Recruited for their unrivalled expertise, the IWSC judges are at the heart of the awards

IWSC judges assess every glass put in front of them methodically to ensure a fair and true result, tasting and discussing each entry alongside the rest of the panel. Our panels consist of experts and influencers from every sector of the drinks trade, from buyers, importers and distributors to the specialists making and serving the drinks. Ian Burrell is the world’s only recognised Global Ambassador for the Rum category, a role he created and has embodied across all seven continents. Founder of the UK RumFest—the world’s first international rum festival—he has inspired Rum festivals worldwide and brought rum culture to a global stage. An award-winning “EduTainer,” Ian has been named Class Drink Magazine’s winner of Outstanding Contributor Award (2023) International Wine & Spirits Competitions’ Communicator of the Year (2024), listed among Drinks International’s Top 10 Most Influential People in the Drinks Industry, and in 2025 received the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award at the Spirited Awards as part of Tales of the Cocktails. Known as The Rum Man on TV, he regularly appears on Channel 4’s Celebrity cooking show Sunday Brunch and ITV’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarch, sharing his infectious passion for rum with millions of viewers. He is also the author of the best-selling book “Rum A Tasting Course: A Flavour-Focused Approach to the World of Rum.