Whisky Focus - Auchentoshan Switch UK Finalists

Auchentoshan reveals Top 20 UK finalists of
The Auchentoshan Switch
The transatlantic mixology programme like no other.

Video: Faye Woodcock – The Blind Pig, Glasgow

This summer, Auchentoshan, the only Single Malt that triple distills every drop, launched a transatlantic cocktail competition like no other, The Auchentoshan Switch. Bartenders from across the UK and US submitted video entries of themselves making an Old Fashioned using Auchentoshan Three Wood and a lemonade from scratch, for the chance to win a career-changing, 14 day switch across the Atlantic to work in one of New York City’s and London’s prestigious bars. Of the 64 UK and 60 US entries, the judging panel selected 20 from each country to go through to the finals in London and Las Vegas.

The UK final round will take place on 24 October at a Shoreditch venue where the bartenders will be put through a series of challenging mixology tasks. The final round will be judged by an esteemed panel:

• Tony Conigliaro – widely acknowledged as one of the UK’s pioneering drinks creators and co-owner of acclaimed bar, 69 Colebrooke Row
   
• Giles Looker – renowned mixologist and owner of Soulshakers Bar Consultancy
   
• Neil Ridley – Imbibe journalist, whisky writer and co-founder of revered whisky blog CaskStrength

The named UK winner of the first ever Switch will cross the Atlantic to NYC to work in Apotheke, the hottest cocktail bar on the underground scene. The US finalists will attend the final in Las Vegas on 26 October, where the crowned winner will travel to London to work at the award-winning drinking den, 69 Colebrooke Row.

The 64 UK entries came in over the course of the two months the competition was open, including those from Giles Looker who travelled the UK unearthing unsung bartenders to enter. The finalists from the UK in alphabetical order by last name are:

• Martin Ball - Corridor, Manchester
   
• Divyesh Chauhan - Match Bar, London
   
• Matthew Dakers - Whistling Shop, London
   
• Dav Eames – Saf, London
   
• Kevin Griffin - The Raconteur, Edinburgh
   
• Andrew Harrod - Wabi, London
   
• Richard Hunt - Hawksmore, London
   
• Scott Ingram - Blythswood Square, Glasgow
   
• Alex Kratena - Artesian, London
   
• Simon La Moon - Zetter Townhouse, London
   
• Bruce Lerman - Epernay Champagne Bar, Leeds
   
• Antonino Lo Iacono - The Dukes Hotel, London
   
• Giuseppe Miggiano - The Bar at Chancery Court, London
   
• Khalil Moh’d Lahham - Donovan’s Bar/Brown’s Hotel, London
   
• Martyn Nicol - Blythswood Square, Glasgow
   
• Matt Roberts - Quo Vardis, London
   
• Andreas Tsanos - Lonsdale, London
   
• Tom Walker - Bramble, Edinburgh
   
• Sam Watson - Purl, London
   
• Faye Woodcock – The Blind Pig, Glasgow

"We are delighted to have received such great interest from the bartending world for our first ever Auchentoshan Switch," said Hannah Fisher, Auchentoshan Brand Manager. "Despite only accepting video entries, we received a high number of entries and the quality of each has been exceptional. We can’t wait to see what these talented bartenders will show us at the final."

Marcis Dzelzainis, Operations Manager at 69 Colebrooke Row, also commented: "All the finalists chosen have a great understanding of the structure of classic drinks and how flavours work, hence why we asked them to demonstrate a classic lemonade and an Old Fashioned. These 20 are not only highly skilled but also already very much respected in the industry."

The Auchentoshan Switch itself will take place in early 2012, where the winners will experience world-leading mixology under the guidance of Apotheke and 69 Colebrooke Row.

The US winner will work at 69 Colebrooke Row and learn first hand the world of cocktail and food science in the only bar-related drinks lab in the world – The Drinks Factory. The winner will work with a team of handpicked, leading mixologists in a lab dedicated to furthering the craft of the cocktail and fully realising projects as they filter into the bar. Importantly, they will also become incorporated into the daily bar procedures, as well as visiting producers and sourcing quality ingredients.
 

• UK Shops
   
• USA Shops
   
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