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Desi Daru names cocktail competition finalists

Vodka brand Desi Daru has announced the eight finalists who will compete in its inaugural Culture Colliders Cocktail Competition.

Desi Daru Culture Colliders
L-R top row: Abhishek Pandey, Alice Ford, Aniket Pawar and Anthony Orme
L-R bottom row: Jessica Alejandra Estrada Carvajal, Jurgen Bahiti, Pierpaolo Schirru, Vitor Sousa

The final will take place at Sushisamba’s new cocktail bar and lounge, Samba Room, on 22 July.

Up for grabs is a top prize of £2,000 (US$2,530), a meal for two at Michelin-starred Benares in Berkeley Square, London, a trip to the distillery where Desi Daru makes its vodkas, plus the first Culture Colliders trophy.

The eight finalists are:

  • Abhishek Pandey, from Courtyard by Marriott London Heathrow, presenting Saffron Monarch: A Historical Fusion
  • Alice Ford, from Eve Bar by Adam Handling, presenting Culture Crossroads
  • Aniket Pawar, from The Thin White Duke, presenting Desi Cuppa Tea
  • Anthony Orme, from The Royal Cocktail Exchange, presenting Dabba Highball
  • Jessica Alejandra Estrada Carvajal, from Duck & Waffle, presenting Desi Delight
  • Jurgen Bahiti, from The Ritz Hotel, presenting Raj Elixir
  • Pierpaolo Schirru, from The Londoner, presenting Ekata (Unity)
  • Vitor Sousa, from The Churchill Bar and Terrace, presenting Duke of Goa

Mohit Singh, Desi Daru co-founder, commented: “We were overwhelmed with the volume and calibre of the submissions we received for our first-ever cocktail competition.

“It was incredible to see the level of mixology here in the UK and all the different ways our cocktail brief could be interpreted. There were so many strong entries and we have to choose just eight for our finals, but I’ve got a lot more bars up and down the UK that are on my visit list for the year.

“Until then, we have eight really strong finalists and I cannot wait to see who will take our trophy home.”

Each entrant was tasked with creating an original Desi Daru cocktail using one traditionally British ingredient, one traditionally Indian ingredient, and at least 40ml of Desi Daru Mango Vodka. The finalists were whittled down based on the cocktail serve, appearance and inspiration.

The contest is a nod to the brand owners’ Indian-British heritage. Singh, who founded the brand with his wife, Aneet Kaur, are both British-born Indians, and aimed to create a vodka reflective of both cultures.

The final will be judged by Sukhinder Singh, co-founder of The Whisky Exchange and Elixir Distillers; Tobias Gorn, co-founder and senior partner of International Drinks Specialists; and Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business.

Earlier this month, Desi Daru began working on raising £1 million (US$1.2m) worth of investment to grow the brand.

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