Glasgow Bartender wins nationwide challenge
Date Posted: 16 Jun 10
Posted By: Paul Caffell
Keywords: glasgow's wins bartenders cup hotel scotland cocktail competition bar academy caledonian bartenders cup cocktails glasgow's wins bartenders cup hotel scotland cocktail competition bar academy caledonian bartenders cup cocktails glasgow's wins bartenders cup hotel scotland cocktail competition bar academy caledonian bartenders cup cocktails glasgow's wins bartenders cup hotel scotland cocktail competition bar academy caledonian bartenders cup cocktails glasgow's wins bartenders cup hotel scotland
Glasgow’s Scott Ingram Wins The Caledonian Bartenders Cup
Scott Ingram of the Blythswood Square Hotel in Glasgow was last night crowned the winner of a new nationwide cocktail competition The Caledonian Bartenders Cup. Held at the LA Group's state of the art bar academy in Glasgow, Scott dazzled the judges by showcasing his exceptional mixology skills as he triumphed over stiff competition from 18 of the country’s top bartenders.
In a five hour trial, Scott and his fellow entrants were tested to the limits in a contest which included rounds of neat and blind tasting and a mixology innovation challenge where they had to prove their creativity against the clock. Entrants cocktails were judged on flavor, aroma, technical ability, presentation, discussion and name by a panel of industry experts.
The contest, which was launched by leading bar consultancy the LA Group in partnership with Caorunn Scottish Gin and anCnoc Highland Single Malt Whisky, was devised to challenge, celebrate and educate the UK’s leading bartenders like no other. With access to the largest array of cutting edge ingredients and equipment from LA Group’s dedicated whole sale division, entrants were able to take their anCnoc and Caorunn cocktails in exciting new directions.
£1000 prize money and an engraved crystal punch bowl trophy were up for grabs as bartenders battled it out by creating two original cocktail concoctions to present to the judges - a 'Mid Summer Night' cocktail using handcrafted small batch Scottish gin Caorunn and an 'International Innovation' themed masterpiece using leading whisky brand anCnoc.
Infused with five Celtic botanicals Caorunn’s crisp dry taste provided the perfect base for a host of cutting edge cocktails and bartenders wowed the crowd with Scotland's perfect malt to mix with anCnoc. After a highly competitive round, Scott was declared the winner with his impressive and innovative creations, closely followed by runners up Yan McPherson from the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh and Dean Evans from Glasgow's Blythswood Square Hotel.
The competition was judged by some of the industry’s foremost experts in taste, style and bartending namely Barry Chalmers, General Manager of Eau De Vie in Sydney, Australia’s most influential speakeasy, Adrian Gomes from LPNY Consultancy, Caorunn Brand Ambassador Ervin Trykowski and Michael Lovedale from the LA Group Ltd.
Scott Gemmell, Managing Director, The LA Group Ltd: "The Caledonian Bartenders Cup was a fantastic celebration of cocktail culture - the flair, creativity and craft of the bartender and the appreciation of two great spirit brands and their heritage. The standard at the competition was extremely high and we are delighted that so many fantastic bartenders entered the competition to showcase their skill. "
Ibolya Bakos, Brand Manager, Caorunn Gin: ‘Caorunn were delighted to be involved in the exciting new competition which champions creativity within the bartending industry. Many first class bartenders create cocktails that capture the spirit of the moment and the Caledonian Bartenders Cup is the perfect platform to celebrate and highlight bartending as an art form.’
Scott's winning Mid Summer Night Caorunn Cocktail
40ml Caorunn,
10ml Tempranillo,
20ml Calvados,
12.5 Cointreau,
12.5ml Grenadine,
3 drops Bitter Truth Orange Bitters,
2 drops Angostura bitters
Method – Shake and double strain
Scott's winning 'International Innovation' anCnoc Cocktail
50ml anCnoc,
15ml Pineapple Syrup,
10ml Aperol,
2 Dashes Angostura bitters
1 Coconut Ice Ball
Method – Stir ingredients and pour over coconut ice ball
LA Group Ltd: Since 2004, the LA Group has become one of the UK’s leading Bar Consultancies, providing detailed intensive training in all aspects of bartending, design and management of events for top international brands and companies, to festivals, clubs and parties. With decades of cumulative experience, LA Group draw on an unparalleled pool of talent from fully trained bartenders, designers, photographers, musicians and DJs, to provide solutions for every possible need.
Caorunn: Since its launch in August 2009, Caorunn Scottish Gin (pronounced ‘ka-roon’) has been a hit with gin lovers across the UK and key European gin markets. This small batch distilled Scottish Gin, which is infused with five Celtic botanicals, has inspired even the most discerning, sophisticated drinkers with its clean, crisp, aromatic taste and long dry finish.
anCnoc: Known as the ‘perfect malt to mix with’, anCnoc’s 12 Year Old is a malt with a difference.
The single malt is so ‘maluable’ that it lends itself perfectly for cocktails.
anCnoc, meaning ‘hill’ in Gaelic and pronounced a-nock, is crafted by Distillery Manager Gordon Bruce and his six men of Knockdhu. The distillery lies on the foot of the Black Hill of Knock near Huntly and was founded by farmer John Morrison in 1892. Even though the malt is being used in a very contemporary way, traditional working methods and processes are still in place to guarantee the highest quality in every single drop of this fine malt.
International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com) was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.
Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.
International Beverage brands include:
Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand
Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister
Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941
Caorunn - a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals
The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network. Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of more than 12 nationalities speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.
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