Salute American Vodka has won a gold medal in the 2017 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. Celebrating its 11th year, the annual event recognizes the finest in spirits worldwide, maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism that were set 77 years ago by its partner wine competition.

Since introducing a spirits category in 2007, the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition has set the standard for judging distilled beverages, flavored or not, mixed or straight up. This year, the competition received 392 spirit entries from 146 producers. An astounding 31 countries were represented, including Australia, Barbados, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, UK, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam, Virgin Islands.

“It is an honor for Salute American Vodka to receive a gold medal alongside some of the best spirits in the industry from around the world,” says Michael Lutz, Salute American Vodka’s Operations Manager. “At Salute American Vodka, we stand out because we put the mission first while producing a high-quality, award-winning, craft spirit. The first dollar of every bottle sold goes directly to organizations that support veterans and other American heroes. And, our spirits are one hundred percent American-made, from the ingredients to the packaging.”

The competition was judged by a panel of distinguished experts, including mixologists, spirit journalists, and esteemed bar owners and educators, who participated in a blind tasting, awarding medals to the best spirits from around the world. Salute American Vodka was one of 221 Gold Medal Award recipients.

On Saturday, June 24, members of the public and the spirit industry alike can sample the gold-winning spirits, wines and beers and olive oil from the Los Angeles International Competitions during the Los Angeles County Fair Association’s annual “Cheers” event. In 2016, nearly 1,000 people attended.

Click here for the complete list of this year’s medal winners: www.laspiritscomp.com.

To find a retailer that carries gold medalist Salute American Vodka near you, click here.