UK finalists chosen for Disaronno cocktail competition

Published: 03 November, 2010

The full line-up of bartenders representing the UK in the Disaronno Mixing Star international competition has now been confirmed following the third and final leg of the UK castings.

Adrian Gomes was the unanimous choice of the three-strong judging panel, which was made up of professional mixologist Joe Petch, Paul McFadyen of IP Bartenders and Harpers contributor Gareth Cosslett.

The panel chose the Aberdeen-based consultant/mixologist, who runs the Rumour pop-up bar which has just finished a guest stint at Aberdeen's Carmelite Hotel, at a competition held in Manchester's Corridor bar last week.

The 31-year-old won the heat with his Dopo Cena signature cocktail, a mix of 30ml Disaronno, 30ml Kirschwasser, 25 ml lemon juice, 12.5ml Maraschino, 5ml sirop de gomme and 2 dashes of angostura - shaken and strained with an added cherry garnish. Along with all five competitors, he was also judged on his technique and presentation of the classic Disaronno Sour cocktail.

Gomes will now join the two winners of the previous London heats, Matthew Dakers from London's Trailer Happiness and Boris Ivan from Hush, Mayfair, in the European final to be held in London on November 16. The final will be hosted by international mixologist, Dom Costa.

All three are now in the running to win a trip to Los Angeles to visit a Hollywood film studio to act as a star bartender in a movie and will be included in the Disaronno cocktail guide, The Mixing Star Hall of Fame, to be published in 2011.

Gomes said: "It was a pretty strange experience, with all the cameras on you while you're making the cocktails, but I liked the concept and I liked the set-up. I'm in it to win it and definitely want to claim bragging rights at the final!"

It is the first year of the Disaronno Mixing Star competition, which has involved a multi-million pound international investment in the Italian amaretto liqueur by brand owners Illva Saronno.

Nick Williamson, marketing controller for white spirits and liqueurs at UK distributor First Drinks, said: "The scale of this international marketing drive matches the scale of the ambitions we have for the brand. Disaronno has seen annual 30% sales growth in the UK for each of the last 10 years and is due to overtake Tia Maria as the UK's biggest non-cream based liqueur within the next six months."

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