Latest Whisky News - Scotland mixes it up with the Glenrothes ultimate gentleman’s cocktail contest - 8th December, 2009

Mix it, swirl it, zest it up – 17 of Scotland’s elite bartenders showcased their cocktail culinary skills last week as part of The Glenrothes Ultimate Cocktail Contest; the first national competition of its kind held at the award-winning Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh.

Using The Glenrothes Select Reserve as the base spirit the bartenders from well known drinking haunts including Bramble Bar, Tigerlily and Blythswood Hotel were tasked with creating a top class, top notch tipple.

Contestants were given only three minutes to create a cocktail which contains at least 30ml of The Glenrothes and a maximum of six other ingredients. They were marked on name, balance of flavour, simplicity of ingredients, taste, originality, creative presentation, delivery and performance.

Don’t Marry her and Fantastic Mr Fudge were just two of the more usual concoctions mixed by the contestants with the winning pour, The Last Gentleman Standing, coming from the established bartender, May Kongsrivilai at Bon Vivant on Thistle Street in Edinburgh. A mix of The Glenrothes Select Reserve, Green Chartreuse, 2001 Noval Tawny Port and Kirsch Vassser guaranteed the top prize that includes an all expenses paid VIP trip to The Glenrothes Distillery in Speyside, Mixxit Ultimate Bartenders Kit and a bottle of The Glenrothes Vintage 1985.

With flat caps, finest tweed and all things refined, cocktails from second and third place came from Treacle’s Adam Neal and Blythswood Hotel’s Dean Evans, both of whom won trips to The Glenrothes Distillery in Speyside and a bottle of The Glenrothes Select Reserve each.

Hosted by The Glenrothes’ own mixologist Andy Gemmell, the competition brought together a diverse judging panel including Simon Difford, editor of drinks industry publication CLASS; Tom Bruce Gardyne, independent whisky writer; Gaby Soutar from The Scotsman Magazine; and Ronnie Cox, Global Brand Ambassador for The Glenrothes.

Said winner May Kongsrivilai: “I love classic cocktails and mixing up new variations on old themes.  I was able to use my interest of the classic serves and my love of whisky to good effect creating something quite unique that I hope customers to Bon Vivant will make a special request for.  I look forward to mixing it up again with The Glenrothes.”

The Glenrothes, introduced in 2005, is a popular tipple amongst whisky connoisseurs. The Select Reserve is a versatile yet unique malt laced with notes of ripe fruits, juicy citrus, creamy vanilla and hints of spice - making it the perfect liquid to partner with cocktails.

1st Place: May Kongsrivilai’s The Last Gentleman Standing

40ml The Glenrothes Select Reserve

12.5ml Green Chartreuse

20ml 2001 Noval Tawny Port

1 barspoon (5mls) Kirsch Vassser (which was steeped with Morello cherries)

Stired and garnished with orange zest (discarded) and three Morrello cherries.

2nd Place: Adam Neal’s The Perfect Gentleman

60ml The Glenrothes Select Reserve

10ml dandelion and burdock reduction

10ml Mixed berry syrup

Dash Aztec chocolate bitters

Blazed into an antique Goblet without garnish.

3rd Place: Dean Evans’ Chevelier Sangaree

40ml The Glenrothes Select Reserve

5ml Creme de Poire

5ml Maraschino

5ml Simple Syrup (1 part water and 1 part sugar)

25ml Cinzano Bianco

Shaken and strained over cracked ice into a small toddy glass or goblet garnished with mint sprigs, small chunks of orange and nutmeg.

About The Glenrothes

· The Glenrothes was founded in 1879

· The Glenrothes is available from Sainsbury’s, Oddbins, Thresher and whisky specialists nationwide and on The Glenrothes website www.theglenrothes.com.

· Little more than 2% of the distillery capacity is bottled as Single Malt to ensure exceptional quality

· Of the 16 Vintages released to date, 12 have entirely sold out

· It is matured in a combination of Spanish and American oak casks - the best of both worlds

· The Glenrothes Select Reserve was voted Best in Class at the World Whiskies Awards 2008 and won two Double Golds at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2007

· The Glenrothes 1978 Vintage was voted Best Speyside Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2008

· The Glenrothes 1975 won a Double Gold award at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2008

· "I have always felt that Glenrothes deserved to be more widely appreciated. Beautifully rounded, sophisticated after-dinner malt." Michael Jackson's Malt Whisky Companion

·Jim Murray, in his Whisky Bible 2007, refers to The Glenrothes Select Reserve as; "One of the softest deliveries on Speyside, the silky barley and citrus caress the tastebuds with rare tenderness" and scores it 24 out of 25.

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