Snow Queen Martini Masters champion announced
Robb Collins of Meat Liquor in London has been named the winner of the Snow Queen Martini Masters 2014.
Robb Collins has been crowned the winner of the Snow Queen Martini Masters 2014 for his drink Queen of the NightThe cocktail competition, which is now in its second year, took place yesterday at The Club at The Ivy in London, where Collins impressed the panel of judges with his flamboyant take on the traditional Martini cocktail.
Collins went head to head against 10 other bartenders and produced a vodka Martini named Queen of the Night in homage to the Snow Queen herself, garnished lavishly with instant snow and dry ice.
The panel of judges then gave him a spot in the final, along with three other bartenders, Fabio Immovilli of the Met Bar at The Metropolitan in London, Matteo Corsalini of China Tang at The Dorchester in London and Sam Baxendale of Monteiths in Edinburgh.
The final task in the competition required the final four to create a second Martini from a mystery box of ingredients in just 15 minutes.
Collins won the judges over with his Queen of Hearts creation and his “brave” use of cardamom bitters.
After coming first and winning the grand prize of £2,000, Collins said: “I really wanted to win today and I knew that I had a good drink so I just really wanted to focus on the presentation with the aroma and the garnish.
“That was what I was really thinking about and trying to get the story behind my drink across. It feels really good to have won, I’m really, really pleased.”
“It was such a wonderful day. Year on year this competition has grown better and better and the standard was really very high,” commented Gulnida Toichieva, founder of Snow Queen vodka. “I’m so glad that I wasn’t on the judging panel because I wouldn’t have been able to choose – every single competitor did so well.”
For the full story on the Snow Queen Martini Masters 2014 competition, see the April issue of The Spirits Business.
Queen of the Night
60ml Snow QUeen Vodka
20ml Rosato Vermouth
15ml St Germain Elderflower Liqueur
2 Dashes of organic rose water
5ml Homemade tea syrup
Lemon zest
Lilly flower ice ball
Method:
Fill a large mixing glass with cubed ice, pour all ingredients over and stir. Strain the cocktail into a pre-chilled coupette over the lily flower ice ball. Finish with a zest of lemon.
Queen of Hearts
60ml Snow Queen vodka
20ml Dry vermouth
4 Dashes of cardamom bitters
3 Dashes of rose water
Mandarin zest
Cardamom seeds
Method:
Stir ingredients together in a mixing glass and serve straight up. Garnish with mandarin zest and warmed cardamom seeds.
