Six cocktails have been announced as the best being served up as part of London Cocktail Week, with one named the festival’s champion.
The winner was the Blended Union cocktail at The Langham hotel’s pub, The Wigmore, which was created by bartender Steve Georgiou. It mixes The Wigmore’s own saison beer with Amaro di Angostura, fresh Union coffee, mango and honey. The judging panel praised it for its use of unusual ingredients and for being so refreshing.
All six finalists – chosen by a judging panel from 153 entrants – are available at bars as part of the Cocktail Tours throughout London Cocktail Week which runs from today to Sunday October 8. This sees the selected cocktails available for £6 for all Festival Pass holders.
The competition was run by the festival’s organiser, DrinkUp.London, with The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. Steve has won a place representing not only The Wigmore but the UK at the international Taste of Cayman mixology competition, due to be held at Grand Cayman’s newest hotel, the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands, at the end of January next year.
Steve will also have a few days to relax after the competition, enjoying time on Seven Mile Beach and exploring all the activities that Grand Cayman has to offer.
The other five finalists were:
- Aqua Spirit with the Nigai Amai – a bittersweet Japanese cocktail made with Ketel One vodka, Aperol, plum sake, Punt e Mes and pineapple bitters.
- Four Sisters Townhouse with the Riverside Sour – bay leaf-infused Buffalo Trace whiskey, mastiha, sour apple and aquafaba.
- Henson’s Bar with the Coriandrum – Napue Rye gin, homemade three-citrus sherbet, Belsazar red vermouth, bitters and coriander cress.
- Nine Lives with the Pink Flamingo (pictured below) – Don Julio blanco tequila, pistachio, fresh watermelon and white balsamic vinegar.
- Every Cloud with the Lady Marmalade – marsala wine mixed with marmalade, fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup.
Siobhan Payne, director of London Cocktail Week, said: “Although this is the eighth annual London Cocktail Week, this is the first-ever time that we’ve crowned the best cocktail of the festival.
“The calibre of drinks submitted for the Cocktail Tours – that’s £6 cocktails served in London’s best bars throughout the duration of the festival – increases every year, and this year is no different, as demonstrated by the incredible standard we saw last night.
“I am incredibly happy for Steve who really went above and beyond, but all the drinks were fantastic. I’m thrilled that thousands of consumers will have the opportunity to experience them during the festival.”
Don McDougall, regional manager for The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Europe, added: “Being the culinary capital of the Caribbean, it’s no surprise that the Cayman Islands has over 200 restaurants and bars across the three islands, with the majority being in Grand Cayman. Working with DrinkUp.London on this mixology competition is a great way to showcase the destination and its importance on the global food and drink scene and we are thrilled to have been a part of finding London Cocktail Week’s best cocktail.
“It’s also a great precursor to Cayman Cocktail Week, which takes place during the last week of October. We wish Steve the very best of luck in the Taste of Cayman competition in January.”
For more information on London Cocktail Week and the Cocktail Tours, visit https://drinkup.london/cocktailweek/.
