Overview: Good Time Spirit Inc., based in New York, announced that its Solmano Mezcal brand achieved significant recognition at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Two specific expressions, Solmano Espadín and Solmano Mango, received top-tier medals in the mezcal category during blind judging.
The Full Story
The competition is organized by The Tasting Alliance, with results released on June 9, 2026. Solmano Espadín was awarded a Gold Medal, while Solmano Mango took home a Silver Medal. Dave Brown, Co-Founder of Good Time Spirit Inc., noted that the field was full of admired producers and receiving two medals meant a great deal to the company. The brand aims to fill a gap on the shelf for a genuinely artisanal mezcal that remains fun and mixable.
Founded in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is among the most rigorous and widely cited spirits competitions in the world. Every entry is evaluated blind, with judges scoring on a 100-point scale without knowledge of brand, producer, or packaging. The flavors and packaging bring in people who are new to mezcal, while the liquid holds up for aficionados.
Production & Profile
Both expressions are produced from Espadín agave (Agave angustifolia) at 44% ABV. Production methods adhere to traditional classifications, including roasting agave in stone conical furnaces and grinding with horse-drawn tahona wheels. Natural fermentation occurs in wooden vats, followed by double distillation in copper.
Solmano Espadín features roasted agave leads, bright pineapple, caramel, vanilla, a whisper of spearmint, finishing on red fruit and clean minerality. Solmano Mango is distilled with ripe mango, featuring roasted agave and ripe mango upfront, layered with pineapple, caramel, and vanilla, finishing long on mango and red fruit.
Brand & Industry History
Good Time Spirit Inc. describes Solmano as an artisanal mezcal company offering both spirits and mezcal-based ready-to-serve cocktails, celebrating mezcal’s tradition of bringing people together. The brand is positioned to differentiate itself in the market with a craft yet accessible approach.
What This Means
The awards validate the brand’s positioning in a category where producers often face a choice between craft quality and accessibility. Dave Brown stated that these medals tell the company they did not have to trade one for the other. The recognition confirms that the liquid holds up for aficionados while bringing in new consumers.
Consumer Takeaway
Solmano is distributed by The Beverage Collective and available at select spirits retailers and on-premise locations throughout British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Alongside its award-winning mezcals, the brand produces a line of ready-to-serve agave cocktails, including Golden Tide and Pineapple Expressed. Each 250ml can is built on real mezcal rather than neutral grain spirits and is served at full cocktail strength of 12% ABV.
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