US Edition · 2027

Gabriel Boudier Wizard Awards

Craft Liqueur Contest

Open to bartenders across the United States. Regional semi-finals lead to a final at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans — and the winning liqueur joins the Gabriel Boudier range.

Enter the competition →

$1,500 and your liqueur produced and added to the Gabriel Boudier range.

Timeline

Cocktails being poured from a shaker into stemmed glasses at the bar.

  1. November 2026

    Registration opens

    Enter through the form below and start working on your liqueur with an overproof vodka as your base spirit.

  2. H1 2027

    Regional semi-finals

    Bartenders compete in regional semi-finals. Each regional winner earns a trip to Tales of the Cocktail.

  3. July 2027

    Final at Tales of the Cocktail

    Semi-final winners face off in New Orleans at BCI's Maison du Terroir during Tales of the Cocktail.

  4. After the final

    Production

    The winning liqueur is produced and joins the Gabriel Boudier range. The winner takes home $1,500.

The rules

What you need to know to compete in the Gabriel Boudier Wizard Awards USA 2027.

1. How to enter

  • Complete the entry form below. You must be 21+ and working as a bartender in the US.
  • We recommend an overproof vodka as the base spirit of your liqueur.
  • Details for submitting your recipe ahead of the regional semi-finals will be emailed to you.

2. Built from a food ingredient

  • Your liqueur must be built around a food ingredient — a fruit, vegetable, spice, herb, grain, seed, seaweed, condiment…
  • The flavor must be original: completely or nearly unavailable as a liqueur on the US market.
  • 100% natural, ethically sourced ingredients only — no artificial flavors or colors.
  • Liqueur: over 15% ABV and over 100 g/L sugar.
  • Presented filtered and ready to serve.

3. Allergens

  • Every allergen present in your recipe must be declared on your entry — see the list below.
  • Undeclared allergens lead to disqualification.
  • Gabriel Boudier may refuse any entry for safety reasons linked to ingredients or process.

4. Methods

  • Total freedom: distillation, percolation, infusion, maceration, maturation.

5. Regional semi-finals

  • Held across the US during the first half of 2027.
  • Present your liqueur neat and in two signature cocktails.
  • Each regional winner wins a trip to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.

6. The final

  • July 2027 at BCI's Maison du Terroir, during Tales of the Cocktail.
  • Running order drawn at random. Judged on originality, balance, creativity and compliance with the rules.

7. Terms

  • Entrants assign the intellectual property of their recipe to Gabriel Boudier.
  • The winning liqueur is produced and sold with no further compensation beyond the $1,500 prize.

Allergens to declare (US major food allergens)

MilkEggsFishCrustacean shellfishTree nutsPeanutsWheatSoybeansSesameSulfites (> 10 ppm)

Past winners

Pink Pepper Liqueur — Colin Lach

France edition · 2026

Pink Pepper Liqueur

Colin Lach

@colinisdehydrated

Co-owner of Nuage in Dijon — won with a pink pepper liqueur, served as a Pink Pepper Sour and a Rose Highball.

Sweet Woodruff Liqueur — Hashley Aines

UK edition · 2025

Sweet Woodruff Liqueur

Hashley Aines

@ashleyaaronh

Winner of the UK edition with a delicate, herbaceous sweet woodruff liqueur.

Lapsang Souchong Tea Liqueur — Bérenger Bouttier

France edition · 2025

Lapsang Souchong Tea Liqueur

Bérenger Bouttier

“Sweety Smockey” — Lapsang Souchong tea, dried hibiscus and Madagascar pepper, crowned in Dijon at the first France edition.

Turmeric Liqueur — Xander Driver

UK edition · 2023

Turmeric Liqueur

Xander Driver

From 33 Cank Street, Leicester — a perfectly balanced liqueur and inventive cocktail use.

Nori Seaweed Liqueur — Matthew Cusworth

UK edition · 2021

Nori Seaweed Liqueur

Matthew Cusworth

From Hoot the Redeemer, Edinburgh — nori, dulse, lime and grapefruit zest.

Mustard Liqueur — Maria Vieira

UK edition · 2019

Mustard Liqueur

Maria Vieira

East London Liquor Company — a tribute to Dijon mustard, crowned with a signature Bloody Mary.

Kaffir Lime Leaf Liqueur — Samuel Bolton

UK edition · 2017

Kaffir Lime Leaf Liqueur

Samuel Bolton

@boultononbooze

Suds n Duds, Birmingham — winning with his Kaffir & Tonic and Kaffir Gimlet.

FAQ

Which spirit can I use?+

We recommend an overproof vodka as the base spirit of your liqueur. It's a suggestion, not a requirement.

What counts as a food ingredient?+

Anything edible that gives your liqueur its signature flavor: fruit, vegetable, spice, herb, nut, grain, seaweed, even a condiment like mustard.

Do I need to travel?+

Semi-finals are regional. If you win yours, your trip to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans is covered.

When will the winning liqueur be produced?+

After the July 2027 final, the liqueur is developed with our R&D team and added to the range.

marketing@boudier.com

Enter

Enter the competition

Registration opens November 2026. Fill in the form and we'll be in touch with next steps.