Gabriel Boudier introduces turmeric liqueur

French producer Gabriel Boudier has launched a turmeric-flavoured liqueur, created by the 2023 winner of the brand’s Wizard Award Competition.

Created by Xander Driver, a bartender from Leicester, the liqueur took the top prize last year and has now been added to the Gabriel Boudier range.

“Gabriel Boudier’s reputation as the world’s leading liqueur company, partnered with Emporia’s passion and expertise for new product development and innovation, gave us another opportunity to challenge the talent of the UK bartenders to create an original cocktail liqueur,” said Jack Rackham, managing director of Emporia Brands, which launched the competition in 2015.

“Xander’s Turmeric Liqueur is another fantastic example of the creativity and skill involved in developing these truly unique liqueurs.”

The latest creation joins the ranks of previous winning recipes from the competition, including Kaffir Lime Leaf (Samuel Bolton), Mustard Liqueur (Maria Vieira) and Nori Seaweed Liqueur (Matthew Cusworth).

Accompanying the launch, spirits distributor Emporia Brands has officially opened registrations for the 2024 Gabriel Boudier Wizard Award Competition on its website. The deadline for submissions is 31 August 2024.

Open to all UK bartenders; the competition will be divided into three regional finals, with the top 10 recipes from each invited to showcase their liqueur and signature serves before a panel of judges in September 2024.

The three regional heats winners will then be able to compete at the final in 2025, hosted at Gabriel Boudier’s home in Dijon, France.

In addition to the cash price of £1,000 (US$1,255), the triumphant liqueur will join the brand’s range in 2025.

The competition is dedicated to finding innovative flavour combinations.