ONLY 35 SPOTS AVAILABLE Must be 21+ to participate Become a judge and experience the excitement of the Nashville Premier Spirits Competition, a groundbreaking new feature of the Nashville Whiskey Festival & Battle of the Spirits! Join us on October 11th from 5:30pm-9:30pm at the Cambria Midtown’s The Rux Rooftop Bar & Restaurant to participate in Tennessee’s first-ever Spirits Competition, where a select panel of industry experts and 35 exclusive VIP ticket-holders will judge entries in whiskey, tequila, rum, gin, & more across various categories. With a meticulous double-blind tasting process that guarantees fairness and expertise, this competition is set to be a highlight of the festival. Don’t miss your chance to be a VIP judge and witness history in the making as the best of the best are crowned and celebrated at the Grand Tasting on October 12th. JUDGING: *Integrity is the foundation of our competition. We take great care in selecting judges, creating the proper tasting environment, and respecting each product by giving it the time it deserves.* Who is Judging?: There will be two sets of judges, each with its own set of awards: a traditional panel of five hand-selected judges and “The People’s Choice” awards judged by 35 VIP festival attendees. For each of the 13 categories, there will be two awards: a judges’ award and a people’s choice award. This means a total of 26 awards will be given out at Saturday’s event. Judging Criteria: Each product will be evaluated based on appearance, aroma, taste, and finish. No prior experience required. More information will be provided at the event. Judges’ Qualifications: Our traditional panel consists of industry professionals, including master distillers, spirits industry consultants, and experienced spirit competition judges. The People’s Choice judges are VIP attendees with a passion for spirits, providing a diverse perspective on the entries. Process: All entries will be judged based on merit, not by comparing one entry to another. Each entry will go through a double-blind taste test where samples are tasted in pre-poured numbered glasses so that the judges are unaware of the bottle or its contents. Judges do not receive any information on producer or price point, ensuring each spirit is judged fairly, equally, and without any bias. Notes and scores will be carefully recorded and tallied to determine the winners in each category. Don't miss this exclusive chance to taste rare spirits and be a judge at the Nashville Premier Spirits Competition! *This event is not for public viewing. Purchasing this ticket means you are 1 of 35 judges for the competition. Thank you!* Please feel free to email us at events@corkdorkswine.com for all questions and inquiries. Strong Suggestions for a Safe and Enjoyable Time: #1 - EAT A MEAL! While we’ll have light bites on-site, we encourage you to eat beforehand. #2 - Use the spit buckets. You’re doing a tasting and should pace yourself! There’s no pressure to drink everything you’re trying. The Brand Representatives who will be pouring expect you to spit out their products after trying and won’t be offended if you do. It may seem silly or impolite, but we can assure you this is how the whiskey world works! #3 - Do not pregame the event. There will be PLENTY of alcohol on-site. We promise you’ll have a more safe and enjoyable experience if you wait for the event to start! Location: The Rux - 1612 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37203 (Located on the 9th Floor) Max 10 Tickets per Transaction! Must be 21+ *NO REFUNDS. NO EXCEPTIONS. Tickets are non-refundable. All events will take place rain or shine and event details are subject to change (this event does take place indoors, so weather will not be an issue). We recommend reviewing the full event descriptions, dates & times on our website before purchasing tickets.