SOME of the best bartenders in the country will gather in Edinburgh next Monday (October 30) for the UK final of Flor de Caña’s Sustainable Cocktail Challenge.
Flor de Caña is proud of its credentials as the world’s only Carbon Neutral and Fair Trade-certified spirit – and its annual challenge invites mixologists world-wide to create an equally environmentally-friendly cocktail.
The zero waste concoctions offered up from around the UK have been sifted down to nine excellent entrants, who will face off at a national final in Edinburgh’s Lady Libertine next week, where a panel of industry judges will choose the sustainable cocktail that will progress onto the global final in Nicaragua, representing the UK against offerings from the world’s best bartenders.
To qualify, contestants were tasked with pairing Flor de Caña rum with ingredients that are seasonal, locally produced, Fair Trade-certified, or revived from repurposed food scraps or leftovers.
Entrants were encouraged to ‘think outside of the box’ and use their creativity to craft spectacular cocktails that help eliminate food waste.
The UK finalist sustainable serves are:
ACQVA FRISKA, created by Giuseppe Lombardi of Bar Antoine, London
FUNKY MONKEY created by Davide Melillo, of The Cocktail Bar, London
SECOND SHOT created by Klara Kopcikova of Coupette, London
CARIBBEAN BLOOM created by Michele Agense, of The Arts Club, London
THE ORCHARD created by Luca Giangolini, of sketch, London
WASTE NOT WANT NOT created by Kiera Simpson, of Tonic, Edinburgh
CARIBBEAN BREEZE created by Francesco Marone, of The Woodspeen Restaurant, Newbury
THE DOUBLE STUFFED OLEO created by Jamie Kerrison, of The Craftsman Company, Aberdeen
TODA LA PIÑA created by Sophie Cheery of the Atlantic Bar and Brasserie, Glasgow
Now in its third year, the Sustainable Cocktail Challenge seeks to play an active role in transforming the industry by supporting and inspiring bars around the world to adopt meaningful sustainable practices in their everyday operations.
UK Brand Ambassador for Flor de Caña, Mateo Ortiz, said: “Sustainability has been at the heart of Flor de Caña’s ethos for 130 years, and the Sustainable Cocktail Challenge is reflective of our desire to give back to the Earth and ensure our product is as ethical as possible, every step of the way.
“We must all take responsibility for mitigating our impact on the Earth. The industry is changing, and our finalists and their serves are proof of how materials can be reused and repurposed to make delicious, socially-responsible cocktails.”
