Ladies and gents, please give it up for Troels Knudsen from MASH London who goes through to the Bombay Sapphire World’s Most Imaginative Bartender finals next week with his reimagined gin and tonic, High G&Tea…
What was it about the brief that appealed to you?
The freedom to create a drink with no boundaries, as more often than not, there’s very restricting rules when entering competitions.
When and where did you experience your first gin and tonic?
I must have been 16 or 17 in a pub in my hometown of Horsens in Denmark. Looking back, it definitely needed more ice!
What’s your definition of the classic gin and tonic?
Gin, plenty of ice, good quality tonic and a nice squeeze of lime!
And how do you describe your reimagined recipe?
Unconventional would be a good word to describe it, as it’s served hot. It’s a playful combination of High Tea and the classic G&T, flavoured with camomille.
What was the inspiration behind your drink?
My grandmothers. Both were always baking and making my siblings and I sandwiches and serving us hot camomile tea when we were ill. I thought using these childhood memories would be good way to honour them both.
Who would you like to see drinking it?
My grandmothers obviously! I’d like to see them drinking it back home for afternoon tea. They can bake and I’ll take charge of the drinks – as I always do! We’ll sit with the balcony doors open, basking in the sun…
One of the entry requirements was to submit an aerial shot/illustration of your cocktail, how much of an impact did this have on your recipe?
I personally feel like it had more impact on the presentation than the recipe itself, as I knew it would be important to have vibrant colours to create a visual impact.
State which order the inspiration for your cocktail came to you: (a) name of cocktail; (b) image of your cocktail; (c) recipe.
Name, Recipe, Image.
What’s the one ingredient that makes your Bombay Sapphire gin and tonic unique?
Heat.
The theme of the competition is Find Sublime, what does this expression mean to you
Creating something that’s equally beautiful visually and flavour wise.
Complete the following: Bombay Sapphire is…
More than just a gin. It’s synonymous with creative vision and freedom of expression through design as well as cocktail creation.
Photography: Sean Ware
To read the In the hot seat sessions with the other semi-finalists and keep up-to-date with the competition, see here.
Bombay Sapphire’s World’s Most Imaginative Bartender UK final takes place at the Mondrian hotel on 30th March. Follow the action @BSapphireGinUK #wmibUK #findsublime
