Japanese mixologist beats UK competition to be crowned Maker's Mark best bartender

Published: 23 November, 2010

A Japanese bartender has beaten off the competition, including two UK mixologists, in Maker's Mark's inaugural Battle of the Best bartender competition held in Kentucky.

Fifteen bartenders from around the world travelled to Lexington, Kentucky to make a new Maker's Mark cocktail ? among them were UK heat winners Chris Lacey from the Bike Shed Theatre Bar in Exeter and Julian De Feral from Lutyen's Bar in London. They were pipped to the post by Kenji Nakamura from Bar Erika in Tokyo, whose "Beautiful Dream" using Maker's Mark, peach liqueur, peach syrup, fresh lemon juice and Aserora juice, was the judges' favourite.

The judging panel was made up from more than 100 Maker's Mark ambassadors including master distillers Greg Davis and Kevin Smith, president Bill Samuels Jr. and chief operating officer, Rob Samuels.

Samuels Jr. said: "This competition gave us the chance to welcome some of the best bartenders from across the globe to Kentucky to put their international twist on Maker's Mark and make some of the most innovative and fully flavoured cocktails I've ever tasted. The passion and enthusiasm of the bartenders was incredible."

"Made with soft red winter wheat rather than rye, and using traditional production techniques, Maker's Mark has a sweeter taste. We saw all kind of ingredients used in the final, including cucumber syrup, homemade musket balls reduction, bitter truth Pemento Dram and hot liquorice tea, and they all complemented Maker's Mark very well."

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