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Auchentoshan
Switch Winner Martin Ball from Corridor,
Manchester.
Last night, Martin Ball from Corridor,
Manchester, was selected from 18 of our
most creative bartenders to represent
the UK in The Auchentoshan Switch
programme – a transatlantic mixology
competition like no other. The winners
of the UK and US competitions will swap
countries to work in London and New York
City’s most prestigious bars – the award
winning 69 Colebrooke Row and Apotheke.
As Scotland’s only triple distilled
Single Malt whisky, Auchentoshan is a
brand that likes to do things
differently and the Auchentoshan Switch
programme has been no exception.
Following a video only entry process and
selection criteria based on service and
theatre as well as the drink itself, the
final showdown was a menagerie of fast
paced competition rounds and
masterclasses mixed with a good measure
of live music, DJs and a live graffiti
installation.
The final, which took place at one of
east London’s most talked about
warehouse spaces, Village Underground,
took the form of three rounds 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
In each round, the finalists
demonstrated their skill and creativity
live in front of the judges and
consumers. The first round ‘Creativity
and Presentation’ tested the
bartenders’ presentation skills and
imagination as they worked to a set list
of ingredients. Round Two ‘Working Under
Pressure’ tested bartenders’ ability to
think on their feet with a secret bag of
ingredients presented to them just
minutes before their presentation. The
final round, ‘Auchentoshan Presents…A
Three Wood Masterclass’, saw the two
outstanding finalists capture the
audience’s attention as they conducted a
masterclass on Three Wood’s unique
complexity in their own unique style.
Martin Ball’s simple ‘Tight Corner Fizz’
cocktail took him through to the final
round, where he led the crowd through a
charismatic, knowledgeable and engaging
masterclass.
Tony Conigliaro, judge and soon to be
mentor of the US winner alongside the 69
Colebrooke Row team, commented: "Martin
is clearly immensely talented; he
possesses great technical ability but
also a great understanding and
interpretation of taste and balance of
flavours. I wish him all the luck at Apotheke
where I’m sure he will benefit
tremendously from their guidance."
Hannah Fisher, Auchentoshan Brand
Manager, commented: "The first ever
Auchentoshan Switch has attracted more
bartending talent than we could have
imagined. It was great to see the level
of knowledge and appreciation about the
brand. We wanted the competition to
reflect the brand’s personality so we’re
really pleased that last night showdown
was something totally unique. We’re
really looking forward to seeing the
competition on the other side of the
pond - next stop Las Vegas and the final
there on 26th October."
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 UK winner will be
mentored by David Clelland,
Auchentoshan's International Whisky
Specialistin NYC.
Apotheke is the hottest cocktail bar in
Gotham’s underground scene. With no
menus, bar chefs cook up individually
prescribed concoctions for the taste of
the cocktail enthusiasts according to
their mood. At Apotheke, the
presentation of the cocktail is as
dramatic as the cocktail itself. The
winner will be simultaneously part of
both a theatre performance and a
chemistry lab in the mixology heart of
the USA – NYC.
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.
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