UK COGNAC BARTENDER CONTEST: AND THE WINNER IS…
The UK Cognac Bartender Contest, organised by Cognac Interprofession (BNIC) and Spirits Hunters (spiritshunters.com), has come to an end witnessing amazing entries with fantastic and innovative cognac based cocktails. The jury of bartenders and spirits experts* based around the world crowned Mattia Cavola as the winner!
Free and 100% digital bartending contest was launched on 15 March in order to inspire bartenders and highlight talents during a difficult time for all bar professionals. For six weeks, bartenders based in the United Kingdom, were able to submit a video tutorial on Instagram creating cocktails using Cognac.
One winner was chosen each week and, at the end of the competition, jury of bar professionals and spirits experts* selected Mattia Cavola – and his astonishing Cognac based cocktail Shotgun – the grand winner of the contest.
Mattia’s who works as a bartender at the unique Cahoots Bar in London explains that his motivation to participate in The Bartender Contest was to challenge himself and learn more about Cognac. His cocktail ‘Shotgun’ was inspired by the French cuisine and is based on a Sidecar structure with Cognac being key spirit, home-made cordial instead of liquor and lemon juice.
Mattia Cavola will be receiving a grand prize of £800 from Spirits Hunters and as soon as the health situation permits, he will be invited to the Cognac region in France to meet the people behind the spirit.
© Alessia Chiarelli
COCKTAIL SHOTGUN
Recipe:
The drink is composed of:
- 45 ml Cognac (VSOP)
- 30 ml Cordial
- 10 ml Lemon juice
- Put all of the ingredients into a vacuum bag
- Cook everyting in sous vide
- Use a coffee filter to strain over chunks
- Pour everything into a speakeasy wine glass and garnish with peach blossom
For cordial :
- sauvignon blanc
- yellow peach
- tarragon
- lemon peel
- orange peel
- caster sugar
- citric acid
- malic acid
- salt
* Bartenders’ Contest jury
- Adam Robinson – United States, Bartender, Managing partner at Dead Shot & Ping, Portland
- David Boileau – France, Cognac Ambassador and Expert
- Yasutaka Nakamori – Japan, Cognac specialist, Bartender, Author – Owner of Bar Doras in Tokyo
- Harp Mann – United Kingdom, Drink Content Innovator, Inventor, Reviewer, Presenter
- Felipe Schrieberg – United Kingdom, Author / Expert
- Flavien Desoblin – United States / France, Founder Copper & Oak Bar New York
- Emile Smits – Netherlands, Auction Expert at Catawiki
- Yoann Demeersseman – France / UK, Consultant, journalist, bartender
