is open for entries. The World Madeira Awards aims to showcase the best people, products, and places in the global Madeira industry.
World’s Best Trophies, certificate and logo pack
Icons of Drinks
Welcome to the Icons of Drinks
We are delighted to say that the Icons of Drinks are now open for entries and introduce our new online entry system. You can simply make your applications through your customer profile.
The Icons of Drinks Awards are a celebration of the years of hard work that go into every bottle. From the distillers themselves and brand ambassadors, to visitor centre managers, bars, bar tenders and the industry’s communicators – a great deal of craftsmanship, skill and knowledge are imparted at each stage of the process. This is our way of saying thank you to the individuals and producers for their dedication to each innovative release, visitor experience or expert retail service, delivered in a tireless fashion.
A list of rates, categories and definitions can be found here
Taste categories
From a single year, aged continuously in wooden casks for at least 5 years.
Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Sweet
15 years or older
Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Sweet
Special Reserve or Very Old, 10 years or over.
Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Sweet
Aged a minimum of 5 years.
Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Sweet
Finest, Choice, or Select 3 years old but below five years of age.
Frasqueira, 20 years or older
Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Sweet
Vintage
From the grapes of a Declared Vintage Year.
Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)
Has remained in vat for between four and six years before bottling.
Filtered or unfiltered
Single Quinta Vintage
Produced from wines from a single estate.
Design categories
This design category includes only singular bottles without outer packaging. It does include any decorative items such as neck tags or collars. The overall design, including closure, of the glass or PET bottle: shape, colour, functionality and any embossing, decorative finishes, coatings, or direct printed elements as well as visual appeal will be assessed in this category.
This category is designed to cater for all on shelf gift packs. These can be either gift packs containing individual bottles with packaging and accessories (such as glassware) or multi-product sets, including miniatures.
This includes all aspects of on-bottle brand/product communication, including the application of any direct printing onto bottle, capsule or closure, as well as paper and film labels and sleeves. This will be judged on the overall design and quality of materials, print, decoration and application.
This category applies to designs where the number produced was limited, such as for a special production, occasion or season. This can include individual bottles as well as bottles with outer packaging. This does not include gift packs, travel retail exclusives or special edition designs, which should be entered separately.
Packaging for a new product launched after February 1, 2023. This must be a new product, not a re-design of an existing product. Redesigns, please see the redesign/relaunch category.
This is a packaging design that carries through and unites a range or ‘family’ of different products from one producer or brand. To enter this category a minimum of three expressions need to be provided in order to assess the range design.
This category refers to a new or refreshed packaging design created for an existing product and introduced to the market after February 1, 2023. A picture or sample of the previous packaging must be supplied along with a description of what changes have been made and why
This applies to the secondary, outer, presentation packaging, such as cartons, boxes, cases, plinths, chests etc. The presentation will be judged on the overall effect with the bottle in place. This does not include gift packs or speciality designs, which should be entered separately.
This category is for speciality designs or ‘one off’ productions which have been exclusively designed for a very special occasion, are very limited and mostly in a higher price range. Must contain outer packaging. Sale is extremely selected and not generally available.
Products created specifically and only for sale in the duty-free / travel retail market. This can either individual bottles or products with outer packaging.
The judging process
TASTE
Round 1
Each Madeira is tasted in its relevant category to identify and select the category winners. Judges making up the World Madeira Awards panel include international, leading journalists, specialist drinks retailers and industry experts.
Round 2
The ‘Best’ Madeira in each category are then tasted against each other to select the World’s Best Madeira.
DESIGN
All DESIGN judging is conducted by a panel of leading international design experts.
Please send 3 bottles. If you have entered only in design, please only send 2 bottles.
Shipping
When shipping your product, please keep in mind the following:
- Ensure all products are packaged securely.
- Print the packing slip from your online profile for each product and attach this to your package(s)
- Ensure all customs and duties fees are cleared when booking in the shipment yourself. Should the World Madeira Awards be required to pay any charges, you will be invoiced for the amount plus an administration fee.
- The World Drinks Awards has collection depots in Italy and France. You will be provided with all details once your shipment is booked, but you will need to ensure you deliver your entries to the local depot yourself. The transport costs for which are not part of the shipping fee.
Quantities Required
For Taste entries, we require for each entry:
- 3 x 500ml (minimum) Bottles
For Design entries, we require for each entry:
If you have entered both Taste and Design, please provide the number of bottles specified under the 'Taste' entries quantities section.
How to Ship
We are delighted to introduce our shipping system, allowing you to ship your entries straight through our own booking system in conjunction with our shipping partner. For a set shipping fee, that covers customs and duties costs, we get your shipment booked in, picked up and on its way! Download the shipping guide here. Please note this service is available for shipments destined for the UK only. Please check your individual entry confirmation email for details of where to send your shipment.
When you are shipping your entries yourself, please ensure that all customs, clearance and any associated costs have been paid. If these are not paid, World Madeira Awards can either not accept the entries or will have to invoice any costs occurred, including an administration fee. All duty invoices will come directly from our accounts team.
We do accept in-person deliveries. Please contact our awards team at info@worldmadeiraawards.com to ensure someone is on site to receive your package(s).
Rates
Entry fees
Early Entry Rates - only until 30 November |
|---|
| Note: price is for each entry |
|---|
| | 1 entry | 2 entries | 3 entries | 4+ entries |
|---|
| Sterling |
| Taste & Design | £299 + VAT | £279 + VAT | £269 + VAT | £259 + VAT |
| Design only | £199 + VAT | £189 + VAT | £179 + VAT | £175 + VAT |
| Taste only | £199 + VAT | £189 + VAT | £179 + VAT | £175 + VAT |
| Euro |
| Taste & Design | €355 | €345 | €335 | €325 |
| Design only | €235 | €230 | €225 | €220 |
| Taste only | €235 | €230 | €225 | €220 |
| USD |
| Taste & Design | $449 | $429 | $419 | $409 |
| Design only | $299 | $289 | $279 | $269 |
| Taste only | $299 | $289 | $279 | $269 |
| Canadian Dollar |
| Taste & Design | $520 | $505 | $490 | $475 |
| Design only | $350 | $340 | $330 | $320 |
| Taste only | $350 | $340 | $330 | $320 |
Standard Pricing |
|---|
| Note: price is for each entry |
|---|
| | 1 entry | 2 entries | 3 entries | 4+ entries |
|---|
| Sterling |
| Taste & Design | £315 + VAT | £295 + VAT | £285 + VAT | £275 + VAT |
| Design only | £209 + VAT | £199 + VAT | £189 + VAT | £179 + VAT |
| Taste only | £209 + VAT | £199 + VAT | £189 + VAT | £179 + VAT |
| Euro |
| Taste & Design | €375 | €345 | €355 | €345 |
| Design only | €245 | €240 | €235 | €230 |
| Taste only | €245 | €240 | €235 | €230 |
| USD |
| Taste & Design | $449 | $449 | $419 | $409 |
| Design only | $299 | $289 | $279 | $269 |
| Taste only | $299 | $289 | $279 | $269 |
| Canadian Dollar |
| Taste & Design | $535 | $520 | $505 | $490 |
| Design only | $365 | $355 | $345 | $335 |
| Taste only | $365 | $355 | $345 | $335 |
Terms & conditions