Snow Queen Martini Masters 2016 crowns winner

Kieran Grieves of Bonbar in Newcastle has been crowned winner of the Snow Queen Martini Masters 2016 competition following a close final.

Kieran Grieves of Bonbar in Newcastle has been named winner of Snow Queen Martini Masters 2016

In an intense final round against nine top bartenders, Grieves impressed a panel of expert judges during the competition, held yesterday (17 October) at The Club at The Ivy in London.

Now in its fourth year, the competition tasks 10 bartenders with creating an original Martini cocktail that showcases the organic wheat-based vodka Snow Queen Vodka and also communicates its brand story.

Grieves created a cocktail titled Dining with Nature that pays homage to Kazakh landscape, Snow Queen’s hometown – containing Snow Queen Vodka, Zirbenz pine liqueur, homemade Dom Perignon liqueur and homemade oyster tincture.

Judges praised Grieves for his “amazing presentation skills” and “innovative ingredients”, awarding him a place in the final three of the competition.

He was then joined by bartender Amiir Saleem, and Mario Romano, of The Meat Co in London.

Grieves blew judges away with his innovative take on a Martini and was crowned overall winner of the competition.

His win lands him a UK brand ambassadorial role with Snow Queen Vodka and a £2,500 cash prize.

He said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic and massively overwhelmed to have won the competition. It’s been a very tough competition, but it was always my ambition to win a national competition like Snow Queen Vodka.”

The judging panel consisted of: Alessandro Palazzi, bar manager at Dukes Hotel; David Marsland, founder of Drinks Enthusiast; and Martin Siska, bar manager at Scarfes Bar in the Rosewood Hotel, London.

For the full story on the Snow Queen Martini Masters 2016 competition, see the November 2016 issue of The Spirits Business.