Best bartender revealed at World Class's UK finals

05 July, 2011

Jamie MacDonald of The Raconteur in Edinburgh has been crowned the UK’s best bartender at the UK final of World Class 2011.

He will now join 33 other markets from around the world at the World Class Global Final in Delhi, India. Judges at the final include Dale DeGroff, one of the world’s premier mixologists; Hidetsugu Ueno, Tokyo’s leading cocktail aficionado; Salvatore Calabrese, renowned as the ‘Maestro’ of bartending; Peter Dorelli, former president of the Bartender’s Guild; and Gary Regan, author and journalist.

In the day-long UK final, Jamie and his fellow finalists were tested to the limit on bartending knowledge, mixology and innovation, with contestants demonstrating their creativity using surprise ingredients.

After 14 bartenders were whittled down (from the 600 who entered the competition) to the final two, Jamie went head-to-head with Julien De Feral of Lutyens in London.

Last year’s winner Erik Lorincz said: “The talent in the UK has really stepped up again this year and truly proved that our bartenders and mixologists have what it takes to produce incredible, world class cocktails.”

Other participating markets include Brazil, Mexico, China, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, Australia and Thailand.

Jamie’s winning recipe:

Chaste (Latin: Purity)

Ingredients:

30ml Ketel One vodka

15ml Benedictine

20ml sweet Italian vermouth

4.0 dashes Fee Brothers grapefruit bitters

4.0 dashes Tobacco bitters

7ml Lagavulin 16 year old whisky

Method:

Stir all ingredients with block ice in cut mixing glass for controlled dilution. Strain and serve in a chilled side vessel accompanied with a chilled fluted cocktail/ ice sphere presented with tobacco bitters.
2.9 Units





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