Wenneker Swizzle Masters Art Deco Cognac finalists

This month’s Wenneker Swizzle Masters round transported bartenders back to the ‘roaring twenties’ with a brief that called for elegant, classy Cognac cocktails.

Bartender Marzio Di Rocco recreated each entry to spec

For the penultimate round of The Wenneker Swizzle Masters, bartenders were tasked with using Courvoisier VSOP Cognac to create an elegant and classy cocktail inspired by the ‘roaring twenties’ – using at least a dash of Wenneker Liqueurs.

Judges gathered at The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone, where bartender Marzio Di Rocco crafted the top selected recipes to the exact specifications. Thomas Haring, general manager, The Harcourt; Nicola Poli, bartender, The Harcourt; Stephen Ruse, bar manager, Clarendon Cocktail Cellar; and Amy Hopkins, deputy editor of The Spirits Business, were charged with tasting the shortlisted recipes.

The results of this heat will be published in the September 2016 edition of The Spirits Business magazine.

Think your cocktails are up to scratch? The deadline for the final heat, Asian Margarita, is on 8 September. Enter online now at www.swizzlemasters.com.

Click through the following pages to view finalists’ recipes in the Art Deco Cognac heat of The Wenneker Swizzle Masters 2016. 

Little Party by Ivica Mišić

Ingredients
40ml Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, 20ml Wenneker Triple Sec, 10ml dark chocolate syrup, 10ml mint syrup, 10ml sweet cream
Garnish
Nutmeg, mint
Method
Fill the shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake for 10-15 seconds. Add a few ice cubes to the glass, strain the contents of the shaker into the glass, and place the decoration.
Glassware
Margarita glass

Mon Sherry by Francesco Montesano

Ingredients
30ml Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, 15ml Wenneker Creme de Cacao, 30ml Sherry Nectar Pedro Ximenez, 15ml Campari, 2 dashes chocolate bitters
Garnish
Fabbri black cherry, orange Zest, orange Peel
Method
Pre-chill a coupe, pre-chill a mixing glass stirring ice into it with a regular bar spoon for 15-20 seconds then remove the ice from it and add all the ingredients. Add fresh ice into the mixing glass and stir gently for about 10/15 seconds, remove all the ice from the pre-chilled coupe, and strain the stirred cocktail into it.
Glassware
Coupe

Heartbreaker by Pedro Arantes

Ingredients
50ml Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, 10ml Wenneker Cinnamon Red, 20ml Ancho Reyes Liqueur, 20ml Taylor´s Fine Tawny Port, 20ml fresh lime juice, 1 tsp homemade rose marmelade, 3 dashes homemade habanero and jalapeño bitters, 20ml egg white
Garnish
Dried rose petals and chocolate powder
Method
All ingredientes in a double tin shaker, hard dry shake, then shake with ice before straining into a cocktail glass

Evoquer Le Charme by Kriss Kovy

Ingredients
40ml Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, 15ml Wenneker Butterscotch, 15ml Wenneker Creme de Cacao, 10ml Wenneker Coffee, 10ml Wenneker Amaretto, 1 egg white, 3 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters, 10ml burnt sugar syrup
Garnish
Caramelised sugar and cake decor sweet
Method
Add all ingredients with ice cubes into a shaker, shake vigorously, strain into a chilled cocktail saucer glass. Garnish with caramelised sugar and cake decor sweet.
Glassware
Cocktail saucer

Stine by Trinh Quan Huy-Philip

Ingredients
45ml Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, 25ml Wenneker Passionfruit, 15ml RinQuinQuin, 15ml freshly squeezed Lemon juice, barspoon of Taj-Mahal Saffron syrup, 30ml Champagne to top
Garnish
Star anise
Method
Add all the ingredients without Champagne into a shaker with fresh ice cubes and shake well. Top-up with splash of Champagne and garnish with a Star Anise onto the drink.

The Back Scratcher by Mihai Fetcu

Ingredients
40ml Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, 10ml Wenneker Raspberry, 5ml Wenneker Cinnamon Red, 4 fresh raspberries, 1/10 fresh chilli, 15ml fresh lemon juice, 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters, 60ml fresh grapefruit and pomegranate juice (1:1)
Garnish
Fresh raspberries, fresh grated cinnamon
Method
Into a mixing glass, add fresh raspberries, lemon juice, and both Wenneker liqueurs. Muddle well, add the rest of the ingredients, good quality ice and shake well until all the ingredients are well mixed, chilled and diluted. Double strain into the chilled coupette glass, grate some cinnamon on top of the drink and serve it with a smile!
Glassware
Coupette, pre-chilled

 

Yellow Mellow by Alexandra Santoro

Ingredients
40ml Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, 15ml Wenneker Limoncello, 10ml lemon juice, soda water to top
Garnish
Lemon twist and rose petals
Method
Fill the shaker with ice cubes. Mix all the ingredients except the soda water. Shake for 3 minutes, strain the content of the shaker, top with soda water, decorate.
Glassware
Highball

Cognac Cherie by Bobby Wyatt

Ingredients
30ml Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, 15ml Wenneker Cherry, 15ml Cocchi Vermouth Di Torino, 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Garnish
Maraschino cherry
Method
Place all the ingredients in a mixing glass and stir for around 30 seconds. Strain the drink into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.
Glassware
Rocks glass