WikiliQ® Editorial Independence Policy
Effective date: July 11, 2019 | Version 1.0
Our Commitment
WikiliQ® is an independent rating platform for alcoholic beverages. The WikiliQ Score™ is our proprietary rating system that evaluates wines, beers, spirits, and other alcoholic beverages based solely on objective criteria. This policy establishes the principles that govern how WikiliQ Score™ is calculated, published, and maintained — and what commercial relationships can and cannot influence.
How WikiliQ Score™ Is Calculated
The WikiliQ Score™ is a composite score from 0 to 100, calculated automatically using the following weighted formula:
35% — Expert evaluations. Assessments from certified sommeliers, master distillers, certified cicerones, and professional tasting panels. Sources include internationally recognized publications such as Wine Spectator, Whisky Advocate, Wine Advocate, and certified independent tasters.
30% — Verified user reviews. Ratings submitted by registered WikiliQ users who have confirmed purchase or tasting of the product. User ratings are weighted by reviewer experience level and activity on the platform.
25% — Competition awards and medals. Results from internationally recognized competitions including IWSC (International Wine & Spirit Competition), San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Decanter World Wine Awards, World Beer Cup, and equivalent events. Gold, Double Gold, and Best in Class designations carry the highest weight.
10% — Popularity and market recognition. A measure of consumer demand, search interest, and sales volume — reflecting the collective judgment of the market.
The formula is fixed and applied uniformly to all products regardless of their commercial relationship with WikiliQ.
What We Will Never Do
The following actions are permanently prohibited at WikiliQ, regardless of commercial pressure, advertising agreements, or partnership relationships:
Alter, increase, or decrease a product’s organic WikiliQ Score™ in exchange for payment, advertising spend, or any other commercial consideration.
Remove or suppress a legitimately calculated Score, or hide low scores for paying partners.
Delete, edit, or conceal verified user reviews at the request of a brand, distributor, or any commercial party.
Grant any advertiser, partner, or sponsor influence over the editorial process by which Scores are calculated or published.
Present a Sponsored placement as an organic rating without clear and visible disclosure.
Issue a WikiliQ Score Badge™ for a score that was not calculated through our standard methodology.
Apply different scoring standards to different products based on their advertising or partnership status.
What Commercial Partners May Do
WikiliQ maintains a clear separation between editorial content and commercial products. Advertisers and partners may legitimately:
Purchase Sponsored placements that appear above or alongside organic ratings, clearly labeled as “Sponsored.”
License the WikiliQ Score Badge™ for use in their own advertising and packaging, subject to a Badge License Agreement, provided the Score displayed is current and accurately reflects the product’s calculated score.
Purchase Premium Listing packages that enhance their product profile page with additional content, imagery, video, and brand information — without affecting their Score.
Access WikiliQ Score Analytics data through our B2B API subscription.
Sponsor the annual WikiliQ Awards ceremony, with the understanding that award recipients are determined exclusively by Score rankings.
All sponsored and commercial placements are clearly labeled. The organic WikiliQ Score™ ranking is never influenced by commercial activity.
Score Updates and Methodology Changes
WikiliQ Score™ is recalculated periodically as new expert evaluations, user reviews, and competition results become available. Scores may change over time to reflect new information — this is a feature, not a flaw. A product’s score reflects its current standing based on all available data.
Any changes to the scoring methodology will be announced publicly on this page with a minimum of 30 days notice, a clear explanation of the change, and the reason for the update. Methodology changes will never be made to benefit a specific brand or commercial partner.
Transparency and Accountability
WikiliQ is committed to transparency in the following ways:
This policy is publicly available and permanently accessible at wikiliq.org/editorial-policy.
The scoring formula weights are published and will not be secretly altered.
All sponsored content is clearly distinguished from organic editorial content at the point of display.
WikiliQ does not accept free products, hospitality, or gifts from brands in exchange for favorable coverage or scoring adjustments.
WikiliQ’s editorial team operates independently from its sales and partnership teams. Commercial agreements require approval that explicitly excludes any editorial component.
Reporting a Concern
If you believe that WikiliQ has violated this policy — whether as a consumer, a brand, or an industry professional — you may contact us at integrity@wikiliq.org. All concerns will be reviewed by WikiliQ’s editorial oversight process within 14 business days.
Governing Principles
This policy is guided by the same principles that have made independent rating systems — from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate to Consumer Reports to Metacritic — valuable to both consumers and industries alike. The integrity of the WikiliQ Score™ is our most valuable asset. It cannot be bought. It can only be earned by the product in the glass.
WikiliQ® and WikiliQ Score™ are registered trademarks of WikiliQ Group LLC. This policy may be updated periodically. The current version is always available at wikiliq.org/editorial-policy. For licensing inquiries: partners@wikiliq.org. For editorial concerns: integrity@wikiliq.org.