 It assesses hundreds of entrants annually (1,407 in 2013 from 63 countries) with tastings involving panels of expert judges selected each year from the spirits industry including mixologists, spirits buyers, and media from across the United States.Producers must submit their product for the competition and pay a fee ($475 for 2013) for its evaluation.Not all entries are given awards (those not judged of sufficient quality are not given an award) but most receive a bronze, silver, or gold award from the tasting panel.