If you drink spirits, you are probably aware that there are a number of competitions designed to judge the liquids you put in your glass. 

With an understanding that taste is relatively subjective, these competitions aim to evaluate the nose flavour and appearance of the spirits that we drink. 

Judging everything from gin to whiskey, liqueurs to amaro most use expert panels and blind tastings to not only celebrate what is made but also give consumers an idea of how good the bottles on our shelves really are. 

But there is one competition that does things a little bit differently. Rather than look at expert opinions, the Sip Awards was started to look at the views and attitudes of consumers. 

To find out more we speak with Pouya Hashemi, owner and founder of the Sip Awards about why consumer attitudes are important.