No.3 Gin has announced the finalists of its third, annual cocktail tournament following a series of competitive regional heats covering Scotland, Northern England, Southern England and London (two locations). The overall winner of the three-part competition will not only be jetting off to Hong Kong with £200 spending money, but will have the opportunity to take on a much sought-after guest shift at one of the world’s top 50 bars.
The latest round of this year’s challenge saw 12 of the UK’s best bartenders in each region battle it out to create a modern twist on the iconic 20th Century Cocktail using No.3 Gin. Each bartender’s innovative recipe sought to combine ingredients that hero the gin’s quintessential style and embrace the spirit of Unlock Taste – a platform to elevate gin serves using intriguing flavour combinations.
Winner of the Northern Heat, who will go forward to the finals in London was Tom Kirk of Below Stairs, Leeds (pictured above with one of the judges Liz Coggins of The Leeds Guide)
Tom’s cocktail was called 30th Century Man. He Displayed a deep understanding of modern trends and topics, with the concept of reuse , recycle and sustain, Tom delivered on this evolution of the 20th Century Cocktail. His recipe included spent coffee grounds, citrus husks and cordials, while still keeping the identity of the original cocktail.
The five finalists, whose wit, knowledge and bartending prowess were tested when presenting their reimagined 20th Century Cocktail recipes to the panel of judges – including Douglas Blyde of ES Magazine and Liz Coggins of The Leeds Guide – automatically qualify for the National Final at No.3 St. James’s Street on 21st May.
In an added twist to the competition, the runner-up from each region, known as the “wildcard”, has been invited to spend a night in London and attend an exclusive reception the evening before the Final. Here they will present an apéritif drink to compete for one remaining place, bringing the total number of challengers at the Final to six – symbolic of the six botanicals comprising No.3 itself.
At the Final, the six bartenders will be put through their paces by a panel of esteemed judges, including Brand Ambassador Richard Gillam, Alessandro Palazzi, Tristan Stephenson and Simon Difford, all renowned in their fields.
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