Promotion
This year’s Giffard West Cup sure put the 22 finalists through their paces. Taking in bartending talent from all over the world including Singapore, Vancover, USA, UK, France and Scandinavia each of the contestants had to show off their skills in two separate challenges to demonstrate their creative and improvisational skills.
In the Concours de Création round they were asked to produce an original ‘short’ cocktail using one spirit base and at least a 10ml measure of one Premium Giffard Liqueur. Matteo Saba of Tek Bar in Arezzo, Italy, created a Positano (Abricot du Roussillon Giffard Premium Liqueur, Wild Turkey Bourbon, fresh lime juice, Curaçao Triple Sec and Rosemary infusion), while Anu Apte of Rob Roy in Seattle devised a Mumbai Sour (Fleur de Sureau savage Giffard Premium Liqueur, Ginger of the Indies Giffard Premium Liqueur, City of London gin, fresh lemon juice, egg white and saffron strands).
Paul Willams of Callooh Callay and Happiness Forgets in London raised a smile with his I’ll Split Your Banana (Vanille de Madagascar Giffard Premium Liqueur, Banane du Brésil Giffard Premium Liqueur, rum, chocolate sauce, Giffard Can sugar syrup, fresh egg and vanilla bitters), and Katerina Kluchovà from the Czech Republic embraced the French heritage of the brand with an Éte Parisien (Abricot du Roussillon Giffard Premium Liqueur, Clément white run, Giffard Macademia Nut Syrup, fresh lime juice, fresh mandarin juice and dried egg.)
The second round was a little more demanding. Each competitor had to come up with a short drink taking their pick from five ingredients from a mysterious black box, as well as a minimum of 5 ml Menthe Pastille, 10 ml of one Bigallet Liqueur and a choice between China China, Genepi Grand tetras or Thyme liqueur. And they only had half an hour to come up with the goods.
Damien Monestier of Univers Speakeasy in Nantes, France was the overall winner. See the edited highlights of the competition and his winning recipes below:
Creation challenge
LA PASSION MALGACHE
2 cl Vanille de Madagascar
Giffard Premium Liqueur
2.5 cl Clément VSOP rum
1 cl fresh lime juice
0.5 cl Giffard Coconut Syrup
3 cl Caraïbos exotic fruit juice
1/2 passion fruit
Garnish: passion, pineapple, strawberry, vanilla, mint
Improvisation challenge
RASPBERRY CHINA
Raspberry China
0.5 cl Menthe Pastille
0.5 cl lime juice
2 cl Bigallet China China
1 cl Giffard raspberry syrup
3 cl Caraibos strawberry syrup
Garnish : ginger and raspberry
