Everyone knows that bartenders are natural performers – and now Caorunn, the innovative Scottish gin from Speyside, is putting this to the test with the launch of the Caorunn Storytellers Global Cocktail Challenge that will see national finals hosted in England, Scotland, USA, Australia and Spain throughout 2012.
‘Caorunn Storytellers’ will test the very best bartenders from around the world to come up with a new signature Caorunn cocktail and, crucially, tell the story of their drink.
Entrants are invited to take their inspiration from Caorunn’s Scottish story, in which traditional hand crafted distillation techniques are married with a unique combination of locally sourced Celtic botanicals. ‘Storytellers’ are required to submit a ‘modern classic’ cocktail, which should fuse the traditional with the contemporary – a drink with its roots in the true classic cocktails which makes a feature of at least one of Caorunn’s five Celtic botanicals – rowan berry, coul blush apple, bog myrtle, heather and dandelion. Of course, the Caorunn Storyteller will have more than just a great drink – bartenders must entertain, engage and educate through their story as well in front of a high profile judging panel with Simon Difford and Geraldine Coates.
Entries are now being taken for national finals. All five national winners, from England, Scotland, USA, Australia and Spain will gain a place on an unforgettable trip to Scotland later this year where they will compete to be crowned Caorunn Storyteller Global Champion 2012.
The four-day winners’ trip to Scotland, culminating in the grand final at the world renowned Bramble gin bar in Edinburgh on 3rd September, will include a personal tour of Caorunn’s birthplace, the Balmenach Distillery, with gin master Simon Buley, a Highland road trip featuring access to some of Speyside’s most famous whisky distilleries, as well as fine dining and bar hopping in Scotland’s finest hostelries.
The eventual winner of Caorunn’s 2012 Global Storyteller, will pick up a prize of £1500 and see their drinks rolled out internationally as signature Caorunn cocktails.
The Caorunn Global Storytellers Competition opens on the 5th March
Local Finals:
Spain: 12th June, Lavinia, Madrid
England: 2nd July, Worship Street Whistling Shop, London
Scotland: 9th July, The Finnieston, Glasgow
USA: 25th – 29th July, Tales of Cocktail, New Orleans
Global Final: 3rd September, Bramble, Edinburgh
For more details on the competition and how to enter, visit www.caorunngin.com/storytellers
