing work. The team of Steam Gin is always open for feedback, but IDS takes it to another level.
The information that you receive is very objective, detailed and, most important, gives a deeper insight in your products. As a brand, this is feedback that you can really implement. The group gives an excellent service for the price that you pay. Most importantly, IDS was the first group who got so close to describing the correct ingredients of our gins!
White Ridge Gin
Dear International Drink Specialists, Tobias and the team,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to express my deepest appreciation and heartfelt gratitude for your remarkable support in creating the White Ridge craft gin. It is with great pleasure that I acknowledge the excellence and mastering demonstrated by you and your team throughout the entire process.
From the moment of the first contact until the end result it become became evident that your input and recommendations will make a great impact.
Your expertise in the art of drink-making is unrivalled, the level of precision and creativity that you have brought to the creation of White Ridge is truly remarkable. The gin possesses a unique balance of botanicals, expertly combined to create an exceptional sensory experience for those fortunate enough to partake in its pleasures.
Beyond the extraordinary product itself, I am deeply grateful for the support and guidance your team provided throughout the journey. Your unwavering commitment to ensuring customer satisfaction and your willingness to go above and beyond in every aspect truly sets you apart. Your professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine passion for your work are truly commendable.
In conclusion, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to International Drink Specialists and personally to Tobias Gorn, including the entire team for the outstanding support and expertise you have demonstrated in the creation of White Ridge.
Once again, please accept my deepest appreciation for your remarkable contributions. May our future endeavours continue to bring joy and delight to all who are in love in GIN.
With warmest regards,
The Founder of White Ridge Gin
Blacklion Vodka
Invaluable evaluation and feedback to really help benchmark your product, but also very knowledgeable and personable. With a background in farming and little experience of the drinks business, we engaged IDS to put our product through their respected panel of expert, international judges. The process was very quick and we received honest, unbiased feedback. We are VERY excited about our score which has given us the confidence to market and promote our product, guaranteeing our customers that they are buying a quality, super-premium spirit. We hope to see our evaluation and scoring reflected in future awards.
Broken Heart Spirits
Hovdenak Distillery
IDS is great for benchmarking your product, so after we discovered IDS we decided that all our products should go through their judging panel. If you want honest feedback on your hard work or if you are just making changes to your recipe IDS is a great company to use to help you improve if needed. Using IDS you can assure your consumers that they are buying a quality product that has been before panel of respected international judges.
Divine Gin
Ginagain Spirits Limited
The communication, attention to detail, and valuable insights provided by International Drinks Specialists have been truly remarkable. As we’ve been refining our gin according to our preferences over recent years, receiving direct and candid opinions from a fresh perspective has been immensely valuable. Beyond just supplying the valuable feedback on our gin, IDS went above and beyond by suggesting suitable competitions, recommending the ideal category we should compete in, and outlining additional strategies to elevate our brand. The wealth of information surpassed my expectations, and I am sincerely appreciative of IDS for their thoughtful feedback.
Rick Allen
Owner
Ginagain Spirits Limited
G.H.Q. Spirits
The Spirit of One
IDS came highly recommended to us by a friend of the brand. We had been deliberating about our awards strategy and unsure about where to enter a new product. IDS provided us with a clear, honest perspective on the awards landscape, saving us a great deal of time and money in the process. They also came to us with an invaluable, robust point of view on our product range, and insightful recommendations for product development and positioning in the market. We were so impressed with the quality and speed of their feedback that we decided to work more closely with them to help finalise the product for launch. Once again, the recommendations provided were incredibly useful and led to our new vodka securing a Gold award prior to launch. Finally, but certainly not least, it is an utter pleasure working with Tobias. Aside from his clear wealth of knowledge, he bends over backwards to help. Hugely impressed.
Little Brown Dog Spirits
International Drinks Specialists gave us the assurance we needed to nail down our final recipe. It was a massive decision for us to make after a lengthy development period. We knew what we wanted to create but the clear, unbiased feedback from IDS on the three recipes we submitted gave us the confidence to go forward and pick that final recipe. It was very reassuring to have that extra voice from someone who’s opinion we valued immensely. Little Brown Dog would have no hesitation in recommending the services of IDS, thank you!
Sông Cái Distillery
International Drinks Specialists has been an excellent and detailed lens through which to submit our distillery’s products. Their comprehensive evaluation, submitted after undergoing a complex review with their tasting committee, has helped our brand understand both where the product is, and where it could go within the spirits industry.
We are very much looking forward to using the evaluation and combined expertise of Tobias and his team to continue to excel in the market with our products.
Newbold Spirits
International Drinks Specialists have been invaluable help to Newbold Spirit. As a new business, we have appreciated their expert help, advice and guidance – all given in a super friendly and knowledgeable manner. From helpful suggestions on product development, to recommendations in the competition world – IDS have been just an email away to our many questions.
Igneous Gin
As a brand-new, family-run distillery/brand we cannot emphasise enough how important the support and advice that we have been provided by International Drinks Specialists has been.
When you create a product that you are immensely proud of, and thoroughly adore, it is so important to receive honest and constructive feedback. It’s not only galvanizing to know that our gin is in fact a really great product, and not just in our own opinion, but also it has shown us where we can gain extra strength going forward.
Since we received our feedback and score from IDS we have also received from them several recommendations to both potential stockists and for valuable competitions to further raise awareness of our brand and gin. We are hugely excited for the year ahead and all the potential opportunities which have come about through no small part by the fantastic help of Tobias and IDS.
Liquorsmiths
Working with Tobias and the team at International Drinks Specialists was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The professionalism and knowledge that the IDS have is unparalleled, and we knew immediately that we had chosen the best evaluators to analyse and score our products. The process was quick and the sensory feedback was exceptionally thorough. Tobias also advised us on a number of competition entries which were hugely beneficial to our brand. Nothing has been too much trouble for IDS, we couldn’t recommend them enough!