John Barleycorn Awards is an international competition created by spirits writers to recognize the preeminent distillers, marketers, and designers of the spirits industry.
The competition gets its name from the centuries-old spirits metaphor John Barleycorn, who was featured in the works of writers, poets, and lyricists like Jack London, Robert Burns, and Steve Winwood.
Taste Marketing Design
The John Barleycorn Society
The John Barleycorn Society is an assemblage of the world’s top journalists and industry professionals who foster a modern approach to recognizing excellence in the spirits industry from seed to glass. Taste, print and digital marketing, package design, public relations, journalism, social media, event production, filmmaking, and bar design are some of the general categories judged by our select panels. The John Barleycorn Society is dedicated to redefining todays spirits awards by acknowledging the entire scope of the industry and revolutionizing the process.
The John Barleycorn Statuette
The John Barleycorn statuette is an iconic representation of a major industry achievement. Instead of the traditional, small, inexpensive medal that other competitions give their winners, John Barleycorn Society went big and dynamic, creating a symbol of the spirits industry that winners are proud to display.
The 11-inch metal casting is a hand-tooled, high-quality piece of art portraying the contemplation of a fine spirit. Each award has a customized plate inscribed with the winner’s information. The statuette is gold or silver depending on the level of achievement. The Barleycorn award is presented in a Tiffany-style display box.
The John Barleycorn Society created the statuette with Society Awards, the most prestigious custom design and manufacturing firm in the awards industry. Society Awards produces the Golden Globes, Emmys, Clios, MTV, YouTube, Academy of Country Music, and many other prominent awards.
"John Barleycorn's inhibition rises like a wall betweenone's immediate desires and long-learned morality."
Jack London
