The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism joined forces with DrinkUp.London (the team behind the award-winning London Cocktail Week) to crown London Cocktail Week 2017’s best cocktail in the first competition of its kind held by the organisers.
Six finalists (chosen from 153 entrants) battled it out by showcasing their signature serves to four judges in the Apartment at the trendy Hoxton Hotel, Shoreditch. They were assessed on the speed of their service, their innovation, the presentation of their cocktail and of course the taste of their signature serve.
Steve Georgiou from the Langham Hotel’s bar, The Wigmore was named the winner with his Blended Union cocktail. The cocktail was the Wigmore’s own Saison beer blended with Amaro di Angostura, fresh union coffee, mango and honey and the judging panel (who included Channel 4 Sunday Brunch drinks expert Sarah Kingsbury) loved the use of unusual ingredients and how refreshing the drink was.
Steve has won a place representing not only The Wigmore but London and 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, Cayman Islands at the end of January 2018. He will also have a few days to relax and unwind after the competition, enjoying time on Seven Mile Beach and exploring all the activities that Grand Cayman has to offer.
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 said: “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.”
British Airways flies to Grand Cayman four times per week from Heathrow with a short touchdown in Nassau, Bahamas. For more information see http://www.caymanluxe.co.uk
London Cocktail week takes place between 2-8 October, 2017.
For more information see https://drinkup.london/
WINNER: Bar: The Wigmore
Cocktail: Blended Union – the Wigmore’s own Saison beer blended with Amaro di Angostura, fresh union coffee, mango and honey.
DRINKS ENTHUSIAST 