Spirit'2004
The annual meeting of the Spirits family is a great success
For the 4th year, the spirits professionals enjoyed a world's unique experience, even for these who are accustomed to extraordinary events: spirits among the best ones produced in France, all in one place. Nowhere else can you find together such a reunion of so splendid products. Among other marvels, they were able to taste Cognac and Armagnac from the early 1900s. On the show floor must have been the greatest collection of gold and silver medals awarded for spirits all over the world during the past 10 years, including awards from the International Spirits Challenge in London, The Paris Agricultural Show, or the Mondial of Brussels.
With more than 50 brands from the whole spirits spectrum (Armagnac, Calvados, Cognac, White fruit spirits, Rum, liquors), it is a complete panorama of the best available spirits.
Distilleries among the best ones in France gathered to offer their exquisite spirits to the most distinguished and demanding palates. Indeed, among the visiting professionals of the Spirit' shows, you could have met top barmen, sommeliers and chefs from many starred restaurants, most of the best tables in Paris, including Lasserre, Baltimore, Pierre Gagnaire, Plaza Athénée, Meridien, Concorde, Jules Verne, Meurice, Ritz, Carré des Feuillants, l'Aiguière, 59 Poincaré, Scribe, Crillon, Bastide Odéon, Bistrot Papillon, Meridien 25, Park Hyatt, Bistrot du Sommelier, Relais d'Auteuil, Petrossian, Le Dôme, St-James, Copenhague, Maison de la Truffe or Warwick together with buyers from such famous companies as Hediard, Fauchon, Auchan, Bon Marché, Lavinia, Nicolas, Servair, Concorde Hotels, Verger de la Madeleine, Augé, France Boissons or Au Bon Plaisir and many journalists from the gastronomy press.
The very strong commercial impact of this show is again strengthened by the number and the quality of the professionals who attended the show. During the day, more than 500 enthusiastic visitors came and tasted and chose the spirits on display. Bartenders, liquor stores owners, sommeliers, restaurants, delicatessen and pastry chefs, agents, wholesalers and traders, all kinds of buyers were present at the show.
The Spirit' Trophies, created in 2002 to honour the professionals who do their best to offer spirits to their customers, were awarded again by a professional jury, whose members have all a great experience in the spirits business and represent all the spirits families. The 2004 winners were :
- Pascal HAVEL, Chief Barman at the Bristol Hotel,
- Jacques FILLOT, owner of the Caves Fillot in Gentilly,
- David RIDGWAY, Chief Sommelier at the Tour d'Argent Restaurant
For the second year, the auction house Artcurial Briest Poulain Le Fur and Spirit' have joined their efforts again to organize a new edition of this world's unique event : an auction sale dedicated to great spirits and champagnes. This auction was a new success and the sales reached more than 20,000 € (more than 25,000 US$). It is now becoming the world's reference for spirits auction.
Spirit'2005, the next meeting of the spirits family, will be on Thursday November 3rd, 2005.
