Who would have thought 20 and even 10 years in the past that port could be used as a base for cocktails? Not to mention be thought-about attractive and funky? The intense minds at Graham’s Port, that’s who. Trying to the longer term while respecting the household’s previous, the corporate had the imaginative and prescient to create two very particular varietals – one white, Graham’s Mix Nº5; the opposite pink, Graham’s Mix Nº12 – each made particularly for mixing.
Liquids perfected, the following step was how finest to showcase the wonder and flexibility of those first-of-a-kind merchandise. Which is the place the Graham’s Mix Sequence cocktail competitors is available in. Not wishing to blow our personal trumpet however we predicted nice issues for this contest when it launched final yr and we’re joyful (some would possibly say smug) to say that we had been proper.
One yr on and never solely has it grown in measurement (from seven to 10 rivals), the extent of inventiveness has gone up a notch, too. Proving that the one restrict to the adaptability of the Graham’s Blends is the creativeness.
Vying for the highest spots had been a superb crew of bartenders, all fully totally different and all showcasing fully totally different types of drinks. Kicking off proceedings was Mario Gualtieri from the UK, who set the bar extraordinarily excessive together with his clear, crisp and uber refined, ‘Unforgettable’ (Graham’s Mix Nº5, Botanist gin, plum sake, thyme syrup and rosemary bitters, topped with English glowing wine). Citing the connection between the UK and Porto as his inspiration, his cocktail was made with sizzling summer season days lazing within the wonderful Douro Valley. Subsequent we noticed Xenne Akpotor flying the flag for the Netherlands. His sangria-style drink, ‘Holy Communion’ (Graham’s Mix Nº12, fat-washed calvados, gomme, cardamon bitters and saline answer), mixed his ardour for meals and cocktail and the ritual of sharing bread and wine.
Yannick Seeber got here third in final yr’s competitors and was again once more representing Austria with a brand new creation, ‘Sol De Porto’. Combining Graham’s Mix Nº5, quince liqueur, native honey, lemons from the Douro Valley and a splash of Perrier Jouet, the drink drew on the artwork of winemaking, particularly made for having fun with with pals on the terrace.
Andrea Pesce from Switzerland was up subsequent with the primary stirred drink of the competitors. Known as ‘The Connection’ (Graham’s Mix Nº5, ardour fruit, mango and tonka shrub, and apple cider vinegar), he referenced the deep bond between Porto and Brazil because the rationale behind his selection of substances. The consequence? An unique, very quaffable serve. Then got here Antonio Rosário, from Portugal. His drink, ‘Tropicale’ (Graham’s Mix Nº12, hibiscus and guava syrup, balsamic, lime juice, saline answer, rosé Spumante), was one other nod to Brazil, however right here as a celebration of the Tropicale motion and deftly mixing the 2 cultures to scrumptious impact in a single easy however efficient Collins glass.
Subsequent got here Lithunia’s Aurimas Kazulenas. Impressed by two of the world’s hottest cocktails, the Espresso and Porn Star Martinis, he took the chance to showcase his flare bartending abilities as he created his ‘Poolside Martini’ (Graham’s Mix Nº12, blood orange juice, strawberry puree, citric mix, Campari and foaming agent). The straightforward-drinking, strawberry-forward concoction had crowd-pleaser written throughout it.
Representing Norway, was Wilhelm Brenna together with his ‘The Debt to the Grahams’. This was a possibility to the touch on the historical past of the model, linking its beginnings in Scotland and on to Porto. Graham’s Mix Nº12, Lagavullin, verjus, Demerara syrup, beetroot and cocoa leaves, topped with a raspberry and chocolate air, resulted in a fancy, cocktail that left a memorable impression.
Germany’s Alina Bazen was the eighth competitor of the day along with her ‘Port de Café’ (Graham’s Mix Nº12, mezcal, chilly brew espresso, saline answer, agave syrup and a contact of Fernet Branca. Described as an the wrong way up Manhattan twist, conceived to develop because it mingled within the glass, it was one other daring drink that showcased the multi-faceted traits of Graham’s Blends.
The penultimate competitor was Saevar Ornolfsson from Iceland. His drink, ‘Branching Out’ (Graham’s Mix Nº5, calvados, inexperienced apple syrup, lemon juice and coriander) was an ode to his ardour for rising and tending bonsai timber – as mirrored in his selection of garnish.
Lastly, it was right down to Joeri Visser from Belgium to wrap issues up, which he did in positive type. Named after his father, the ‘Robbie’ (Graham’s Mix Nº5, fat-washed pisco, easy syrup, aquafaba and a Graham’s Mix Nº12 float) was greater than a cocktail, it was created to lift consciousness of how to reply to somebody having a coronary heart assault, like his father had skilled. And, in addition to handing out a Kiss of Life reward to all the judges, €1 from every cocktail sale (already on the menu) is donated to a charity instructing folks find out how to resuscitate anybody who wants assist.
So who gained? Let’s simply say it was a really shut name. In first place it was Alina Bazen, with Joeri Visser coming in second place and Xenne Akpotor in third.
Graham’s Mix Sequence – the info
The rivals
Mario Gualtieri – 45 Park Lane, The Dorchester, London, UK
Xenne Akpotor – Ayla, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Yannik Seeber – Liquid Diary, Innsbruck, Austria
Andrea Pesce – Villa Príncipe Leopoldo, Lugano, Switzerland
António Rosário – Terraplana, Porto, Portugal
Aurimas Kazulenas – Kempinski Vilnius, Lithuania
Wilhelm Brenna – Grand Lodge Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Alina Bazen – Das Schwarz Shaf, Bamberg, Germany
Saevar Ornolfsson – Tres Locos, Reykjavik, Iceland
Joeri Visser – Belroys Cocktails, Antwerp, Belgium
The prizes
Ist: €1,000 money prize, plus six months provide of Graham’s Mix Nº5 and Mix Nº12 for the bar
2nd: €500 money prize, plus two instances of Graham’s Mix Nº5 and Graham’s Nº12 for the bar
third: €200 money prize, plus one case of Graham’s Mix Nº5 and Graham’s Nº12 for the bar
The glassware featured
Coupe: 5
Nick & Nora: 2
Collins: 1
Rocks: 2
Variety of Graham’s Blends used
Graham’s Mix Nº5: 5
Graham’s Mix Nº12: 5
The experiences
Sure, the primary focus was the competitors however earlier than that, was the integral half the place the bartenders bought to know Porto, Graham’s, the Douro Valley and equally necessary, one another.
The three-day programme was rigorously put along with all of those components in thoughts, commencing with a luxurious, extraordinarily atmospheric dinner within the cellar at Vinum on the Graham’s Lodge, adopted by a day within the wonderful Douro Valley at Quinta dos Malvedos. Right here’s the place we bought to study extra in regards to the historical past of the model, see how they make the treasured liquids and style a choice of expressions from the intensive portfolio. A ship journey took us to Quinta do Bomfim for a superb homestyle lunch and no ahead of we’d digested that, it was again to Porto and Terrieiro for supper.
Absolutely fuelled, the morning was time to move to Le Monumental Palace for the competitors. Which takes us again to the start…
