MIXLDN 7 finalists arrive in London

Thirty-one bartenders from across the globe have gathered in London for the final of the Beefeater MIXLDN 7 cocktail competition.

Following a series of national heats, the global final of the Beefeater MIXLDN will take place in The Bike Shed in London tomorrow (8 February).

Over four days of competition, the top 31 bartenders from around the world will compete for their chance to appear in the grand final.

In the final, the top eight bartenders will compete to be crowned champion and for the chance to create a limited-edition run of their own gin with Beefeater’s master distiller, Desmond Payne.

Payne said: “This year’s competition has already been the toughest yet, with bartenders from all four corners of the globe creating unique and innovative cocktails.

“We are experiencing a renaissance in cocktail culture, with the profession of bartending seen in a new light. Through competitions like MIXLDN 7 we are helping to put local ‘mixologists’ on the global stage.”

The final will see the top eight bartenders challenged to create a cocktail inspired by their home city’s urban diversity, considering balance of flavours, appearance and originality.

Joining Payne on the judging panel for the competition is Difford’s Guide editor Simon Difford, Dandelyan founder Ryan Chetiyawardana and Dukes Hotel’s Alessandro Palazzi.

Payne said: “As I celebrate my 50th year in the industry and see the popularity of gin continuing to soar, I can’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate than to showcase the diversity and potential of Beefeater through the eyes of some of the world’s most talented bartenders.”

The MIXLDN 7 finalists are:

Canada – Jason Griffin, Bacchanal

Iceland – Jónmundur Borsteinsson, Apotek Restaurant

Croatia – Marino Karinja, Bokamorra

Finland – Clément Cariou, A21 Decades

Slovakia – Miroslav Telehanič, Sky Bar & Restaurant

Serbia & Montenegro – Stefan Ćirković, Balkon

Belgium – Julian Kappert, Mercado Antwerp

Bulgaria – Margarita Dimova, Sputnik

China – Ziyu Zhang, The Peninsula, Beijing

Denmark – Marianna Kozanyiova, Curfew Cocktail Bar

Estonia – Mikk Kelder, Butterfly Lounge

Lithuania – Gabrielė Sasnauskaitė, Alchemikas

Mexico City – Luis Fernando Romero Lopez, Bootlegger

Norway – Maxime Verrier, ISM Oslo

Poland – Patryk Kowalski, Woda Ognista

UK – Alexander Walker. The Beaufort Bar, Savoy

Austria – Manuela Lerchbaumer, Easy Bar in Linz

Brasil – Luciano Guimarães, Pina Cocktails & Co (Speakeasy bar)

New Zealand – Charles Stringer David Gillet, Poplar Social

Cyprus – Pavlos Aslanidis, Columbia Beach

Czech Republic – Hana Graclikova, Bar Super Panda Circus

Greece – Ioannis Alexandros Dontas, Bartesera

USA – Jason Seele

Cuba – Arturo Castro de la Uz, Restaurant

Italy – Corey Squarzoni, Speakeasy Liquid Bar

Japan – Satoshi Sugiura

Peru – Jose Anibal Huayllani, Maido

Argentina – Ariel Figueroa

Hong Kong – Maxim Schulte

Sweden – Simon Epale, Pharmarium

South Africa – Keanu Batista