Competition Statute
STATUTE – Carpathian Quality
I. Foreword
Organizer of the competition – Združenie prvovýrobcov a spracovateľov surovín na výrobu liehu, výrobcov liehu a destilátov, ako aj ďalších potravinárskych komodít zo Spiša (hereinafter the „Združenie Spiš), and the co-organizer – Slovenský Rád rytierov destilátov- invite you to attend this exceptional event of distillate producers and sellers from all destinations.
The competition will take place at the region Spiš, town Stará Ľubovňa, the Slovak Republic.
The competition aim is to pay attention primarily to distillates from the countries under the Carpathian Mountains that share the common historical, cultural, „distillation” and gastronomy traditions.
However, the competition is open for distillates from the whole world. It gives opportunity to compare distillates from various regions that differ from one another because of soil and climatic conditions, as well as variability of fermentation and distillation processing methods.
II. Organizer of competition
Association Spiš is an organizer and promoter of the competition.
For purpose of promotion and competition realization, the Organizer shall appoint the Organizational Board chaired by the competition President. Ing. Radko Jurák was appointed a competition President.
III. Competitors and applications
Any person is allowed to participate on the competition, be it producer or merchant, and all distillates from all world destinations can be registered in the competition.
The competitors shall register the samples on the Application Form (Application for Competition) available on the website www.carpathianquality.com and send it to the stated e-mail address. Filled in application shall be automatically sent to the stated contact e-mail address that should be then printed out and sent to the post address of the Spiš Association together with the samples.
The following information is required for registration of samples:
1/ identification of competitor (producer or merchant): commercial name, registered office, company ID and VAT ID, contact, (email address and phone No.) to PR manager
2/ identification of registered distillate: trade name/ brand, vintage, volume percentage and the country of origin
3/ identification of distillate variety
4/ classification in category according to Article VIII. of the Statute
/ eventually other additional information.
IV. Competition samples
Competitor – alcohol distillery shall submit two bottles of volume 0.5 liters to the Organizer´s ownership.
Competitor- cultivation distillery and natural person shall submit one bottle of volume 0.5 liters to the Organizer´s ownership; both subjects will do so in person or via prepaid delivery to the address:
Združenie Spiš
Prešovská 8, 064 01 Stará Ľubovňa, Slovenská republika
All competition samples of the distilleries shall be attached with label similar to the one present during product launching on the market. Particular samples should come from a series batch of volume at least 100 liters. However, the organizer can permit registration of samples corresponding to smaller volumes in case of distillates from small distilleries, or in case of specific styles produced in small volumes, or if they come from valuable cultures/ plants.
The organizer has right not to register or exclude from the competition the samples delivered after the official deadline or if they don´t correspond to the Statute, the nature or the standards of the competition. The samples of distillates that weren´t registered in the competition / were excluded can be taken over at the Organizer in person and the competitor/s will be notified via e-mail on the reasons of failed registration in/ exclusion from the competition.
V. Registration fee
Alcohol distilleries are obliged to pay the registration fee for participation on the competition in the amount of € 100.00. The fee can be settled in cash upon delivery of the samples or via wire transfer on the bank account.
CULTIVATION DISTILLERIES AND NATURAL PERSONS ARE EXEMPTED FROM THE REGISTRATION FEE.
The Organizer shall issue the invoice for the competitor, based on the samples registration. Payment associated cost will be borne by the competitors and they are also responsible for depositing the whole registration fee amount on the Organizer´s bank account.
The Organizer has right to exclude a competitor´s samples from the competition if the competitor has failed to settle the registration fee within the deadline.
VI. Evaluation of samples
Distillates are evaluated in sensory analysis, using 100-point system.
The following criterions are applied during evaluation:
• image: cleanliness and image
• direct sensing by nose: cleanliness, positive intensity and quality of aroma
• sending in mouth: cleanliness, positive intensity, persistence and quality of taste
• overall harmony
The following qualifications are assigned to the evaluated properties, separate per each distillate: excellent, very good, good, acceptable, unacceptable.
These are quantified by assignment of points in the evaluation table so as overall mark could serve to the comparison of distillates within the competition. Distillate with top rating in all evaluated parameters can reach 100 points.
Hypothetical zero rating (40 points) will result in the elimination of a wholly unacceptable distillate. Resulting rating of a distillate by the jury represents a weighted average of all jurors´ marks following the elimination of the values on both ends.
Organizer of the competition shall archive the rating sheets from all jurors for at least two years from the competition date in the form of printed summary signed by professional sponsor of the competition, chairmen of the jury or particular jurors, respectively.
VII. Structure and activity of evaluation committees
Organization Board of the competition will appoint at least three- to five-member tasting committees comprising the distillate specialists. Each committee will be chaired by a prestigious taster/ enologist, or generally recognized distillate specialist, whose task will be to coordinate the committee activity and supervise correct evaluation of the presented samples.
For promotion purposes, the Organization Board can establish also parallel tasting committee amongst the sponsors, journalists and other people – distillate enthusiasts. Their evaluations will, however, be only informative.
Distillate category and vintage will be declared to all jurors including chairmen of the committees. Evaluation shall be strictly anonymous.
The samples with assigned competition number shall be presented one after another in the optimal time sequence as fully covered in order to conceal their identification.
The competition will start with so called light distillates and followed by traditional distillates, non-traditional distillates, so called dessert distillates, grain distillates and finally genevas and gins.
Calibration sample that the Organization Board assigned overall rating before the competition commencement shall be presented to the jurors before the evaluation day. The calibration serves to setting the criterions and harmonization of rating by particular jurors and committees.
For purpose of promotion and competition realization, the Organizer shall appoint the Organizational Board chaired by the competition President. Ing. Radko Jurák was appointed a competition President.
Distillates registered in the competition shall be presented for evaluation at temperatures within 16 – 20°C.
VIII. Competition categories
- category – Distillates supplied by cultivators, distilleries and natural persons
Category A – Slivovica (Plum Brandy)
Category B – Hruškovica (Pear Brandy)
Category C – Marhuľovica and Broskyňovica (Apricot and Peach Brandy)
Category D – Jablkovica (Apple Brandy)
Category E – Čerešňovica and Višňovica (Cherry and Sour Cherry Brandy)
Category F – Grape/ wine distillates
Category G – Other fruits
- category – Distillates supplied by distilleries for distillates (commercially launched on the market)
Category A – Slivovica (Plum Brandy)
Category B – Hruškovica (Pear Brandy)
Category C – Marhuľovica and Broskyňovica (Apricot and Peach Brandy)
Category D – Jablkovica (Apple Brandy)
Category E – Čerešňovica and Višňovica (Cherry and Sour Cherry Brandy)
Category F – Grape/ wine distillates
Category G – Other fruits
Category H – Grain distillates
Category I – Borovička ( Geneva) and Gin
IX. Processing of results and prize awards
Resulting allocation of points to a sample in the competition refers to average value after elimination of the end values, rounded to two decimal points.
Prize award limits of points are as follows:
Golden Distillate – golden diploma: 93 – 98 points
Silver Distillate – silver diploma: 89 – 92.99 points
Bronze Distillate – bronze diploma: 85 – 88.99 points
Further awards in the competition „Carpathian Quality“:
Champion Carpathian Quality
A special final round of evaluation where at least three but max. five top rated distillates move up within particular category, which concurrently reached at least 98 points, will decide about this prize award.
Winner of Category – distillate with highest point rating in particular category.
Carpathian Quality Trophy- awarded GINS and GENEVAS. The winners of the final round of the competition will became the prizewinners, similar to the prize award Champion Carpathian Quality.
The best of Carpathian Quality– Top rated distillate registered by a member the Association Spiš will receive the Challenge Cup.
In case of equal points reached during determination of the winner of particular category, distillate will be awarded that has reached the highest average of points (highest and lowest rating) from all jurors. If equal number of points is reached anyway, the winner of particular category will be announced ex – aequo.
Organizer will have right to announce further prize awards based on the definition published in advance.
X. Marketing and PR
Information about the competition and the results will be published on website www.carpathianquality.com , on social networks, through media partners, PR communication and distribution of newsletter via e-mailing so as the broadest publicity of the competition and the awarded distillates was ensured.
The Organizer shall announce the place and exact time of prize awards ceremony on its website and via e-mail to all competitors, media and promotion partners.
The Organizer will use the distillates not used in the competition for presentation and promotion of the competition at official events, or provide them to scientific and educational institutions for purposes of investigation and teaching.
XI. Final provisions
Competitor accepts the Statute when applying for participation on the competition and commits to proceed in compliance with the Statute provisions.
Organizer has an exclusive right to amend or specify the Statute based on annotations and the needs in effect at the time being.
In case of small amount of registered competition samples in particular category (less than 10 distillates), the Organizer will have right to join together the category/ categories with the closest category. In such case, prize/s will be awarded jointly for both categories. If such joining of categories isn´t possible or if there are less than five samples in a category, the Organizer will not award a prize in such category.
In Stará Ľubovňa, January 27, 2025 Ing. Štefan Zima, PhD.
Chairman of Executive Board
Združenie Spiš