Martin Miller’s Gin chooses City champion

Bartender Carey Hanlon of Merchant House fought off fierce competition to be crowned winner of the inaugural Martin Miller’s Gin City Championship cocktail competition.

Merchant House bartender Carey Hanlon triumphed with her cocktail Erik’s Elixir

Hosted at 1 Lombard Street, the competition was open to entrants located within the Square Mile who were tasked to create an original cocktail using either Martin Miller’s Gin or Martin Miller’s Westbourne Gin.

Judging the competition on the day were Soren Jessen, director and owner of 1 Lombard Street; Clinton Cawood, news and online editor at Imbibe; Gaëlle Laforest, editorial assistant at Imbibe; Aidan Bowie, Martin Miller’s UK brand ambassador and head mixologist; and Melita Kiely, senior staff writer at The Spirits Business.

Of the 11 competitors, Hanlon impressed judges with her creation, Erik’s Elixir, made using Martin Miller’s Gin, cucumber-infused vermouth and dill, anise and black pepper tincture.

The drink was inspired by Martin Miller’s use of Icelandic water, and plays on the story of Erik the Red, a Nordic Viking who ventured to Iceland in search of the elixir of life.

Hanlon received a magnum bottle of Martin Miller’s Gin, £100 cash, £100 cocktail equipment for Merchant house, dinner for two at 1 Lombard Street, entry into the Martin Miller’s London Cocktail Champions Final and a social media and website feature.

Second place was awarded to Shane Dobson from The Alchemist with his concoction Aunt Marie’s Potpourri Tea, made from Martin Miller’s Gin, chamomile-infused sugar grapefruit juice and “Aunt Marie’s” homemade orange and rose tonic water.

Third place was a tie between Eduardo Arcesi of City Social with his creation Ever Green, a blend of Martin Miller’s Gin, broad bean syrup, lemon juice and prosecco, and Dmitrij Markovskij with his drink Dimas Cooler, comprising Martin Miller’s Gin, homemade jasmine syrup, apple juice, lime juice, Benedictine and a dash of soda.