Hernández Jiménez wins the Superior Taste Award 2025
The International Taste Institute in Brussels has awarded Hernández Jiménez the Superior Taste Award 2025 with 3 stars for their 75% Iberian acorn-fed ham D.O.P. Guijuelo. This is the highest distinction granted by the institute, awarded after a blind tasting conducted by Michelin-starred chefs and sommeliers.
What is the International Taste Institute
The International Taste Institute — formerly known as iTQi (International Taste & Quality Institute) — is the world’s leading independent body for sensory evaluation of food and beverages. Based in Brussels, it convenes an annual panel of experts composed exclusively of Michelin-starred European chefs and sommeliers from the continent’s most demanding culinary associations.
The evaluation process is strictly blind: assessors do not know the brand, origin or price of the product they are analysing. This ensures that scores reflect only the sensory properties — aroma, flavour, texture, finish — with no influence from brand reputation or marketing.
What the 3 stars mean
The Superior Taste Award programme recognises three levels:
- 1 star: score between 70% and 80% in the sensory panel.
- 2 stars: score between 80% and 90%.
- 3 stars: score above 90% across all sensory categories evaluated.
3 stars is the highest distinction and the hardest to achieve. A product that scores above 90% in every category evaluated by a panel of Michelin chefs needs no further introduction — the flavour speaks for itself.
What this means for the consumer
When looking for the best Guijuelo ham, the D.O.P. seal already filters provenance and minimum curing time. The Superior Taste Award adds an extra layer: independent external validation of the product’s sensory quality, carried out by professionals who taste hundreds of products each year and can distinguish the ordinary from the exceptional.
For Hernández Jiménez, the recognition confirms what four generations of curing have practised since 1890: selected Iberian raw material, natural ageing at 1,000 metres altitude in the Salamanca mountains, and maturation time with no shortcuts or accelerants.
The award-winning ham — the 75% Iberian acorn-fed D.O.P. Guijuelo — is available directly from our shop, at factory price with shipping across Europe in 24–72 hours.