A touch of green

The Midori cocktail competition saw UKBG-affiliated bartenders working their magic with the green Japanese spirit

The UK Bartenders Guild (UKBG) celebrated all things Midori with a presentation on the brand and a Midori cocktail competition during February.

The event, held at the Hotel du Vin in Royal Tunbridge Wells, saw UKBG-affiliated bartenders working their magic with the green Japanese spirit, which is made from two types of melon from two different parts of Japan.

Competitors came from a selection of locations across the UK to participate, including Dorset, London, Brighton and Kent. After all the cocktails had been shaken, stirred, served and judged, the winner was named as André Cavalheiro from The Mandeville Hotel, London, with his Gummiami. Second place was awarded to Thomas (Tommy) Quy from the Captain’s Club Hotel in Dorset, and third place to Piotr Sajdak from Cannizaro House, London.

The event was sponsored by Midori and the brand’s UK distributor, Cellar Trends.

Midori global brand ambassador Manuel Terron, fresh from Australia for the event, gave a masterclass demonstrating the versatility of the spirit.

WINNING COCKTAIL

Name: Gummiami
Method: Shaken
Ingredients:
60ml Midori
15ml coconut syrup
30ml fresh lemon juice
1/2 egg white
Spray with Hakushu 12 Years Old
Garnish: Lemon twist, melon chewing gum
on the rim and crystallised angelica as an
emerald on the bottom.

MANUEL TERRON SIGNATURE MIDORI COCKTAILS

Bohemian Rhapsody

1 inch cucumber

1 sprig lemon thyme

45ml gin

15ml Midori

15ml apple juice

Spritz of absinthe

Method: Muddle cucumber and thyme, then add ice with remaining ingredients and shake. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Garnish: Sprig of lemon thyme and cucumber slice.

Midtown Muse

20ml Midori

45ml Yamazaki 12 years old whisky (or Glenfiddich 12)

10ml vanilla liqueur

Dash of Angostura bitters

Method: Stir with ice and strain into a martini glass.

Garnish: Flamed orange twist.

Cider House

30ml dark rum

40ml Midori

120ml hot fresh (cloudy) apple juice

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Method: Build into a heatproof glass or mug, then stir.

Garnish: Cinnamon stick and sugar-sprinkled apple slice.