City’s mixology is top trumps again

Capital bartender makes tequila great again with cocktail win

Callum Baines of Treacle Bar & Kitchen put an emphasis on sustainability with his entry

AN Edinburgh bartender has become the latest mixologist from the capital to emerge victorious from a cocktail competition and is off to Mexico after being crowned the winner of 1800 Tequila’s Visionaries contest.

Callum Baines, of Treacle Bar & Kitchen in the city’s new town, beat off competition from five other bartenders from across the UK to take first place.

All six finalists were tasked with creating a cocktail which demonstrated what consumers will be drinking in 20 years’ time.

Callum is said to have impressed judges with his cocktail, Make Tequila Great Again, which combined 1800 Reposado, oak wood smoke, cactus and aloe syrup, lemon juice and Boston Bittahs served in a mug.

His inspiration is said to have come from the notion of global warming impacting resources of water and fresh ingredients, which, in his view, could cause sustainability to come to the fore of cocktails in the future.

I’m thrilled I’ll soon get to immerse myself in all things tequila in the heart of Tequila itself.

As the winner of the competition, Callum will receive a trip to 1800 Tequila’s distillery in Jalisco, Mexico.

Commenting on the award win, Callum said: “I am so happy that I have been selected as this year’s winner of the competition.

“It’s an absolute privilege to have been chosen by these judges, and I’m thrilled I’ll soon get to immerse myself in all things tequila in the heart of Tequila itself.”

In April, Michael McLellan of Edinburgh speakeasy-style bar Bryant & Mack was the joint-winner of the Scottish heat of Cognac brand Courvoisier’s annual Toast of Paris cocktail competition.

The global final of the competition was won last year by another bartender from the city, Jonathan Arthur of Bramble.