Award season is here, and Shay by Le Portier has all the judges paying attention! The last few months have seen this inaugural release win multiple Silver and Gold awards from the finest competitions at a global level but now we have another two awards to add to Shannon Sharpe’s trophy cabinet, and these are even bigger!
Not content with Gold, Shay has won Platinum – Best in Class at the SIP Awards 2022, placing it above all other established cognac greats in the category, including Courvoisier. This extraordinary award is reserved for ‘a distinguished class that earned exceptional marks from judges’ and the SIP Awards are the only internationally recognized consumer judging spirits competition.
This Platinum – Best in Class win is an extraordinary accolade for a spirit that only launched in November 2022, and recognises the skilled craftsmanship of Shay’s flavor profile that presents as more aged that other VSOPs. Shay brings together an impeccable balance of Grand Champagne, Petite Champagne and Fins Bois, distilled on a traditional Charentais copper pot still and matured in French Oak barrels. It is this careful crafting that has judges united in praise over the caramelized spiced apple, residual butterscotch and the sweet smokiness of s’mores; a complex profile that makes Shay a cut above the rest.
This incredible award recognition comes after recent wins at the most prestigious and influential competitions worldwide, with Gold at The Spirits Business Design & Packaging Masters 2021, Silver from the world-class IWSC 2022, Silver from the International Spirits Challenge 2022 and Gold from The Spirits Business Cognac 2022 in the VSOP Super Premium category.
These sought-after awards recognize the finest products on the market and are highly sought-after, attracting thousands of global entries from brands such as Martell, Courvoisier and Rémy Martin.
In addition to this enviable haul of medals, Shay VSOP Cognac has also just been announced as the Gold medal winner at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition. This is the oldest and largest competition of its kind, with a judging panel made up of the most respected, experienced experts in the spirits industry. A Gold medal is reserved for ‘exceptional spirits that are near the pinnacle of achievement; these products set the standard for their categories’; and those lucky enough to have bought a bottle of Shay before it sold out, would agree.
Shay by Le Portier is the result of a collaboration between Pro-Football Hall of Famer, Shannon Sharpe, and spirits expert and cask connoisseur, Jay Bradley. Commenting on the wins, Jay Bradley said “Shay by Le Portier is a gamechanger in the cognac market. Everyone knows Shannon and they all know how much he loves great cognac. So when we first met I knew that with his taste and my knowledge of how to create the incredible layers of flavor he loves, we could make something that was going to smash the competition. And with six huge awards in six months, I’d say we’ve already done it. Stay tuned though, this is just the beginning.”
These exceptional wins are testament to the skilled crafting of Shay; the result of Shannon Sharpe’s famed determination, dedication and discipline and Jay Bradley’s expertise, alongside the skill of the world’s best luxury designer, as judged by the A’Design Awards, Tiago Russo. Combining Shannon’s appreciation of flavor and cognac with Jay’s understanding of how to craft that flavor into a cognac has resulted in a sensational spirit that is more than deserving of these high wins. The slick design adds a envy-inducing beauty to the packaging, so often overlooked by other companies. Shay’s collectible closures bring a unique edge, with black obsidian and silver detailing making this a highly desirable cognac; a desirability that’s well and truly cemented by these extraordinary wins.
The first drop of the ‘L’ release sold out early on but the remaining bottles from this inaugural release are launching very soon, and will be available in more states across the US. Stay tuned and follow @leportiercognac to find out more.