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High West brings back cocktail contest
Constellation Brands-owned High West Distillery has opened submissions for the first round of its bartending competition.
Back for the third year, the contest, officially named High West Mountain Bartender Cocktail Challenge, brings together bartenders from the UK and Europe to create a winter-themed High West-based serve and celebrate the distillery’s mountain connections.
Finalists can compete in an all-expenses paid trip to Chamonix in France, with the winner then going on to claim a trip to High West’s home in Park City, Utah.
Round one is now open to bartenders based in the UK.
To enter, one must create a winter cocktail featuring at least 40ml of High West whiskey; share a photo of the cocktail on social media using the hashtag #highwestmx and tag @drinkhighwest; and then submit the recipe, photo and personal details (name, city and bar) to highwestmx@cbrands.com by 31 December 2024.
The top 10 entries will move into the next round at Odyssey Bar in London on 7 January, where bartenders will go ‘head-to-head in an exclusive showdown of talent and taste’.
The winner of this heat will head to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in France from 26-29 January for the final.
The judging criteria for cocktails is based on flavour, cocktail appearance, presentation, replicability, technique and originality.
High West master distiller Brendan Coyle said: “We are thrilled to announce our High West Mountain Experience Bartenders Challenge is coming back for another year. At High West, our whiskeys are inspired by the great outdoors, and there’s no better way to celebrate that spirit than by bringing top bartenders together in the mountains to compete for the chance to win the European Cocktail Competition and win a trip to our home in Utah.
“We can’t wait to see what talented bartenders create using High West and wish everyone the best of luck in their entries.”
In Chamonix for round three, those selected will be able to enjoy evenings at the High West bar with barbecues and hot tub, while Coyle will be hosting a whiskey masterclass. Activities on offer include ski passes with expert instruction and/or a spa day at QC Terme Chamonix Spa.
The Chamonix trip will culminate in the European Cocktail Competition final, where participants compete for a trip to Utah.
Speaking to The Spirits Business on-site in France at last year’s competition, Coyle said that “we [High West] want to keep the contest going every year and build into something that bartenders talk about. We want to have a cult following”.
He continued: “We create these products that are not the easiest products to understand but we think they are better – so we want to do a full immersion; invite people out to the mountain, go skiing, host masterclasses and taste the cocktails, properly experience the brand.
“Again, they are not the simplest products to make, but we think they’re worth it and we want to show why. That’s why at the competition, we go through dinners and pairings and everything… and that’s why it makes a big difference for us.”
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