2024 Judging Chairs & Judge Panelists
Competition Chairs
Christopher J. Davies
Co-Founder, Chairman
Wine Country Network, Inc
Darcy R. Davies
Co-Founder, President
Wine Country Network, Inc
Confirmed Judges
Eric Anderson - USA
Food & Beverage Purchasing Director, and Professional Spirits Judge
Eric has been Colorado Area Procurement Director for Hyatt Hotels since 2021.
Prior experience includes twenty years as Procurement Manager at the Omni Interlocken Hotel in Broomfield, Colorado. He has been integrally involved in planning numerous food and wine tastings, and whisky and cigar events. Eric is a level one certified sommelier.
He also worked with Omni Hotels' mobile task force, solving purchasing and staffing problems around the USA.
Mr. Anderson is a respected wine and spirits expert and judge. He has participated as a judge for the Denver International Spirits Competition, The Denver International Wine Competition, The North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition, The Canned Challenge, and the Tequila Mezcal Challenge.
John Haven - Senior Judge - USA
Mr. Haven is an independent Beverage Professional, Certified Beverage Professional, Connoisseur, and Collector of Fine Spirits.
John was one of the senior judges for Wine Country Network's Denver International Beer Competition (2010 to 2020) until it was sold. We discovered that John is a major enthusiast and collector of whisky. He has visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail several times. In 2016, he joined the judging panel for the Denver International Spirits Competition and the North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition.
John is a nationally respected certified beer judge (BJCP National Status) with sensory perception training, and I have judged in or organized over 150 other competitions. He has completed the Sommelier of Ale course from the Beer Education Institute and is working on the Advance Sommelier of Ale course.
Jasper Lyons - USA
During the day, Jasper is social media director for a Tech Firm in Boulder, Colorado
Jasper is a younger whisky specialist dedicated to exploring and understanding how and why flavors make it into the glass. His whisky expertise stems from the extensive time he spent understanding how all aspects of production affect the final product. Jasper has visited some of Scotland's most famous distilleries and spent time shadowing and learning about whisky production directly from a head distiller in Colorado. He has his Level One Whiskey Sommelier Certification from the Whiskey Marketing School and is a Certified Scotch Professional per the Council of Whiskey Masters. You can find him behind the bar at the renowned Burns Pub in Broomfield, CO.
Jasper joined the 2024 Denver International Spirits Competition this year and proved he is a consistent judge with a remarkable palate.
Charles (Ted) Palmer - Senior Judge - USA & Table Captain
Former Founder, President & Head Distiller of Vapor Distillery and Round House Spirits, Boulder, Colorado.
Consulting Distiller Ted (Charles) Palmer founded Round House Spirits in 2007. For trademark purposes, the business changed its name to Vapor Distilling. Today, Vapor Distilling is a successful, highly acclaimed distillery in Boulder, Colorado. Ted's Gin, Bourbon, and Single Malt whiskey formulas have received numerous international awards. In April 2019, Ted sold his interests in the company to his business partner. In June 2022, his Lost Lantern 2021 Single Cask #3 Boulder Distillery Colorado Straight Bourbon was named Top Scoring Bourbon by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
Ted is a US military veteran, respected BJCP-certified beer and spirits expert, and judge. For more than nine years, he has been a senior judge and table captain at the Denver International Spirits Competition, The Denver International Wine Competition, The North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition, and the Tequila Mezcal Challenge.
Jonathan Odde - Senior Judge - USA & Table Captain
Restaurateur, Bartender, and Professional Spirit’s Judge
Jonathan is a seasoned Food & Beverage Professional Founder of the Burns Pub & Restaurant, Broomfield, Colorado, one of America’s authentic British-style pubs. He oversees the Burn’s Pub collection of more than 500 whiskies, ales, and signature cocktails.
Mr. Odde is a respected spirits expert and judge. He has been a senior judge and table captain at the Denver International Spirits Competition, The North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition, and the Tequila Mezcal Challenge.
Nicolas Post - Senior Judge - USA & Table Captain
Wine and Spirits Educator, Hops Grower, and Professional Wine & Spirit's Judge
Nicolas has been a senior educator at the International Wine and Spirits Guild in Denver for more than fifteen years. He is a certified sommelier and Master Educator. Nicolas owns Master Wine and Spirits Consulting. In addition, Nicolas and his family own a farm that grows hops for commercial breweries across the US.
Mr. Post is a US military veteran, respected wine and spirits expert, and judge. He has been a senior judge and table captain at the Denver International Spirits Competition, The Denver International Wine Competition, The North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition, and the Tequila Mezcal Challenge.
Jay Scoggins - USA
Founder of Whiskey Colorado, the state’s preeminent source for information on Colorado Distilleries, Whiskey Festivals, and Whiskey Tourism in Colorado.
Mr. Scoggins formerly worked as a distiller at Stranahan’s Whiskey producing their award-winning American Single Malt Whiskey. He pursued his love of whiskey with trips to Scotland where he toured Speyside and Highlands distilleries with a Keeper of the Quaich and to Kentucky where he enjoyed the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Mr. Scoggins is fascinated with the science of whiskey and seeks to expand his knowledge by completing courses such as the Sensory Perception of Whiskey through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling as well as Nosing for Faults, and Blending and Maturation through the American Distilling Institute. He is a BJCP Certified Beer Judge and a candidate for the title of Certified Spirits Judge with The Council of Whiskey Masters.
Mr. Scoggins previously served as a judge for the North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition, the Denver International Spirits Competition, and the Tequila Mezcal Challenge.
Larry Wilcox - Lead Judge & Panel Chair USA
Executive Sommelier of Spirits
Master of Wine Candidate and Executive Sommelier of Wine
President of TopShelf Liquor Consulting, LLC
Larry started TopShelf Liquor Consulting in 2013 to consult with importers, distributors, retail liquor stores, and restaurants on spirit and wine information. The kind of information TopShelf can provide encompasses evaluations, recommendations, training, and event planning.
Larry is a retired US military veteran, wine and spirits expert, and judge. For more than eleven years, he has been a senior judge and table captain at the Denver International Spirits Competition, The Denver International Wine Competition, The North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition, and the Tequila Mezcal Challenge.
Past Judges:
Lenny Gotter, Portland, OR
Founder and Former CEO (2008 to 2014) of Eastside Distilling, Portland, Oregon, when the company became the first craft distillery to go public on NASDAQ symbol EAST. Spirits industry consultant and national spirits judge.
Ted (Charles) Palmer, Longmont, CO
Brewmaster, Distiller, and Founder of Multi-Award Winning, Roundhouse Spirits and Vapor Distilling, Boulder, CO. Ted is currently an International Consultant, certified Beer Judge, and Spirits Judge.
Tony Menechella, Frankfort, KY
Certified Specialist of Spirits, President, Central KY Spirits Society, National Spirits Judge, and Speaker.
Larry Wilcox, Arvada, CO
Certified Specialist of Spirits, Sommelier, President of Top Shelf Spirits, Beverage Industry Consultant. Head Judge for the Denver International Spirits Competition.
Jonny Odde, Broomfield, CO
Seasoned Food & Beverage Professional, Founder of the Burns Pub & Restaurant, one of America’s authentic British style pubs, featuring more than 250 whiskeys.
Jonny is a respected spirits expert and judge.
Matthew Wyant, Winter Park, CO
Former distiller at Bouck Brothers Distillery, consulting Brewmaster, and distiller, seasoned spirits judge with past experience judging the Denver International Spirits Competition and the North American Bourbon and Whiskey
John Haven, Colorado Springs, CO
Independent Beverage Professional, Certified Beverage Professional, Connoisseur, Collector, and Consumer of Fine Spirits. Certified Beer Judge and Beer Competition Organizer. John has numerous years of past experience judging the Denver International Spirits Competition and the North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition.
Adam Douglas, Arvada, CO
Partner, President of Catering Division at Peak Beverage, an upscale liquor store and the largest beverage catering company in Colorado. He has worked in the industry for 16 years, holding management positions in restaurants/ bars, spirit and wine distribution, and retail sales. He has served as a lead judge in the Denver International Spirits Competition for 5 years, and as a judge for the North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition.
Special Guest International Judge:
Blair Bowman, Edinburgh, Scotland
Whiskey Columnist for Scottish Field Magazine Whiskey Expert for Scotland Now (Mirror Group) and Unfiltered Magazine (Scotch Malt Whisky Society Magazine)
William Davis, CWE, CSS
Advanced Sommelier, Court of Master Sommeliers
Food & Beverage Industry Professional
Dave Elger
The host of the HotMixology TV Show
Spirits Industry Brand Developer and professional
Kimberly Naslund
Assistant Distiller at Dancing Pines Distillery
Cocktail Judge, Columnist for Microshinner and Distiller Magazines
Jim Burrus
Professional Beverage Judge
Food and Beverage Columnist for YellowScene
Jim Denier
Professional Beverage Judge
Littleton, Colorado
John Allison
Professional Beverage Judge
Boulder, CO
Justin Gillman, CSW, CSS
Manager & National Wine Buyer
Lucky’s Market, Niwot, Colorado
Andrew Burton
Liquor Buyer
Argonaut Wine & Liquor, Denver, Colorado
Seasoned wine and spirits judge
Chris Kirk
Professional brewer and distiller with extensive domestic and international experience.
Past companies included Great Divide, Odyssey Beerwerks, Moffat Station, and
Nils Oscar in Sweden. Currently Assistant Distiller at Mile High Spirits, Denver.
Bryan Dayton
Certified Sommelier, Master Mixologist & Proprietor
OAK at Fourteenth, Boulder, CO & Acorn, Denver, CO
Sam Medley
8th Generation Distiller
Charles Medley Distillery
Owensboro, KY
Allison Anderson
Director Of Distillates
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO
Nicolas Post
Senior Instructor International Wine and Spirits Guild
Michael Cerretani
General Manager / Beverage Director
Blackbelly Market & Restaurant, Boulder, CO
We are currently seeking judges for the 2024 competition.
For additional details call Christopher Davies at (720) 302-3666 or email: cdavies@winecountrynetwork.com