Do you have what it takes to craft an unforgettable gin cocktail?
Gin is the perfect main character in a cocktail, a strong and complex protagonist that begs for the perfect supporting cast. Unlike other spirits, gin has a myriad of ingredients in it already, so your knowledge of those flavors and how to use them will be crucial. Great authors are often judged by their ability to craft a captivating short story, one with enticing character development and layers of emotion and intrigue. Mixology is no different.
Competition details
Three bartenders will be selected to take part in the final competition, held in June (date/location TBA) in the Seattle area, likely early afternoon during the week.
The winner will get to co-author Volume 3 of our limited gin series with AJ Temple, head distiller of Chapter One Gin and other Temple spirits.
The winner will also receive a $500 prize, gin, and some awesome swag.
Two runners-up will receive $100 each, gin, and more awesome swag.
Gin Development: After the winner is chosen, they will have a tasting session with AJ Temple and discuss preferred flavors and characteristics of the new gin. This will essentially be the storyboard for what’s to come. After that AJ will run a series of small tabletop distillations of all individual ingredients discussed as well as any complimentary ones and the second meeting will be to taste and blend with all of those. Once a rough compound gin is decided upon, larger full-batch distillation will occur and a final recipe will be settled on. Release of the Co-Authored bottles will happen after bottling and label approvals etc. with the release goal being the end of 2023.
Why do we do this?
We love bartenders. They are the backbone of the spirits industry; the hardest working, funniest, and most dedicated customers that we have. When we decided to throw ‘another’ cocktail competition it wasn’t to get a few minutes in the limelight for our brand and give the winner a cool T shirt, we wanted it to mean something. What’s a great story without great characters? And how can you have context in a story if there are no interactions and no relationships made? Enter the Co-Author, our collaborative partner in crime and creative force behind this limited edition series of gins.
James Wolf (Vol. 1)
Our first collaboration was a huge success and a great indicator of things to come! Japanese flavors dominated the palate from the fresh shiso leaf and ume flower tea, this gin pairs great with sake and vermouth. Delicate, but wonderfully unique. The palate is soft with a delicate backbone of spice from the caraway and fennel to balance the earthy brightness of the shiso.
Jonathan Stanyard (Vol. 2)
Jonathan developed a gin with us that is complex beyond measure, incorporating fresh curry leaves, lemongrass, nutmeg, pink peppercorn, and eucalyptus into the distillation process. We then added a touch of saffron at the end, lending a luxurious mouthfeel and long finish. Bottled at 94 proof, the tasting notes are too complex to write on paper. You've got a tart, brightness from the lemongrass with a dusty, earthy flavor from the nutmeg. The curry leaves leave you tasting exotic spices but without the heat you'd expect to go with it.
