Drinks World Middle East | Dubai #2

DUBAI NO. 2

David

PIPER

Talks About His Extraordinary Journey as Hendrick’s Gin Global Brand Ambassador

HOW DRINKS ARE PRESENTED

From the Glassware to the Garnish Used, It’s All About Enhancing Customers’ Overall Drinking Experience

Getting to Know

ARNO VAN EIJMEREN & NICOLAS SAINT-JEAN Brand Ambassadors for De Kuyper Royal Distillers

LOUIS ROEDERER

Launches a New Cuvée: the Brut Nature 2006

WORLD CLASS DUBAI Seeks a New Winner

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° FEATURE °

I

ntroducing Jose Cuervo Gold and Jose Cuervo Silver, originally hand crafted by our master distiller, Don Luis Yerenas.

Having first set out to create the smoothest possible tequila shot and the best mixing tequila, he ended up creating two of the world’s most popular tequilas in the process.

JOSE CUERVO ESPECIAL GOLD The world’s No. 1 Tequila, best consumed as they do in Mexico – as an ice cold shot. The best Blue Agave is handpicked, pruned, slow baked, pressed, distilled and then aged in oak barrels. Jose Cuervo Especial Gold is rested in American oak barrels for 4 months.

JOSE CUERVO ESPECIAL SILVER The same ingredients that go into Jose Cuervo Especial Gold, but without the oak barrel ageing process. Think vodka, but with soul. The pronounced Agave notes make Jose Cuervo Especial Silver perfect for mixing.

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WHAT IT TAKES

TO BECOME A DON TURN AGAVE INTO GOLD Francisco Hajnal Alfaro, the first Maestro Tequilero, has the finest nose in Mexico. He is a guardian of the world’s No. 1 Tequila, Jose Cuervo Gold, and nothing leaves the distillery without his say so. To many, he is an alchemist. To the company, he is Don Francisco, a true Don of Tequila.

STICK YOUR HEAD IN THE OVEN Like his family before him, Don Roberto Nuñez works in the ovens of La Rojeña distillery.

Every day, he chops and lifts 12 tons of agave fresh from the fields. It’s hot, demanding work, but this homero’s strong. Don of Tequila strong.

CHARM A FAMOUS ACTRESS Bar owner Don Carlos Herrera was visited one day by the famous Mexican showgirl, Rita de la Rosa. Determined to impress the chica, Don Carlos crafted a new cocktail especially for her. Thankfully she was impressed, and The Margarita was born.

DIE IN A BATTLE In 1792, when the town of Tequila was under threat from outlaw Manuel Lozada, brave local Don Sixto Gorjon formed an army and stood in the bandits’ way. Don Sixto was gunned down in battle, but his army were victorious. Thanks to them, Jose Cuervo’s distillery still stands proud today.

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° FEATURE °

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES

TO BE THE NEXT DON OF TEQUILA?

Join the competition - log on to www.donsoftequila.com HOW TO ENTER Taking inspiration from the legendary Dons, create a new serve of Jose Cuervo Especial Gold or an innovative shot-size mix using Jose Cuervo Especial Silver.

THE PRIZE Compete to win a 5-day trip to the Jose Cuervo distillery, La Rojeña, in the town of Tequila, Mexico.

Harvest your own plot of Agave. Create your own batch of Jose Cuervo tequila with a label designed in your honour.

THE FINALS The UAE National Final will take place in June 2015 at a venue in Dubai. Chosen finalists will be contacted directly and will be asked to: • Re-create their photo entry and give an explanation of their drink • Create a new Margarita serve using Jose Cuervo Silver and explain how they created it and why • Participate in tequila training and a knowledge test • Participate in a “Are you fit for a Don” task, which will test to see if finalists have the grit, passion and determination to be the next Don of Tequila The winner will compete and represent the UAE at the Global Final, to be held at the Jose Cuervo distillery, La Rojeña, in the town of Tequila, Mexico, on September 2015.

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Credits CREDITS Publisher Marc Rodrigues marc@hipmedia.com.au EDITORIAL Publishing Editor Ashley Pini Editor Miracielo Broñola DESIGN Senior Designer Ryan Andrew Salcedo ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Sasha Falloon SALES Sales Director Marc Rodrigues PHOTOGRAPHY Photographer Matt Terrey CONTRIBUTORS Writers Miracielo Broñola, Chris Chambers, Jason Clark, Maurizio Corda, Brent Henderson, Mark Henderson, Ashley Pini, Gaz Regan

COVER: Up close with David Piper and his amazing journey as Hendrick’s Gin Global Brand Ambassador.

Story on pages 80-81.

Produced and published by

Editorial Enquiries: If you, your bar, or your brand and company have news or events you would like to share with Drinks World Middle East please contact: ashley@hipmedia.com.au Although Hip Media Asia endeavours to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the information and drinks trade and drinkstrade.com.au, we do not accept any liability or responsibility for any inaccuracies or missions. The views expressed by authors of publications or event presentations, published drinks trade, do not necessarily represent the views of Hip Media Asia. Decisions or actions based on the information and publications provided by Hip Media Asia are at your own risk.

drinks-world-asia @drinksworldasia drinksworldasia

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BECOME THE NEXT

Win a batch of your own blend of tequila

JOSE CUERVO ESPECIAL GOLD The world’s No. 1 Tequila, best consumed as they do in Mexico – as an ice cold shot. The best Blue Agave is handpicked, pruned, slow baked, pressed, distilled and then aged in oak barrels. Jose Cuervo Especial Gold is rested in American oak barrels for 4 months.

JOSE CUERVO ESPECIAL SILVER The same ingredients that go into Jose Cuervo Especial Gold, but without the oak barrel ageing process. Think vodka, but with soul. The pronounced Agave notes make Jose Cuervo Especial Silver perfect for mixing.

ENTER THE BATTLE www.donsoftequila.com

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Welcome Fired up by the success of our debut and the tremendous response from the trade, we’re excited to bring you yet another jam-packed issue of Drinks World Middle East.

The past few months in Dubai have been huge and frenetic with some global names being welcomed to our shores, innovative products being launched and worldwide competitions coming to a head.

Outside of that, the trade continues to develop at an electrifying pace. Local brands, international chains and 5-star hotels continue to enhance their beverage offering. And with new themed venues, gin bars and more prohibition-style outlets hitting the scene, Dubai is hot on the heels of London and New York.

In this second edition, we bring you the full coverage of the Stella Artois World Draught Masters competition. Meet the region’s champion, Sudera Lakmal, who is getting ready to head off to the global finals in London. We’ve also covered the Moscow Mule competition, which was a global first.

Not to mention our blow-by-blow account of the Dubai leg of World Class.

Guess who were in town and got the industry inspired by their presence? They’re none other than Gaja Winery heiress Gaia, Glenfiddich global brand ambassador Ian Millar, and De Kuyper legends Nicolas Saint-Jean and Arno van Eijmeren. Between them, they had over a thousand people attend their phenomenal masterclasses.

Find out more about the history of some of the world’s excellent wines and their offering by checking out our profiles on Louis Roederer, Bodega Norton, Armand de Brignac and Robert Mondavi. On the spirits aisle, we have Hendrick’s Gin and Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine.

Expand your knowledge of the craft by reading our articles on beer and food pairing as well as on beverage presentation. Lastly, relive the merriment with our take on the annual celebration of St Patrick’s which saw Guinness being hoisted across the city.

Until then, get stuck in and enjoy reading the next hundred pages or so of everything drinks!

Drinks World Middle East is distributed to bars, restaurants and hotels in the UAE. If you would like to have your brand represented or would like to contribute or comment please contact: marc@hipmedia.com.au

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Contents

20

10

29

42

Feature

2 10 19 23 32 44 52 59 63 8°

Don of Tequila

Stella Artois World Draught Masters 2015 Louis Roederer’s Brut Nature 2006 First La Maison Cointreau Regional Competition Discover the Real Moscow Mule Bartender Competition

44

Meet

82 84 98 104 111

Diageo World Class UAE

How Drinks are Presented

Gaz Regan’s Mindful Bartending Edition 2 Gaia Talks About Gaja

Golden Era of Bartending How to Drink Whisky

De Kuyper Masterclass

Nicholas Murcott on Sake St Patrick’s Day

12 14 15 25 26 27 40 50 60

Sudera Lakmal

Brent Henderson

The Maestro Salvatore Calabrese Laura Duca

Mike Cheong

Alfred Cointreau

Cassiano Hissnauer

64 66 80 91 100 102 110

Ian Millar

James Zorab David Piper

Kim Crawford

Nicolas Saint-Jean

Arno Van Eijmeren

Andreas Wickhoff

David Cottam

Gaz Regan

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Contents

32

52

59 88

Profiles

17 20 29 31 62 68 74 78 88

Louis Roederer

120 Years of Bodega Norton

106

Drinks

94 106

Robert Mondavi Winery

42

Innovation

Beer and Food Pairing

72

Belaire Rosé Fantôme

Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine

250 Years of Armand de Brignac Moscow Mule

Gaja

Glenfiddich

Bulleit Whiskey

Hendrick’s

Magners Irish Cider

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° FEATURE °

UAE crowns a new

STELLA ARTOIS

DRAUGHT MASTER T

he search for the Middle East’s best bartender at pouring draught beer to the high Belgian standards is finally over. At the Regional Final of the Stella Artois World Draught Masters 2015, Sudera Lakmal from Grosvenor House Hotel clinched the title, beating 11 other finalists from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Oman.

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Sudera, who came in second place at last year’s regional heat, impressed the judges with his incredible pouring skills. He will represent the UAE in the finale in London – where the world’s finest will face off in a head-to-head pouring showdown to earn the coveted World Draught Masters 2015 title.

Held at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi’s Amphitheatre, the regional competition was judged by Richard Cohen (African + Eastern, Training Manager, PATH), Peter Sinclair (African + Eastern, General Manager, Marketing & Commercial Development) and Mike Odongo (2014 UAE Stella Artois Draught Master).

African + Eastern Beer Brand Ambassador, Brent Henderson, runs all training sessions across Dubai, Bahrain, Oman and Abu Dhabi

leading up to the World Draught Masters.

Masterclasses – covering the history of Stella Artois, the 9-step pouring ritual and the World Draught Masters Competition – were held in each area, giving every participating bartender the opportunity to pour the perfect Stella Artois.

From each session, the best were chosen to join the semifinals in each area for the chance to compete in the regional final.

The semifinal was held in 360, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, where the brand delivered an engaging experience in all things Stella Artois with fantastic prizes for guests who attended. There were 36 contestants battling it out to secure their place in the regional final.

Now in its 18th year, the Stella Artois World Draught Masters continues to be an important driver of trade excellence and consumer awareness of the 9-step pouring ritual and the chalice, both powerful tools in delivering a superior premium beer experience to guests and re-affirming the brand’s discerning Belgian heritage.

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SUDERA ° MEET °

O

LAKMAL

riginally from Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sudera started working behind the bar in 2010.

Although it was only his parttime job, he wanted to be good at it and poured himself into studying all the products in the bar he worked. Currently, he mans the bar at Grosvenor House Hotel.

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Tell us briefly about yourself. At what point did you know that you would work behind the bar?

SUDERA LAKMAL: I first began working behind the bar in 2010 when I was a Hotel Management student in Singapore. Although it was my part-time job, I wanted to be good at it and devoted some time studying the drinks and items in the bar. It had taught me a lot about the different culture, history and production styles behind each product.

Moreover, I enjoyed meeting new people from around the world every day, making fancy drinks and pouring different beers. I thought this was the most fun job a person could have. That’s when I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. And I am determined to be the best at it.

DWME: Who is your biggest inspiration in the industry?

SL: My biggest inspirations in the industry are Brent Henderson, who showed the bartenders in Dubai that nothing is impossible; Allaine Schaico, the best draught master I have ever seen; and Jiro, the sushi maker.

DWME: Can you tell us your philosophy of bar service?

SL: I follow this simple philosophy: Be truly passionate about what you do and always seek for perfection. By perfection, I mean doing the best you can and being knowledgeable to provide excellent experience and memories for your guests. The best example is being able to

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respect Stella Artois’ brewer and customers by mastering the 9-step pouring ritual. This is what makes bartending more than just a job and more of a lifestyle.

DWME: Describe to us your Stella Artois World Draught Masters experience. What did it mean to you to win the competition?

SL: I first entered the Stella Artois World Draught Masters Competition in 2014. It was my first competition in my bartending career. The first round was held at African + Eastern’s head office, right after the Stella Artois masterclass.

I was impressed by Stella Artois’ obsession for

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perfection from harvest to the chalice. I had so much fun doing my first 9-step pouring ritual. I never had that much fun pouring a pint of beer before. Although I was selected to the next round on the first day, I went to the training again the very next day just to get a chance to do another round of the pouring ritual. I ended up placing second in the 2014 Regional Finals.

It means a lot to me to win the 2015 Middle East Regional Finals of this prestigious international beer competition and be a part of Stella Artois. It was a very tight competition even though I was ready for it. I started preparing myself right after I won second place

at last year’s finals. I worked hard, polished my strengths and rectified the mistake that I did at the 2014 competition. I’m so happy that I have made my parents and friends proud with this win.

DWME: What experiences at the final did you enjoy the most and learn the most from?

SL: I enjoyed so much meeting bartenders from all around the Middle East and making friends.

Moreover, I learned a lot by paying attention to all the competitors during training and the finals.

Brent Henderson, the beer trainer from African + Eastern, also played an important role in

training and motivating us. Finally, meeting my idol in Draught Masters history, World Draught Master Allaine Schaico, was by far the best experience.

DWME: What is your advice to those in the UAE interested in entering any competition next year?

SL: First of all, dream about becoming a star.

Dreaming does not cost a penny, and your dream is your biggest motivation. Work hard and strive for it. Be passionate about what you do. Believe in yourself and be yourself. Most importantly, have fun.

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BRENT ° MEET °

B

rent became fond of bartending at a young age. He had no idea he would end up in the drinks industry.

However, he finds working in both worlds great. Brent is one of the Middle East’s first three Beer Academy Sommeliers and currently African + Eastern’s Beer Brand Ambassador.

HENDERSON

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Tell us a bit about yourself. Did you always know that you’re going to be involved in the drinks industry?

BRENT HENDERSON: Coming from a small town in Zimbabwe, I have been thrown into the deep end of hospitality. At a young age, I became very fond of bartending, which prompted me to move away to South Africa and later to Dubai.

As for working in the drinks industry, I had no idea this is where I would end up. It’s the best of both worlds. I’m still engaged in daily bar activities as well as in training the future of Dubai’s bartending scene.

DWME: You run all training sessions across Dubai, Bahrain, Oman and Abu Dhabi leading up to the World Draught Masters.

What has been your biggest satisfaction from your role?

BH: It’s tricky to put it down to one or two moments. But meeting everyone that has participated in the competition is a major one for me as I have made a huge amount of friends. The best moments in my opinion, come from watching the participants grow not only in skill but also in personal pride and confidence.

DWME: What kind of brew is a good introduction to beer appreciation?

BH: Stella Artois of course!

DWME: What is your advice to bartenders who aspire to join next year’s Stella Artois World Draught Masters competition?

BH: Come get involved in the competition and not only could you be the next Stella Artois World Draught Masters winner, but also make friends with the most unlikely people. As I always say to all of the competitors, have fun and remember the nine steps. Who knows, you could be the “Best in the World” one day.

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° MEET °

It was at The Library Bar that my theatre became bigger and I became known as ‘The Maestro’

The Maestro takes

Centre Stage N

ext year marks the 50th that Salvatore Calabrese, aka The Maestro, has been tending bar.

Debuting on the Amalfi Coast at the tender age of 11, Calabrese now enjoys legendary status in the bar industry globally having earned his stripes along the way in legendary establishments such as the Dukes Hotel and the Lanesborough Library Bar in London. Calabrese’s CV includes books, barware, some of the leading venues in London’s West End and even the world’s most expensive cocktail. His influence on the industry was recently described as ‘colossal’ by Imbibe magazine’s editor, Chris Losh, when awarding Calabrese the 2015 Industry Legend Award of Imbibe magazine.

Ashley Pini from Drinks World Middle East had the opportunity of finding out what the past 50 years has taught the Maestro, his view on cocktail competitions and what sets his bars apart from the rest. Calabrese has served such luminaries as The Queen of England, Princess Diana, Elton John, Robert De Niro and Stevie Wonder. If ever the term ‘celebrity bartender’ was apt, meeting Calabrese was the time to use it.

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Is it true you started your career as an 11-year-old behind the bar?

Salvatore Calabrese: Yes, it all started on the Amalfi Coast back in 1966. It was a summer job,

and yes, I was only 11 – working in a Hotel Bar in my hometown. You could say I learnt a lot at an early age.

DWME: Were you hooked then or have you ever considered another career?

SC: I thought about the navy for a while, but hurt my eyesight – so that put that idea to bed. I have to say, I’ve never looked back.

DWME: Where would you say you got your ‘big break’?

SC: That would be when I took over the Lanesborough Library Bar in 1994. This was an iconic place where I served the ‘Super-Cool Martini’. I even served Her Majesty (The Queen

of England) a Martini as I became well known for my ‘Direct Martini’; very cold and very dry.

I came to the Lanesborough from the Dukes Hotel where I had been for 12 years. I decided to leave the ‘small stage’ and go for the bigger stage, and the Lanesborough Library Bar was that bigger stage, but it was soulless with only a few people. And it was there where I started to bring the soul; what hospitality means to me, and in the first year, I made that bar one of the most successful bars in London.

DWME: What did you do to turn the bar around?

SC: Whenever someone comes into my bar, I know how to make them feel comfortable.

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° MEET °

DWME: You must have seen such change in the industry over the last 49 years – one of which is the rise of the cocktail competition. What do you think about cocktail competitions and which would you recommend bartenders enter?

SC: I judge cocktail competitions all around the world and I think they have really helped the quality of bartending improve over the years.

One of the biggest competitions I do now is the Diageo World Class Cocktail Competition.

I am one of the first gurus and help guide competitors through the competition.

DWME: Is there anything that sets one competition apart from another?

SC: There are two styles of cocktail competition.

There’s the style that is all about the drinks, then there is the style that is also about the knowledge and the serving of that drink.

DWME: Which do you think is more valuable?

SC: I think they are both just as valuable as each other. They are just different. I do think the modern bartender sometimes makes the drink too complicated, and competitions have influenced that – which to me is important as it’s a big dream for a bartender to be immortalized

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PHOTOS: The Italian Bartenders, 13th March 2015, On Dining Kitchen & Bar © 2015 – 360tovisit.com

That is the first and most important rule. You are coming into my house, and no matter who you are, I want to make you feel welcome by me or by one of my team. It was because of people like Giancarlo (now owner of Ono in Hong Kong) who worked with me in the 90s and others in the team that played the music I wanted them to. What I mean by music is (not the background music) the ambience of every individual person and their personality. It needed to reflect what I wanted in the bar. It needed to welcome and entertain everyone that came into the bar. The team made the bar and I carefully chose staff with the personality I wanted – that was right for the bar. It was at The Library Bar that my theatre became bigger and I became known as ‘The Maestro’.

I also believed in ‘cocktail culture’ – quality fresh ingredients, which made us different. We became the place where hospitality and the drinks were second to none. So we continued to serve the celebrities, like Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Princess Diana and Robert De Niro. Stevie Wonder would come in and play the piano, and Elton John was there. Everyone who wanted to come came to the place where it came to be a show of people.

Stevie Wonder would come in and play the piano and Elton John was there. Everyone who wanted to come came to the place where it came to be a show of people

through creating a classic drink, so in a hundred years’ time someone is still talking about it.

That’s not easy when the drink is really complex.

But when it comes to entering competitions, it actually doesn’t matter if you win or not.

It’s about learning from others and constantly improving yourself. I enjoy this the most because it means my passion (and) my love for this industry is safe.

DWME: So what makes a good cocktail? How do you judge them?

SC: Really, for me it’s about simplicity. Over the years, I feel we’ve become more complex;

more creative but less iconic. Because we make the drinks so complex and difficult to create, so somehow that drink cannot become a classic.

DWME: And naming the cocktails?

SC: Again (it’s all about) simplicity. It’s always best in my book.

DWME: Agreed. Simply put, who would you call a mentor, someone you’d like to work with and someone you’d enjoy a drink with?

SC: Mentor: my first boss, Signor Raffaello.

Work with: Professor Jerry Thomas and for a drink: that’s easy, my good friend Peter Dorelli.

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° PROFILE °

Champagne Excellence Over Two Centuries of

O

ne of the last great independent and family-run Champagne Houses, Louis Roederer has been synonymous with the world’s great champagnes since its inception in 1776.

The Champagne House went through several owners before Louis Roederer inherited it in 1833 and gave it his own name. An aesthete and entrepreneur, he took a visionary approach to enriching his vines, aiming to master every aspect of the wine’s creation. He forged the wine’s unique style, character and taste.

In the mid-19th century, Louis Roederer acquired some of Champagne’s Grand Cru vineyards – an approach that contrasted sharply with contemporary practices. He nurtured his vineyards, familiarised himself with the specific characteristics of each parcel, and methodically acquired the finest land.

Louis Roederer’s guiding principle was that all great wine depends on the quality of the soil, a passion for tradition and an astute vision of the future. Under his visionary leadership, the fame and reputation of the House of Louis Roederer were firmly established.

His heir, Louis Roederer II, adopted his philosophy and conscientious approach to the production of champagne. A man of great taste and an inveterate researcher, Louis Roederer II fashioned an exclusive champagne for Tsar Alexander II of Russia and launched a novel concept: the very first Cuvée de Prestige. It was created in 1876 and named ‘Cristal’. Ever since, the subtleness and elegance of Cristal have built Louis Roederer’s reputation for excellence.

Today, the Louis Roederer House is overseen

by Frédéric Rouzaud, who is the Managing Director and seventh generation of the lineage.

At Louis Roederer “we tried to invent the champagne of tomorrow”, Frédéric said. “We are both house-driven and terroir-driven to continuously improve quality”, he added.

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BRUT PREMIER A full, complex champagne with structured texture, richness and length that are distinctly winey. The House’s most popular and flagship multivintage wine, Brut Premier is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier from various crus matured in oak tuns. It is aged for three years in the cellars and left for a minimum of six months after disgorging. Its freshness, finesse and brightness makes it the perfect wine for festive occasions.

ROSÉ VINTAGE Rich and full-bodied, the Rosé Vintage cuvée is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay matured in oak tuns. It is generally aged on lees for four years and left for a minimum of six months after disgorging. It is a characteristic

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Roederer rosé: the concentration, fruitiness and compactness of the Cumières Pinot Noir grapes are transcended by the elegance, purity and freshness of the finest Chardonnay grapes cultivated on the Côte des Blancs.

VINTAGE The Vintage cuvée is the perfect product from the Louis Roederer terroir, in which finesse, purity, precision and harmony highlight the qualities of a great vineyard. It is a mix of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay matured in oak tuns.

This cuvée is generally aged on lees for four years and left for a minimum of six months after disgorging. Tasting reveals sparkling notes of candied fruits, almond paste, toast, white chocolate and caramel.

BLANC DE BLANCS VINTAGE Made of 100 per cent Chardonnay, Blanc de Blancs Vintage is a pure, taut, fine and bright wine. Its contrasting tones range from an intense, chiselled acidity to the supple lightness of notes of fresh hazelnuts, almonds and white flowers with accents of acacia, broom and honeysuckle.

CARTE BLANCHE Like Brut Premier, Carte Blanche is produced from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier matured in oak tuns. It is aged for three years in the cellars and left for a minimum of six months after disgorging.

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° FEATURE °

Introducing

L

ouis Roederer’s first new fizz in 40 years, Brut Nature 2006 is a product of the collaboration between Frédéric Rouzaud and renowned French designer Philippe Starck.

It is a non-malolactic, zero dosage champagne that fully expresses and captures the spirit of its terroir as well as reveals wine in all its purity.

Champagnes are often complemented by a liqueur de dosage with certain vintages requiring very little dosage – or none at all.

Philippe Starck was adamant about his vision of the ideal champagne: “it must be a non-dosed champagne.” In 2006, the Pinot Noir grapes from the Cumières terroir were exceptionally matured and had an extremely rare depth of flavour and texture. Because of the fruitiness and richness of the grapes, the Cellar Master decided ‘to allow nature to take its course’ and, consequently, not to add any dosage.

These grapes were to be the core ingredient of this new wine that had been developed with Philippe Starck.

Ample, elegant and extremely pure, Brut Nature 2006 is the embodiment of the exceptional substance of the wine. It should be served at 13 degrees at the end of the afternoon as a refreshment, as an aperitif to whet the palate, or at the end of a meal, to truly appreciate its rich flavour.

“Together with Philippe we show the category of the no dosage at its finest,”Frédéric opined.

Furthermore, he said that “Our next big challenge is biodynamic production.”

“The theme of the bottle of Brut Nature 2006 is really related to its contents,” explained Philippe Starck, “and the contents were so potent that I decided to design a bottle that was stripped of any superfluous embellishment.”

The Brut Nature 2006 cuvée is the fruit of several convergences: between a historic terroir and a remarkable year, and between a Champagne House that respects nature and a creative genius with a free spirit.

FRÉDÉRIC ROUZAUD Managing Director

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째 PROFILE 째

120 years

of Extraordinary Wines

Argentina

from

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oasting a tradition of excellence spanning 120 years, Bodega Norton is one of the finest to have come from Argentina. The brand is known internationally for its extraordinary quality and value. Today, its wines are uncorked in 60 countries worldwide and enjoyed by millions of consumers every day.

Bodega Norton’s beginnings can be traced back to 1895, when Sir Edmund James Palmer Norton first arrived in Mendoza during the construction of a train line which would connect Mendoza and Chile.

Impressed by the terroir, he founded Bodega Norton in Luján de Cuyo with a plantation of vines imported from France.

Throughout the decades, Bodega Norton had evolved into one of Argentina’s leading producers of wine. Seeing the potential of Argentina and its international prospects, Austrian businessman Gernot LangesSwarovski acquired Bodega Norton in 1989. The Swarovski family’s goals echo that of Sir Norton’s: to create wines from Mendoza known around the world for their extraordinary quality and value.

The 1990s saw Bodega Norton undergoing significant developments.

Gernot Langes-Swarovski placed his son, Michael Halstrick, in charge of the company’s management. Michael initiated a new phase of heavy investment, revamping, modernisation and growth, which paved the way for the company’s international expansion. Under his leadership, the company has considerably grown, becoming one of the leading wine

exporters in the country. His efforts started to pay off when in 2004, Michael was awarded the “Best Winemaker of the Year”.

And the accolades kept coming. In 2006, Wine Spectator named Bodega Norton as one of the “Top 20 Wineries in the World”. Not to mention Wine Enthusiast nominated Bodega Norton as the “Best New World Winery of the Year” in the 2011 edition of its “Wine Star Awards” competition. The following year, Chief Winemaker Jorge Riccitelli was awarded “Winemaker of the Year 2012” by Wine Enthusiast.

Bodega Norton’s philosophy is simple:“The earth, climate, vines and passion of our people, live in every one of our wines and their presence is felt in the pleasure of those who enjoy them.” Today, Bodega Norton makes and markets 19 different wine labels – from red and white wines to still and sparkling wines of all sorts – as well as some specialties of late harvest wines. Its main brands are Norton Clásico, Norton Roble, Norton Malbec D.O.C., Norton Reserva and Privada. There’s also the Norton Cosecha Tardía and the range of sparkling wines Norton and Cosecha Especial.

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° PROFILE °

The earth, climate, vines and passion of our people, live in every one of our wines and their presence is felt in the pleasure of those who enjoy them.

MICHAEL W. HALSTRICK President & CEO, Bodega Norton

THE VINEYARDS

ICON WINES

Bodega Norton possesses five vineyards spread over the main terroirs of Mendoza – all of them within a privileged area known as “Primera Zona” (Premium Winemaking Region). These vineyards grow virtually the whole spectrum of varieties available in Argentina. And the average vine age is between 30 to 80 years old, driving richness and depth across the entire portfolio.

The red varieties include Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah and Pinot Noir. For the whites, they cover Torrontés, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillón, Chenin Blanc and Riesling.

Gernot Langes: This wine is named after its owner and is made from a selection of the best barrels of every great season. It is a blend of Malbec, usually combined with Cabernet Sauvignon which adds complexity and finesse.

WINES PRODUCED Bodega Norton offers wines for every taste and budget, ranging from their young varietal collection to very exclusive high-end wines. Its aim is to encourage the complexity and expression of the wines, and basically make regional blends, both for assemblages and for varietals.

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Norton Privada: Originally the family’s private reserve, it is now Norton’s signature wine and one of Argentina’s best-respected names. It is an exceptional wine made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec grapes and aged for 16 months in French oak barrels.

Quórum: First launched in 2008, this wine is made by combining different varieties from different vintages. Each wine is aged separately prior to blending, and this unique concept presents a real winemaking challenge.

Lote: This is a range of Malbec wines, where each one is specifically representing the wines of a single finca. It enables the unique characteristics of each terroir to be truly expressed.

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° FEATURE °

First ever

Regional Competition

E

ight of Asia’s finest bartenders from renowned hotels to bespoke cocktail bars battled it out in Bangkok in a bid to become the very first La Maison Cointreau Regional Champion.

After a series of intense challenges that showcased their finesse, technique and creativity in crafting exceptional cocktails, Mike Cheong of WOOBAR at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove was crowned the regional champion.

Cheong impressed the judges with his creations that capture Cointreau’s art de vivre in a closely contended final. In the second place was Anwar Annas from Potato Head Beach Club Bali, followed by Laura Duca of Boca, Dubai. Lam Duc Anh from SORAE Sake Whisky Lounge, Vietnam took home the Media Choice Award.

Held at Ku De Ta Bangkok, the regional final was presided by none other than Alfred Cointreau, Heritage Manager of Cointreau and sixth generation of the Cointreau family.

He made his first visit to Bangkok to host the competition and crown the very first La Maison Cointreau Champion. He also served as the judge, along with veteran mixologist and renowned bar consultant Joseph Boroski and fashion trendsetter and Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s BAZAAR Thailand Duang Poshnayonda.

“When we brought La Maison Cointreau to Asia for the first time in 2013, I was fascinated by the great potential I saw here for the appreciation and art of cocktails and mixology – but never did I expect it to develop so quickly that I am here today, just over a year later, to crown our first La Maison Cointreau Champion,” said Alfred.

At the final, mixologists competed in two challenges. The first – L’Esprit Parisien – challenged them to fashion an original cocktail inspired by Paris. The second was a surprise market challenge which was revealed to them the night before the competition. They were brought to Khao San Road Night Market, where they were given THB700 and 60 minutes to buy the ingredients for a cocktail reflecting the theme ‘One Night in Bangkok’. For this challenge, they were limited to using provided ingredients or those they purchased during the surprise market visit.

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° FEATURE °

Amongst the eight finalists representing their respective countries were: Azwar Annas (Potato Head Bali, Indonesia), Laura Duca (Boca, Dubai), Ami Shroff (India), Jeffri Sulaiman (The BIG Group, Malaysia), Mike Cheong (WOOBAR at W Singapore – Sentosa Cove), Attapon DeSilva (Sugar Ray, You’ve Just Been Poisoned, Thailand), Christian Assidao (Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, Philippines) and Lam Duc Anh (SORAE Sake Whisky Lounge, Vietnam).

“I have been so impressed with the energy, creativity, talent and showmanship of all the competitors. The cocktail scene is developing so rapidly here, as demonstrated by the high skill level, great technique and the use of a lot of homemade ingredients and concoctions that we have seen so far. I am also very proud of the success of our women-only editions in India and Dubai. The world of mixology is changing and opening up, and I am so honoured to be part of it,” said Elisabeth Tona, Marketing Director of Rémy Cointreau International - Southeast Asia, Middle East and India, who was behind the inception of La Maison Cointreau in the region and had personally attended and judged most of the local editions.

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° MEET °

LAURA DUCA

La Maison Cointreau UAE Representative

T

hird place at the recently concluded La Maison Cointreau Regional Competition, Laura was previously a sommelier. She decided to move away from wine and into the creative and exciting world of cocktails in 2013. She champions femmes charismatiques and brings drive, attention to detail, sophistication and a touch of glamour into the male-dominated bar scene in the UAE.

Laura was trained under internationally renowned bartender Jan Liska when she was at Buddha Bar in Dubai and had shown promise and innovation from the get-go when she won an internal competition with her first-ever creation. She still considers Jan Liska her mentor, who pulled Laura to join him when he opened Boca in Dubai.

She gets her inspiration from working with fresh, homemade products.

Her first focus is always on getting the best ingredients, before working on the flavours. Guidance and inspiration from the bartending community are also what drive her to constantly hone her skills and discover new techniques.

‘ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK’ MARKET CHALLENGE

L’ESPRIT PARISIEN CHALLENGE

KHAO SAN STING

MONTMARTRE FRAPPE

Ingredients: • Cointreau • Mount Gay Eclipse Rum • Coconut Water • Coconut Cream • Sugar • Fresh Lemon Juice • Fresh Kaffir Lime Leaf

Ingredients: • Cointreau • Rémy Martin VSOP Cognac • Peychaud’s Bitters • Fresh Mint Leaves • Homemade Orange Caramel Syrup • Fresh Lemon Juice

Garnish: • Fried Crickets • Fried Scorpion

Garnish: • Fresh Mint Leaves • Dehydrated Orange Slice

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° MEET °

MIKE CHEONG

La Maison Cointreau Regional Champion

M

ike Cheong has four years of experience behind the bar. His talents have not only led him to become the Head Bartender at WOOBAR at W Singapore - Sentosa Cove, but also to win the first La Maison Cointreau Regional Competition.

Just within the past two years, Mike has accumulated great success and recognition in the industry. Some of his accolades include being crowned W Hotels Asia Pacific Cocktail Competition Champion, Monin Cup Singapore 2014 Champion, 1st Runner-Up at Giffard Cocktail Competition 2014 and 2nd Runner-Up at the National Cocktail Competition Singapore 2014. In 2013, he was also declared the very first winner of La Maison Cointreau Singapore with his out-of-the-box creations.

What Mike enjoys most in bartending is the human interaction – he has met the most interesting personalities whilst behind the bar, and it is through conversations and flavours that he finds his creative inspiration to always push the boundaries in his concoctions.

Mike is also passionate about craftsmanship in mixology. He strongly believes that homemade ingredients elevate the cocktail. In fact, he makes the ingredients for his creations from scratch as much as possible.

‘ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK’ MARKET CHALLENGE

26 °

L’ESPRIT PARISIEN CHALLENGE

THE WORLD IN YOUR HAND

BIJOU PARISIEN

Ingredients: • Cointreau • Coconut Milk • Fresh Mango • Coconut Water

Ingredients: • Cointreau • Coriander Infused The Botanist Gin • Egg White, Fresh Lime Juice • Homemade Champagne Reduction Strawberry Syrup

Garnish: • Sticky Rice • Fresh Mango • Prik Glua (Thai Style Sugar, Salt, Chilli Blend)

Garnish: • Dehydrated Strawberries • Homemade Edible White Chocolate and Strawberry Lipstick • Cointreau Perfume

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ALFRED

° MEET °

COINTREAU

Talks About the Cointreau Heritage

B

orn and raised in Angers, France, Alfred is a member of the sixth generation family that still runs the Cointreau heritage brand today. As the Heritage Manager for Cointreau, part of his job is to educate the drinks community about the brand, promote it and meet distributors. Drinks World met up with him to catch up on the latest projects from Cointreau and his recent trip to the US. DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Where have you been these past few months?

ALFRED COINTREAU: I went to the US for a big tour to promote the Cointreau brand there. I visited eight different cities, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Portland, Dallas and Austin.

DWME: Anything new from the cities you visited? It’s just that for the last six months or so, there’s been a big influx of US brands and distributors bringing US brands.

All of a sudden, the focus has gone on to the US. Has anything stood out for you?

AC: Well, the US always have cool concepts.

DWME: Apart from reinforcing the presence of Cointreau in the US, what was the aim of your visit there?

AC: I was there basically to launch two new liqueur recipes – Guignolet and Camomille. These two recipes are intended for the bartenders in the US only and are incorporated in our “La Collection d’Edouard”. We’re promoting this collection on a small business approach and produce 1,000 cases for each

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° MEET ° recipe for distribution in 300 US bars.

As part of the project, we created the Collectif 1806 comprised of eight amazing American bartenders (Kyle Ford is among them) with impressive knowledge of the industry. They will act as product advocates in-charge of the Remy Cointreau portfolio, but their work would focus more on promoting the La Collection d’Edouard.

To support them in their roles, we created a library boasting 250 cocktail books which we have digitalized with character research. This library will travel around the US and allow people to read while sipping their favourite cocktails.

The man behind this innovative concept is Richard Lambert.

DWME: Why do you think it’s important to know about the history of Cointreau and why it’s made?

AC: I think it is quite important to have some knowledge about the brand especially since there are a lot of “Made in France” products available. It could be Cointreau, Chanel or other French brands for that matter. I am not expecting people to know everything about Cointreau, but a few things that would easily identify with the brand would be great. For example, the square bottle and the orange colour. When people see it, they would know right away that it’s Cointreau.

In general, people are really curious and will try to find the information they need either from books or on the Internet. However, being able to meet me or talk to me in person will give them a deeper understanding of the history of the brand, the family philosophy and its legacy.

DWME: If you had to sum it up in a sentence, what does Cointreau mean to you?

AC: For me, Cointreau is truly unparallelled – not only because we select the finest ingredients, but also because Cointreau is at the heart of the

cocktail. When you look back at the history of cocktail making, Cointreau is the heart of more than 350 original recipes. All around the world, in the US, in Europe, the top recipe creator remains Cointreau.

DWME: What is your perception of how the bartending community view Cointreau in general?

AC: All the bartenders know Cointreau, of course, because they know the classical cocktails. But sometimes the bottle sits at the back of the bar, unused, because they perceive it as a “grandmother’s liqueur”. A key part of my job is to explain to them that what was good for your grandmother is still good for you today!

We have classical recipe, but we are also a very modern brand and often bring an unconventional touch. As a brand, Cointreau remains really involved in the bartending community and continues to build a really good connection with the bartenders, as we have since the beginning.

DWME: What is your message to the bartending community? What do you want to ask them to do for you, for the family and for the brand, and what are you going to do for them?

AC: I just want to tell them to keep their personality and stay who they are, and always walk as they walk today – with the best ingredients and with ingredients from around the region behind the bar. There are a lot of different products available. Every day, there is a new brand on the market. However, they need to make sure that they keep the best behind the bar. To mix a good drink and serve a good drink to your customers, you need the finest ingredients. Cointreau is definitely the best, never doubt about that. So in summary: Keep the best behind your bars.

DWME: And what can they expect from Cointreau in return?

AC: Cointreau is present all over the world, and we work with really strong teams in each country. We also welcome people to come to Angers. I am the MC for the Cointreau Academy, where we run two-day courses to educate people about Angers as a distillery and really discover Cointreau. I think the best way to truly understand a brand and to appreciate the quality is to experience it properly, with your own eyes, to taste it and touch it. You also have the opportunity to meet the Master Distiller, Bernadette Langlais.

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250 years of Handmade Luxury ° PROFILE °

A

rmand de Brignac is truly a labour of love, having been the world’s only entirely handmade luxury champagne.

Every bottle reflects the unique, personal nature of the work that goes into producing it.

HANDMADE FROM START TO FINISH Each bottle of Armand de Brignac is painstakingly handcrafted by a staff of just eight people. From selecting only the finest grapes, pressing and filling to riddling, degorgement and labeling, every aspect of production is done by hand with the utmost care and attention. Ageing – which includes a liqueur de dosage in oak casks for one year – takes place in one of the deepest cellars in Champagne at 119 steps (30 meters) underground to ensure excellent and consistent results.

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° PROFILE °

Moreover, Armand de Brignac’s 100 per cent Premier and Grand Cru rated grapes are selected from Champagne’s most emblematic villages of the Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne and Côte des Blancs terroirs.

250 YEARS IN THE MAKING Since its inception in 1763, Armand de Brignac has been utilising time-intensive, artisanal processes such as traditional Coquart press and hand remuage (riddling) methods. Today,

the brand has two recognised names, Armand de Brignac (for its French origin) and “Ace of Spades” (referring to the bottle’s labels).

BROAD APPEAL Many celebrities and rap stars favour Armand de Brignac. Even nightclubs, liquor stores, gourment restaurants, hotels, catering companies, gentlemen’s clubs and other establishments can also sell and stock Armand de Brignac.

Tasting Notes Produced at Armand de Brignac’s estate in France, every bottle of cuvée is crafted in a traditional old-world style, from grape to glass.

BRUT GOLD First launched in 2006, Brut Gold is the flagship cuvée of Armand de Brignac and a sole example of Champagne tradition and the brand’s heritage. Pressed from a perfectly balanced blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, it is a complex and full-bodied champagne, with light floral notes, racy fruit character and brioche accents. It also boasts a lovely density and depth, as well as a creamy texture and a long finish.

ROSÉ Like Brut Gold, Rosé is created using traditional, low-volume methods by a complex process called assemblage. In this process, white wine is blended with a small proportion of still red wine. This red wine is pressed from the old vines of Pinot Noir grown in Champagne specifically for Rosé.

A beautiful salmon-hued champagne, Rosé is a unique blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with a touch of Chardonnay. It boasts a rich, pure bouquet of red fruits up front, followed by smoky grilled notes. On the palate, it’s fresh and full-bodied, with aromas of strawberries and black currant.

BLANC DE BLANCS Made of 100 per cent white Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims, Blanc de Blancs is a breathtaking expression of pure Champagne Chardonnay. Armand de Brignac’s rarest champagne, it’s produced in extremely limited quantities. It’s delicate, light, crisp and dry, with notes of young Chardonnay fruit and floral accents. Moreover, it boasts aromas of vanilla, citrus fruits and dried apricots.

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° PROFILE °

VODKA, GINGER BEER AND A SQUEEZE OF LIME I t’s as simple as vodka, ginger beer and lime, the last two ingredients added to the spirit in a moment of pure and utter genius. And voila, you have the Moscow Mule.

Story has it that the mule was born from the “inventive geniuses” of two men. The year was 1941. John Martin of Heublein was charged with stimulating the uptake of Smirnoff vodka in the USA. However, things did not go well. Jack Morgan, owner of renowned Hollywood pub The Cock’n’Bull, was facing a similar problem with his company’s ginger beer.

It was not until together at the bar, both drowning their miseries over their failing products, that a two-ounce quantity of the spirit happened to be added to the ginger beer. It was a stroke of ingenuity really. But in went a squeeze of lime and the mule was born. To improve its appeal, John and Jack decided to serve it in a copper mug from a friend who had business problems as well.

The head bartender of the pub, Wes Price, also laid claim to the recipe – saying he was simply trying to offload mostly unsellable goods. Either way, the mule’s rise to fame can most certainly be attributed to the marketing efforts of Martin, who, with Polaroid in hand, journeyed through Hollywood in his very own pub crawl, snapping photos of bartenders with copper mugs and Smirnoff bottles.

He would leave one picture for the bartender to keep and add another to his collection, stockpiling an album to demonstrate how ‘popular’ this drink truly was. Undoubtedly, this promotional technique saw sales of Smirnoff soar as the Americans went crazy over this weird and wacky way of enjoying vodka, ginger beer and lime.

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° FEATURE °

THE MOSCOW MULE TS ILL KICKING! T

he cocktail that started the vodka craze in the US is back – and it still packs a punch.

This was demonstrated by the spectacular response from the trade of the recent Smirnoff Moscow Mule challenge. Coined “Discover the Real Moscow Mule”, the competition recorded more than 130 recipes from bartenders across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Northern Emirates. The ‘Mule Invasion’ that the guys created all across town was reflected on PATH Bar School’s Facebook, and the enthusiasm was visible.

Participants were asked to enter their twist on the Moscow Mule recipe (with a photo) using Smirnoff Red No. 21, ginger (in any kind) and homemade ingredients, thus, giving it a creative, personal spin. There’s only one condition: all cocktails have to be served in the original Smirnoff copper mug.

The judging panel consisted of Angus McGregor (Utopia), Raissa Giger (Sprungli Café & Boutique), Razvan Mijea (Zuma), Wadih Karam (Diageo), Sasha Milovanovic (Fresh Express LLC), Simone Spagnoli (Okku) and Lorna McNeil (African + Eastern). From the 130-plus entries, 26 were selected based on their Moscow Mule twist originality and picture. Six advanced to the finals, including semifinalists from the most glamorous venues in Dubai to the coolest beach clubs.

“I think the Moscow Mule was a really good event for those getting into the competition scene. I liked the fact that the first round was quite informal which allowed the bartenders to concentrate on their drinks without having to worry about the direct presentation element.

It gave everyone an equal chance to get their drinks across as sometimes the presentation can make or break a person, especially if it’s their first time competing,” Angus McGregor remarked.

“The second round really took the skill level up a notch and enabled competitors to show off their knowledge and sell their ideas to the judges. The Moscow Mule cocktail itself was a

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° FEATURE ° good choice for this contest as it allows for good versatility and interpretation by the contestants.

And the fact that so many signed up was testament to the bartending culture in Dubai right now”, he added.

In the end, it was Sebouh Tato who won with his ‘The Iris Moscow Mule’ twist. He said that what makes his drink special is the homemade ginger syrup, made from ginger, brown sugar, dates and unique secret additives.

Raissa Giger said “Sebouh was very passionate about the story of the Moscow Mule as well as the ingredients in his cocktail.

The drink didn’t look too fancy, but I liked it as it’s simple and classy. I believe he convinced us because he touched the nerve of the Middle East culture with typical Arabic ingredients such as dates in his twist.”

Raissa’s advice to bartenders planning on entering any competition is to go for it.

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“Competitions are good because you will learn a lot from other bartenders. You will also discover more about yourself like what influences and touches you when creating a drink. You will also learn to work under pressure and build your confidence. And at the end of the day, they’re also fun. Just be yourself and don’t try to be over funny. Being natural is the key to success”, she expressed.

When asked about his overall impression of the competition, Razvan Mijea said “it was interesting to see how all bartenders put their touch on a classic such as the Moscow Mule.

Some of them had really good drinks.”

The event was made possible thanks to the PATH training team who spreads the Smirnoff passion and history across the city, generating a unique enthusiasm and commitment towards the brand.

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° FEATURE °

DISCOVER THE REAL

MOSCOW MULE !

S T S I L A N I F TOP 6

WINNER

SEBOUH TATO | Iris

COCKTAIL: THE IRIS MOSCOW MULE Ingredients • 60ml Smirnoff Vodka • 80ml Ginger Syrup • 30ml Fresh Lime Juice • 3 Dashes of The Bitter Truth Old Time Aromatic Bitters • ¼ Thin Slice of Fresh Ginger

Method Muddle fresh ginger in the Moscow Mule mug, then add all the ingredients and stir it. Fill the glass with ¾ of cubed ice and on top crushed ice to avoid quick dilution. Serve with fresh dates aside.

Garnish Mint Sprigs, Slice of Cucumber and Lime Wedge Inspiration behind the cocktail Amongst all the special cocktails that we have at Iris, the superstar Moscow Mule has its own place in the venue because of its unique recipe that can’t be found somewhere else but in Iris Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Beirut only.

What makes this drink special is our homemade ginger syrup, which is made of fresh ginger, brown sugar, dates and our unique secret additives. Personally, I don’t like to use ginger ale because I love to keep the drink fresh, health beneficial and full bodied. And I have found that this combination of ginger syrup enhances everything that we need in this cocktail.

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“The Moscow Mule experience was a crucial thing for me since I took part in the competition in order to show the UAE and the world what this cocktail was missing and what I have changed personally without altering its base.

Through the years of working behind the bar, I have discovered that the drink was losing its identity because the original recipe was replaced with simply ginger ale or beer. And since the mug used was big enough to hold a simple concoction, the volume was also large, making it more diluted. I also noticed that

the drink was served using only crushed ice, which hasten dilution, thus, losing the cocktail’s character.

For me, winning the competition only showed the Moscow Mule’s perfect, consistent recipe – and that it’s back. People should not be afraid of drinking this wonderful cocktail as its flavour remains from the first sip until the last drop.

My advice to bartenders who are planning to enter in any competition is this: know what you have in your bar and what you have in the kitchen such as fruits and vegetables since you

should have them in the bar as well. Try to bring up your identity in your cocktail and give it a real character.

Moreover, keep it simple, keep it real and keep it easy by imagining yourself serving your guest.

For me, the purpose of competitions is not just to demonstrate our know-how, but also to show our abilities to sell and serve the right product. It is not just about serving the drink being ordered, but providing the guest with a unique cocktail experience.“

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° FEATURE ° FINALISTS:

BRENT FLOWERS | Clé Dubai COCKTAIL: GASTRONOMULE Ingredients • 50ml Smirnoff Black Vodka • 20ml Monin Elderflower • 15ml Crème de Mure • 30ml Fresh Lime Juice • 80ml Homemade Ginger Beer with Nutmeg

LUS SURYANTO | Cabana Restaurant and Lounge at The Address Dubai Mall COCKTAIL: CABANA SPICED MULE Ingredients • 50ml Smirnoff Black Vodka • 10ml Malibu • 2 Dashes of Aromatic Bitters • 5 Slices of Galangal • 2 Kaffir Lime Leaves • 1 Stalk of Lemongrass • 20ml Fresh Lime Juice • Top with Bruce Cost Ginger Ale

Brent Flowers’Gastronomule

Lus Suryanto’s Cabana Spiced Mule

Leo Salman wowing the audience

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Andrea Dequino in action

Erika Alejander’s Samurai

ANDREA DEQUINO | Okku COCKTAIL: NASHI SHOGA MULE Ingredients • 50ml Smirnoff Vodka • 20ml Lime Juice • 15ml Acacia Honey • 30ml Poire Williams Nonino • Top with Homemade Ginger Foam

LEO SALMAN | Buddha Bar COCKTAIL: NEYUKI Ingredients • 50ml Smirnoff Black Vodka • 20ml Ginger Nigori • 10ml Fresh Yuzu Juice • 2 Dashes of Rabendã Bitters • Top with Homemade Japanese Ginger Beer

ERIKA ALEJANDER | Waldorf Astoria COCKTAIL: SAMURAI • 40ml Smirnoff Vodka • 30ml Sake • 1g Fresh Ginger • 1g Wasabi • Sugar Syrup Leo Salman’s Neyuki

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° MEET °

Cassiano

Hissnauer

ABI International Business Unit President C

assiano joined AB InBev in 1997 and has since went on to become the Business Unit President for ABI International. In this interview, he talks about his role, the key to the company’s success, Dubai as a strategic market and the challenges it poses, and the increased focus on Stella Artois and Corona.

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Tell us briefly about yourself. What is your history with the company and your current role and scope?

CASSIANO HISSNAUER: I joined our company in Brazil in 1997 as part of what was then Brahma’s Global Management Trainee (GMT) programme.

My background is in Mechanical Engineering, so I spent the first six years of my career with the company working in what we call the supply function, which is very much focused on brewing beers, working with maintenance, engineering and filling lines in a couple of our breweries in Brazil.

During that time, the company continued to grow to become Ambev, the leading brewer in Brazil. With Ambev, I moved into Procurement where I was involved with purchasing direct and indirect materials – such as cans, malt, corn, slate parts and marketing services – and where I was also responsible for leading the centralisation of procurement operations for our Latin America business.

By 2007, the company had further developed to become InBev. It was then that I was transferred to China to build our Procurement function for the Asia Pacific Zone. Later, in 2010, following the integration with Anheuser-Busch, I was asked to move to AB InBev’s global headquarters in Belgium, building on my past experience to establish our global procurement team. Following our merging with Grupo Modelo, I had the opportunity to work on the integration of Corona.

Then, in 2014, I was asked to move into my current role as Business Unit President for AB InBev International, covering those key global markets where our global brands are present but not managed by one of our six geographic Zones.

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DWME: Anheuser-Busch InBev is the world’s leading brewer. What are the key factors behind its success?

CH: AB InBev is the leading global brewer and one of the world’s top five consumer products companies. Our dream fuels our ambition for the future and always pushes us to achieve more. That dream is to be the ‘’Best Beer Company Bringing People Together for a Better World”. As a top five consumer goods company, we can bring people together in ways that few others can. And for us, togetherness means building common ground, strengthening human connections and achieving something together that cannot be accomplished alone. Together, we are united by a dream to enrich the communities in which we live and work, always striving for a better world.

We have built leading positions in the most important beer profit pools in the world through a combination of solid organic growth and selected, value-enhancing acquisitions and combinations. Moreover, we follow a clear focus brands strategy in which the majority of our resources are devoted to those brands we believe have the greatest long-term growth potential. Investment behind our brands is fueled by a disciplined approach to cost management and efficiency and, more specifically, the continuous reduction of non-consumer and non-customer facing expenses. We have a strong track record of industry-leading margins and cash flow generation.

DWME: AB InBev brands and products are distributed throughout the globe. How do you see Dubai’s role as a strategic market come into play?

CH: As a key international hub, Dubai is an important market for iconic international brands, and we believe it is important that our brands are well represented and activated here. To that end, we have a very robust development package behind our key brands together with our local partner, with the objective that our global brands Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois as well as our international brands Leffe and Hoegaarden, are top of mind for the consumer. Looking specifically at Stella Artois, Leffe and Hoegaarden, our Belgian Beer Café concept showcases the best of Belgian beers and beer culture, and we are proud to have grown to eight locations in the region. Also, Corona is now present in the region’s most premium outlets and has established a strong premium positioning within the market.

DWME: What do you think are the challenges that the UAE market poses?

CH: As a global company, we understand that all markets come with

unique challenges and opportunities. Given that we are unable to advertise our products here, the team must be creative in the manner in which we connect with our consumers. For example, looking for opportunities in non-traditional media, ensuring excellence in the presence and representation of our brands in the on-trade outlets, and being flexible in adapting to an ever-changing environment.

DWME: What are the reasons behind the increased focus on Corona and Stella Artois? How do you see the market for these two brands developing in the UAE in general?

CH: Corona and Stella Artois are two of our company’s global brands, and, therefore, represent an important focus for us around the world. We’ve had great success with Stella Artois both in and outside of our Belgian Beer Cafes, and programmes such as our annual World Draught Masters competition highlight the care and craftsmanship underpinning the brand and driving its growth globally. The brand continues to perform well in the UAE, and of course we are keen to continue building upon that growth.

Equally, Corona as our newest global brand offers great potential in the premium segment, and we’re looking forward to bringing consumers great programming in the coming months.

DWME: We understand that AB InBev is now aiming to rev up sales by targeting the younger demographic. What’s the main reason for this marketing shift?

CH: At AB InBev, we focus on effectively connecting our brands with the adults of legal drinking age, consumers around the world who enjoy them, and we’re excited about the possibilities offered by digital and social media to connect with this young adult demographic.

DWME: The Middle East is quite a unique landscape for beer compared to other regions, therefore, what global platforms and activations do you execute here on Stella Artois and Corona?

CH: We’re very excited about our Corona SunSets music programme – centred around the “Sound of the Beach” – and bringing consumers a unique experience no other brand can offer. We’re also working with ontrade partners to enhance the in-bar experience in select premium outlets creating a terrific experience for consumers.

Our Stella Artois World Draught Masters campaign focuses on the brand’s heritage, quality and craftsmanship and remains a key pillar for the brand. The programme trains and engages bartenders around the world to create experiences worth savouring.

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Beer

° DRINK °

& Food Pairing WORDS ° Brent Henderson

F

or centuries, if you ask a server in any mid-range to upscale restaurant what drink to pair with a certain dish, he would bring over the sommelier and a wine bottle negotiations would ensue. But in the last five years, there’s been an exciting shift towards beer, which has made it onto the menu as more than an afterthought.

Beverage directors, chefs and even wine lovers have learned that beer has an amazing capacity to pair with all kinds of foods. As a result, beer sommeliers have popped up in cities across the world even Dubai. Beer-and-food tasting events have multiplied exponentially. Nowadays, asking for a beer no longer means you’re simply afraid of wine or the type of person who has a big belly.

Beer may actually be more food-friendly than wine is. There is certainly more room for flavour variety. Winemakers, after all, have one ingredient to play with – grapes. Two, if you count wood barrel ageing. Beermakers, on the other hand, can experiment with barley which adds sweetness, hops which provide bitterness, yeast which lends that characteristic “bready” flavour, as well as spices, nuts, chocolate, fruits and vegetables. You have tried fruli strawberry beer!

BEER AND FOOD PAIRING ISSUES: COMPLEMENTARY OR CONTRASTING FLAVOURS? Some chefs and sommeliers attempt to find commonalities, pairing, say, a spicy Thai dish with a spicy lager. The idea is that there is a pleasant conjoining of flavour. Meanwhile, the opposite approach suggests that contrasting flavours are pleasing in a dry, bitter stout that classically pairs with oysters, perhaps “cutting through” the sweetness of the shellfish. Sweet and salty always work wonders. Remember that dominant food flavours can come from the protein like beef, the sauce such as a cream sauce or the method of preparation – grilling, for example.

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TEXTURE, TEMPERATURE AND TIMING Bubbles cut through fried and fatty foods, so go for more carbonisation when eating richer foods. Pizza, for example, is a greasy match made in heaven and requires something that will stand up to the acids in the tomato and cut through the fatty cheese and not overwhelm the dish. Stouts and porters are too heavy.

Wheat beers might be a little light or fruity.

Ales, pilsners and lagers are your best bet: hops

stand up to the cheese, whilst bubbles cleanse the palate. Finally, timing really is everything.

If you’re pairing a whole meal with different beers, course by course, dish by dish, make sure to start with a light beer and work your way towards darker beers. If you don’t, you may overwhelm your palate early on and miss some of the subtler notes and aromas of delicate beers.

BEWARE OF SIMPLY MATCHING THE REGION Many people think that it’s a safe bet to pair Mexican food with Mexican beer. The truth is, most restaurants offer only a small selection of beers and mostly because that’s what people are used to seeing on a menu. So don’t be afraid to go outside the box and try something new.

COMMON BEER STYLES Ale Pair with: burgers, Buffalo wings, Asian food, Mexican food, spicy food, nutty food, fried food, pizza, steaks, cheddar, parmesan or Romano cheeses.

Fruit Beer/Lambic Pair with: Mascarpone cheese, light white meat, foods driven by herbs and spices, duck and pork dishes with sweet components to avoid very tart lambics, pickled dishes great with tart lambics, salads with fruity dressings, fruity desserts.

Lager Pair with: shellfish, light seafood, sushi, grilled pork and chicken, not-too-heavy pasta dishes without cream or meat sauces, Southeast Asian food, Latin food, Mexican food, spicy food.

Pilsner Pair with: American cheese, Muenster, Havarti and Monterey Jack cheeses, salads, light seafood, salmon, tuna, trout, asparagus, Asian food, Mexican food, spicy food.

Stout Pair with: roasted foods, smoked foods, barbecued/grilled foods, salty foods, oysters, rich stews, braised dishes, chocolates, desserts ideally the beer is sweeter than the dishes.

Wheat Beer/Hefeweizen Pair with: light soups and salads, vegetarian dishes, sushi, Gruyère cheese and Feta/goat cheese, sweet and fruity Asian dishes, citrusflavoured dishes, including desserts and salad dressings.

Drink what you like and most importantly, experiment. There are no wrong answers.

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° FEATURE °

WORLD CLASS 2015 Heats Up in the UAE T

he UAE is set to crown its next Bartender of the Year as World Class – the industry’s highly acclaimed and respected mixology competition – heats up in the region this 2015.

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Formally launched last February, the event featured a seminar on the “Written Word” conducted by Jason Clark, World Class Global Finalist 2013 and 2014. A masterclass on the ‘’Art of Ageing Cocktails’’ was also hosted by Fluid Movement. By invitation only, the session drew 50 attendees to Zengo, Le Royal Meridien.

Topics covered included barrel types, flavour manipulation based on different barrel finishes, time and cost of ageing cocktails in barrels, alternative ageing methods and liquid enhancing through glass, ceramics, rotary evaporation and wood chip infusions, as well as how to prepare a World Class winning aged cocktail.

The launch of the competition marked the beginning of an exciting journey for all hopefuls, where their mixology skills, ingenuity and knowledge will be put to the test in a series of challenges. The eight bartenders who qualify will battle it out in the semifinals on May 31 where four will move on to the finals. The finalists will then compete in three challenges where one will be crowned the winner and represent the Middle East at the global finals.

Now in its 7th year globally, World Class continues to elevate the craft, creativity and innovation within the bartending industry.

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° FEATURE ° The “Written Word” Challenge Based on World Class 2014 Global Challenge, the “Written Word” saw 12 bartenders going head-to-head in the first qualifying heat.

In this competition, contestants were given 5 minutes to create a cocktail linked to a literary reference or any writer of drinks. The scope covers fictional and non-fictional writing on drinks or cocktails – everything from Alice in Wonderland to Ernest Hemingway to Jerry Thomas. Judges were Tristan Stephenson and Thomas Aske, who not only served as judging panel, but also hosted the masterclass.

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Amongst the 12 finalists were: Adam Hrapko (Zuma), Antonio Sannai (China Grill), Claudiu Mnerau (Coya), Dalibor Petkovic (Sass Café), Francesco Galdi (Buddha Bar), James Estes (Blasé), Krishna Singh Yadav (Roberto’s), Laura Duca (Boca), Lukaz Stafin (Bar 44), Sigrid Sarv (Cavalli Club), Stephen Muigai (Skyview Bar) and Struan Moodie (Rhodes W1).

In the end, Adam Hrapko and Stephen Muigai were declared the winners. Adam currently works at Zuma Dubai under Jimmy Barrat, who is a two-time World Class Global finalist and creator of “Tomatini” which is fast becoming

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a modern classic. Adam’s drink – an innovative Ron Zacapa 23 Year Old using clarified orange juice – was linked to Jerry Thomas’ Bon Vivant’s Guide. Tristan Stephenson remarked “Adam’s drink was so good that it could easily be rolled out as a global serve or best practice for Ron Zacapa rum. I haven’t tasted a new Zacapa drink like it for a long time!”

Meanwhile, Stephen’s drink – made with JW Gold Label Reserve – referenced Nelson Mandela’s book “The Long Walk to Freedom”.

His creation also showcased truffles and gold leaf available only at Burj Al Arab. His presentation included some engaging props representing his home country of South Africa.

Both will qualify for the semifinals held on May 31.

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° FEATURE °

THE JUDGES: Tristan Stephenson and Thomas Aske Regulars to the UAE, Tristan Stephenson and Thomas Aske (Fluid Movement / AskeStephenson) are the leading molecular mixology duo in the world. They operate a global consultancy firm with clients in Europe and Asia – including the Conran Group and Hilton and Intercontinental hotels – and have designed drinks for other leading luxury lifestyle brands such as Armani and DKNY.

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They have consulted and written many of the training platforms for Diageo’s Bar Academy molecular program. In addition, they have created the globally renowned molecular cocktail bars “Purl” and “Whistling Shop” in London. Recently, they have launched their “Libations of London” drinks range in top London offsales and retail spaces, including Harrod’s of Knightsbridge.

Collectively, they have won multiple awards with Tristan named Bartender of the Year by Class Magazine in 2011. Tristan had also judged the UAE World Class Competition for the past three years and last year’s global finals. He is also the Amazon.com bestselling author of the groundbreaking “The Curious Bartender” range of books and is a regular on British TV.

“Time is Relevant” Challenge The second qualifying heat of the World Class’ UAE leg, “Time is Relevant” Challenge is based on the brief delivered by Jason Clark through training and guru seminars hosted by Thomas Aske and Tristan Stephenson. In this competition, bartenders are challenged to showcase their barrel ageing and innovative flavour manipulation techniques to the judging panel. Judges are none other than Global World Class Champions Erik Lorincz and David Rios.

Two winners will be selected and qualify for the semifinals on May 31.

Fundamentals of Flavours This third qualifying challenge will be held on April 27, where two winners will have the chance to advance to the finals.

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° MEET °

David Cottam General Manager, The Gramercy Bar D

avid started his career in the hospitality industry as a trainee cocktail bartender after he left the Royal Navy. Prior to coming to Dubai, he has worked across international markets such as the UK, Greece and Australia. As The Gramercy’s General Manager, his main objective was to raise the quality of the products on offer across the board.

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Can you share with us a bit about yourself and your background?

DAVID COTTAM: I started my career in the hospitality industry as a trainee cocktail bartender fresh out of the Royal Navy at the ripe age of 20. Since then, I have always been passionate about delicious food and mixology, previously working across international markets in locations such as the UK, Greece and Australia, before making my way to Dubai’s shores in 2011.

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In 2004, I was a General Manager for ASK restaurants in the UK, prior to taking on the responsibility of conceptualising three gastro-pubs just south of London then progressing to the role of Area Manager. Since relocating to Dubai, I supported the opening of nightlife venue, Mahiki, successfully responsible for managing and training the mixology team.

DWME: As General Manager of The Gramercy Bar, what would you like to achieve for the venue?

DC: When I started at The Gramercy, I saw it as a great challenge to take a much loved pub concept and give it a new fresh and modern identity. My main objective was to raise the quality of the product on offer across the board. This meant a complete overhaul of the food offering, a full revamp of the beverage menu adding a twisted classic cocktail menu and an unrivalled craft beer range, and sourcing some of the best live music acts that Dubai has to offer.

DWME: The Gramercy Bar has undergone a huge refurbishment just this February. How’s it going so far? What improvements were done to the place?

DC: So far so good! The general feedback that we are receiving is very positive. The biggest improvement structurally was to remove all of the curtains and huge mirrors that were blocking any kind of natural light from the venue. The bar now has a much brighter and spacious feel whilst maintaining a relaxed environment. As a beer drinker, I’m particularly happy with how well the craft beer range has been received, specifically the Anchor Steam from San Francisco.

DWME: What other initiatives or plans are in the pipeline to revitalise the venue?

DC: We are always striving to better ourselves to remain competitive in DIFC. Our strong point is that we are really popular with both the lunch time and after work crowd. The new food and beverage menus are a really strong offering that have no similarities to anywhere else in the area. So now we are pushing the live music acts to add to this and create a fun yet relaxed atmosphere that will keep customers wanting to stay and be late home from work!

DWME: We understand that The Gramercy Bar’s focus is on great cocktails and craft beers. What signature drinks are in such demand by your customers?

DC: As always at The Gramercy, the draught beer is in great demand. We have Hobgoblin, which is an English ale that is one of my particular favourites. Our cocktail menu is a great size, not too over complicated. And our Bloody Maria, a tequila twist on the classic Bloody Mary is selling like hotcakes! The craft beer range has been carefully selected. We have a great representation of the Belgian crafts, but the American crafts are way more popular.

DWME: Speaking of great cocktails and craft beers, what’s your favourite drink?

DC: I go through phases of liking different spirits. I was stuck in a tequila cocktail phase for a while as I love the savoury and peppery

flavours. At the moment, I’m hooked on Brooklyn IPA, one of our American craft beers.

DWME: What do you think Dubai’s bar scene need more of?

DC: In my opinion, the bar scene in Dubai has something for everyone. There are a few new quirky venues around town that I think are definitely getting it right. It’s the combination of simple food and drinks made perfectly in a relaxed, trendy environment that catch my eye; places like The Scene in the Marina and of course, The Gramercy in DIFC. DWME: Can you describe to us your perfect bar?

DC: My perfect bar is on a beach serving ice cold beer and an abundance of rum cocktails.

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° FEATURE °

Industry Professionals and their View on Drinks Presentation

P

resentation plays an important role in consumers’ overall drinking experience in a bar or restaurant. From the style of glassware and garnish used to the lighting and setting, these little things add to the drink’s quality and ensure customer satisfaction. Every establishment is different and has its own style of presenting drinks. Drinks World Middle East tapped some of Dubai’s industry professionals and asked them their view on drinks presentation in general. In this feature, they shared with us their thoughts as well as the service standards and presentation styles at their respective venues.

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ON WINES

Dimitar Dimitrov | Head Sommelier, Burj Al Arab DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Tell us about wine service and presentation within your current venue.

DIMITAR DIMITROV: At Burj Al Arab, wine service and presentation are taken very seriously – from the 11 sommeliers busy with wine service to the glassware, decanters and all the small touches that sommeliers use to impress and add value to the wine experience. We use top range decanters and glassware from reputed glass makers; long stemware which most of the time wows guests and makes them feel special, creating an unordinary experience different from the everyday dining scene. Decanting in a large, fancy and unusual shaped decanter above a candle in the middle of the restaurant makes people wonder sometimes what is this, who bought it, why glasses are so big, how come everyone is looking at it, etcetera… that’s an experience people talk about and remember.

DWME: What are some examples of best practice wine service and presentation that you have seen, experienced or heard of?

DD: I have a junior sommelier who has this fantastic, sophisticated, eye-catching way of handling a decanter, and people would always stop eating and drinking and just watch. He does these smooth moves of rinsing the decanter with a few drops of wine so it doesn’t lose the water residue smell and get that wine spice before the wine is slowly and gently poured into it. The whole theatre is just great to watch – every move from removing the foil, cleaning the neck of the bottle and opening it, to rinsing the decanter, lighting the candle, decanting slowly until the sediments reach the neck and redressing the bottle with its foil and making it look like it’s never been opened, this is a show not to be missed.

DWME: In your own words, describe how to present a bottle of wine to the consumer through to pouring the wine into the glass.

DD: It’s very simple. Bring the wine to the table always label up facing the guests. Then present the wine by announcing the name, vintage, region and country of origin. If a varietal is mentioned on the label, mention this as well. Following the presentation, either open the wine on the side of the table without interrupting or interfering the guests’ conversation unless the conversation about the wine is continued after the presentation.

Wine could also be opened on the side table in the guests’ view at all times. Open the wine and make sure to taste the wine to ensure it is in good condition to be consumed. Serve the host or the honoured guests first a sample to approve the wine, then serve clockwise if possible to the rest of the guests, starting from the ladies or the elders and finishing with the host, ensuring everyone has an equal pour.

DWME: There has been a lot of innovation around sparkling wine service. Do you think still wine needs some of the sizzle?

DD: I don’t think there will be too many changes around still wine service.

Champagne can do it as it has always been the flair wine: glamorous, exclusive and festive. However, I am a bit more traditionalist when it comes to champagne. For example, I won’t decant champagne unless guests require it – bubbles are too delicate in old champagnes. It’s risky to do so unless you know the champagne very well. Would I ever drink champagne out of a keg on draught? I am not sure, maybe it’s worth a try. And sparkling wine with gold flakes in it? That’s sure to attract a lot of eyes and works quite well. So yes, champagne is more prone to this more twisted ways of serving it.

Still wine, especially red, is always subject to choice when it comes to service. Either decanted or a big glass is used to air it. I don’t think we will see too much innovation around this unless glasses with very unusual shapes or sizes are used, which enhance the visual effect or taste of the wine sometimes. Some whites can definitely benefit some air in the decanter, but would service of still wine become fancier? I am not really sure what else can be done to wine service.

DWME: Do you think some aspects of wine service are now dated?

Or do you think that customers want to see MORE of it?

DD: Maybe some aspects are. However, wine is immune to time, so I don’t think service is so much to be outdated but certain wines are more likely to be.

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° FEATURE °

Krste Georgiev | Beverage Manager, Cavalli Club DWME: Tell us about your philosophy when it comes to wine service and presentation.

KRSTE GEORGIEV: My philosophy in wine service is simple: Get your guests to trust you in two seconds. This is done by welcoming them with a smile and having a friendly approach. From there, you have the game in your hands. Wine service and presentation have always drawn interest from our customers. The moment we step on stage and perform our wine presentation as well as food and wine pairing, guests are impressed.

DWME: In your opinion, how does quality wine service lead to increased wine revenue for your venue?

KG: Over the last few years, wine technology has rapidly improved. Most of the winery have implemented a new system to produce better quality wines in a short period of time. As a result, good quality and good value wines are available to consumers. However, quality service has much to do with increased wine revenue. When guests are impressed by your venue’s service standards and presentation, this usually generates a repeat order from them.

DWME: How important is the theatre aspect in serving quality wine?

KG: It’s quite important. We know that champagne sales are happening because of quality, different service rituals, glassware and lighting.

Wines need this theatre, especially when decanting. Most of our guests often ask the reason behind this. Basically, decanting wine enhances its smell and taste. And adding nice touches – such as candles and elegant decanters – makes so much difference from the usual wine service. It happened to me that whilst doing this ritual, the next table ordered a bottle of wine because they liked the presentation.

DWME: There has been a lot of innovation around sparkling wine service. Do you think still wine needs some of the sizzle?

KG: As I have said, innovation in wine service must be taken to the next level. We know that some people don’t drink champagne at all; they just want good quality wine. I don’t see why we can’t make a show of a good bottle of magnum wine and generate almost the same revenue as champagne. But I’m happy to see some wine producers are investing to enhance their service presentation (different labels on the bottles, specially made decanter with glassware) and increase their sales.

DWME: Do you think some aspects of wine service are now dated?

Or do you think that customers want to see MORE of it?

KG: Customers will always want to see new things. It’s our job to make them happy. As such, we must show them new standards and introduce new concepts to ensure their satisfaction.

DWME: In your own words, describe how to present a bottle of wine to the consumer through to pouring the wine into the glass.

KG: Generally, I vary the words I use when presenting a bottle of wine to customers, depending on its variety and origin. However, I always describe the wine the moment I present it to the guest up to the time he or she tastes it. It’s like a placebo effect – if words are correctly presented and sound good, the wine is sold even before the guest tastes it.

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ON BEERS

Frank Steegen | Manager, Belgian Beer Cafe, Madinat Jumeirah DWME: Serving the perfect beer isn’t as easy as people think. Tell us in your mind what makes a perfectly served beer?

FRANK STEEGEN: First of all, the beer has to have the right temperature and has to be served in a perfectly clean and preferably cooled chalice.

For a draught beer, it is important that the ritual of pouring is done in one handling.

DWME: Most premium beer brands have signature glassware. Do you think customers are now expecting venues to serve beer in the correct glassware in the same way as wine or champagne?

FS: Yes, of course. I can’t imagine drinking a certain beer in a chalice from another brand – it just wouldn’t taste right. Special beers are becoming more and more a hype; beer pairing is very popular for example in Europe at the moment. And with the Belgian beers getting more known all over the world, I’m sure that consumers will expect the correct glassware with their favourite beer.

DWME: What are some of the different rituals involved in serving different brands and styles of beer in your venue?

FS: There are nine steps to pour the perfect draught beer. Of course, we try to follow this guideline as much as possible. And for me, it’s important that the bartenders are properly trained to do so. The bottled beers are poured in front of the guests – some prefer a small head (foam) whilst others even prefer to pour the beer themselves.

DWME: How does a quality beer served well increase beer revenue?

FS: It is like everything in life; if you enjoy it, you’ll order it again. And did you know that you don’t get a morning-after headache from a perfect served beer?

DWME: What are some best practices that you have seen, experienced or heard of when it comes to presenting and or serving beer?

FS: I’ve had the luxury of starting my career in Belgium, and we’ve had loads of beer training sessions. But I have to admit that even here in the Middle East, African + Eastern does the training and updating us all. We have for example training from a beer sommelier every month, and the annual Draught Masters is also a good idea to keep the bartenders sharp.

Sometimes it’s the little details that make a difference!

DWME: What are some of the consumer reactions you’ve had from perfectly served beer? How does it affect consumers’ view of your venue?

FS: We get quite some positive reactions. Some guests even tell me that a particular beer tastes better than in another place, and that’s what we do it for – because these guests will come back!

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° FEATURE °

ON COCKTAILS

James Estes | Bar Manager, Blasé, Fairmont Hotel DWME: How can the service and presentation experience add to quality cocktail?

JAMES ESTES: I believe that service and presentation encompass the overall experience a guest will have in a bar. It is important to make sure that everything – from the lighting of the venue, smell and temperature to the music, product and overall ambience – is carefully balanced (just like a cocktail) to ensure the patrons are at ease and will leave satisfied.

It’s also important to genuinely love what you do as this will transcend to your guests. It has been proven scientifically that water molecules are greatly affected by the thoughts and emotions of humans. If you take into account that you are working and surrounded by liquid, I firmly believe that when you love being behind the bar and shaking up a drink, the finished product will taste infinitely better.

reminded of something a wise man once said: “You can’t polish a turd!”

This adage, comical though it may be, rings very true. You can have the most intricate and beautiful garnish in the world, but it won’t hide the taste of a poorly executed cocktail.

DWME: The theatre involved in making cocktails, how does this add to the drinking experience?

JE: Theatrics no doubt will enhance a drinking experience especially when executed with precision. It is important though to gauge what a guest is after; some guests might simply want to sit in silence and may not be interested in any theatrics, and could potentially find it a nuisance. Reading your guests and catering to their needs is all part of the art of delivery.

DWME: Should garnishes always be edible?

JE: Not at all. A garnish should complement a drink in a creative way, whether it’s through flavour, history and or visual appeal.

DWME: Other than ice, fresh ingredients and liquid, what else is required to deliver a quality cocktail?

JE: Glassware, along with temperature and balance, is another important factor to consider. Having something unique, with intricate shapes and details, is all part of the things that make up the big picture. Even the overall setup of the bar – everything should have a purpose and reason for where it is placed, not just for aesthetics, but to enable speed and efficiency in your delivery.

DWME: What is the best presented cocktail at your venue?

JE: Perhaps the “Bobby Burns” cocktail. This is an old whisky based classic that is named after the famous poet, Robert Burns. Each drink is served on a tray with a tiny poem written by Robert Burns, and at our guests’ request, can be recited for them. Being a fan of literature, I find it a great novelty to tie in cocktails with literature in such a literal sense.

We also have a section of the menu dedicated to our friends around the world, and it features many modern classics such as Salvatore Calabrese’s “Breakfast Martini”, which is served with a side of toast and orange marmalade. As the story of the creation of this drink goes, Salvatore would usually have little more than an espresso for breakfast. His wife insisted that he sat down and ate breakfast and prepared for him toast and marmalade. Both garnishes leave room for an explanation as to the origins of the cocktail and are great ways to engage our guests in conversation and leave them with a bit of cocktail history.

DWME: Personally, when creating a cocktail, how important is the garnish and presentation versus the liquid and how it tastes?

JE: Personally, I believe it’s more important to focus on the balance and taste of the cocktail rather than the garnish. I have heard it said that you begin taste with your eyes, and whilst I do firmly believe this, I am

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DWME: Do you feel bartenders get too carried away with creating fancy garnishes when the focus should be on the liquid?

JE: Sometimes, yes. And at times, I feel that bartenders get too carried away with their overall presentations as well, such as the overuse and redundancy of an external apparatus like a smoking gun. When done well, smoke can most definitely add to the depth of flavour in a drink, but I believe that more often than not, this is quite literally “smoke and mirrors” technique, amongst other things.

Kirill Runkov | Head Bartender, COYA Dubai DWME: How can the service and presentation experience add to quality cocktail?

KIRILL RUNKOV: Presentation and service can change the quality perception entirely. It is a well-known truth for Japanese bartenders, for example, who will serve you the drinks straight from the mixing glass or shaker or even the table’s side. That seemingly small service effort instantly elevates the quality of the cocktail in the eye of imbiber to the state of the art, as he or she sees that very special attitude of the server to the craft.

DWME: The theatre involved in making cocktails, how does this add to the drinking experience?

KR: Theatrical techniques bring thrill and excitement as well as a feeling of uniqueness of the serve. I guess you would be more willing to pay a good penny for a drink that appeals to your aesthetic perception, right? There’s a simple rule that says “the more you focus on personal style, the more you will be aching for stylish surroundings.” This rule works for a large number of so-called “concept” bars that are not just serving drinks but focus on theatrical experience as well, whether it’s amazingly stylish bartenders, jazzy performers, artistically served cocktails or even trendy and carefully thought out interior design.

DWME: Other than ice, fresh ingredients and liquid, what else is required to deliver a quality cocktail?

KR: The main thing you need to serve a quality cocktail is not ice, fresh ingredients (although ingredients you have on hand are really important) or even liquid (still have to admit that premium spirits do make better cocktails) but a determination to do something special for a person in front of you. It is this passion that pushes bartenders to develop their skills and to learn. Otherwise, you won’t benefit much from the resources listed above.

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DWME: What is your best presented cocktail at your venue?

KR: I would say the Blueberry Pisco Sour, garnished with blueberries and spiked with a couple of lavender sprigs attached to a glass using a mini peg. It’s very simple, yet it is a very delicate balance of colour, shape and sense of touching fragility combined with a light flowery scent.

DWME: Personally, when creating a cocktail, how important is the garnish and presentation versus the liquid and how it tastes?

KR: When I’m thinking of new recipes, I always start with a concept that could engage with guests I will be serving the drink to. Something that’s appealing and emotionally touching. It could be very simple, like popping candies inside the raspberries that will remind somebody of their childhood. Or it could be something more labour intensive, like a soft frozen white sphere reminiscent of a snowball served on a mitten. The main thing here is to reach out to the emotions of your guests through the serving props. It shouldn’t go that far always though, or you have a risk of getting annoying. And it should be in harmony with a drink – otherwise, it will produce an impression of being unprofessional and gimmicky.

DWME: Do you feel bartenders get too carried away with creating fancy garnishes, when the focus should be on the liquid?

KR: We do get carried away time after time. Most of the time because of the social media that endorses a lot of fancy techniques and theatrical serves these days, not paying attention to their science and inner workings. It’s not all bad though as it helps to push the sales. Most people are trying with their eyes, paying less attention to the actual flavour.

DWME: Should garnishes always be edible?

KR: The most important factor for the garnish is not its edibility, but its ability to merge with a cocktail. For example, I once came across a serve, garnished with a burning match (I know it doesn’t sound appealing in terms of edibility). But think of the smell that a match produces. It’s a pretty unique scent, indeed. And it’s capable of complementing the drink in a most unexpected and beautiful way when thought out right. The only limit here is one’s creativity and professional knowledge.

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4/28/2015 2:30:07 PM

° FEATURE °

ON BARTENDING

Tim Greening | Complex Beverage Manager, The Grosvenor House Dubai DWME: The role of drinks professionals, how have you seen this change in Dubai in recent years?

TIM GREENING: The Dubai market is ever changing and developing.

In the past two years that I have been here, Dubai has been closing in on global leaders like New York, London and Sydney. With the influx of talented bartenders on the rise, bartending is no longer about just creating a good drink or being able to throw a bottle around. Bartenders are seeing this as a professional career and need to have the whole package.

Hosting, high-level service and a definitive knowledge of all things beverage are all equally important in professional bartending.

DWME: How important are knowledge and skill in being a drinks professional?

TG: They’re extremely important especially when we are now more and more frequently considering bartending a professional career. This industry is fast changing and forever evolving. Saying this, at its core lies the roots of bartending, and it is within this heritage that all new trends are born.

Hence, knowledge and skill are essential to the continued growth of all aspects of bartending.

DWME: How important is it to be well versed across all categories – beer, wine and spirits – no matter what your specialty is?

TG: Through passion for a chosen profession comes the thirst for knowledge and desire to develop. Thus, it’s imperative to have a solid base of all things beverage for the continued growth across all sectors.

Although, I would not expect a beer specialist in a Belgian beer cafe to tell me 101 things about tequilas.

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4/28/2015 2:30:19 PM

° FEATURE °

Gaz Regan’s

Mindful

Bartending GETTING STARTED (Part 2 of 4 editions)

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hen I first stepped behind the bar in New York when I was just 23 years old, I was pretty much terrified of my customers. I had just arrived in the United States from a small town in England, and everyone in the Big Apple seemed to be so much smarter, quicker and more sophisticated than I was. I was an easy target for savvy New Yorkers to tease, and tease me they did.

It didn’t take me long though to develop a practice that made it easier for me to deal with the situation. I would arrive for work a full hour before I was due to start my shift, order a meal, and I would sit quietly on my own, eating slowly and gearing myself to face the crowd. If anyone tried to join me, I would politely tell them that I wanted to be alone. When the time came for me to start my shift, I found that I felt peaceful, centered, and ready to deal with whatever came my way. Although I didn’t know it, I was indulging in a form of meditation.

If you have ever practiced meditation, you will know that, although you are seeking to get away from the constant chatter that goes on in your mind, it’s very difficult to “tune out” for long periods of time. Our minds constantly try to stray to thoughts such as “I wonder if Jim and Coleen will be at the bar tonight,” or “I wish I’ve had handled that situation with my partner differently this morning.” Thoughts about the past and the future, rather than living in the present.

It’s important then, that, when we meditate, we recognize every time that our minds are straying. We don’t beat ourselves up about it, and instead, we simply try to come back to that place of stillness. And in that same vein, when we realize that we’re not being mindful, we take that opportunity to steer ourselves back to living in the present moment. The past is gone, and the future hasn’t yet arrived.

Be Here Now. This present moment is all that’s real. Next time, I’ll give you some guidance on how to incorporate meditation into your life and your craft. Meanwhile, though, try to think about living in the present moment, and what that means to you.

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° MEET °

Interview on a

Napkin

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with Gaz Regan

hat do you do when you bump into Gaz Regan in a bar? Grab a napkin, ask questions and start scribbling. That’s what.

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: What was the name of the first bar you worked in when you arrived in New York as a young bartender?

GAZ REGAN: Drakes Drum, as in Sir Francis Drake. The owners were an American and an Englishman. The name was taken from the poem by Sir Henry Newbolt (called Drakes Drum), so the Englishman had the idea that the name of the poem would attract a strong English clientele.

There was a lovely verse behind the bar narrated by the ghost of Sir Francis Drake: “Take my drum to Plymouth and hang it by the shore. Beat it when your powder’s running low. And if the Dons sight Devon, I will whip the port of heaven and drum them up the channel as I drummed them long ago”.

DWME: When did you work there?

GR: From 1972 to 1977. Then a friend of mine opened a bar, an Englishman named David Ridens; he was my biggest mentor.

DWME: How long did it take you from when you first had the idea, to prepare and publish the book ‘The Joy of Mixology’?

GR: I had a concept for the book that I ‘hawked’ around to publishers for around two years. A number of them did say they liked the idea but that it was too broad and could it be reduced in length. I kept saying no, until a friend of mine who’s an editor, Roy Finnamore at Clarks & Potter, had a look, loved the idea and actually wanted to make it even longer! Then it was about two years before I started writing, which then took another two years.

DWME: Was it something you continually worked on over that period?

GR: I worked on it until I had to return to the UK because my mother had passed away and it was then that I took a few months off. The main concept for me was that there wasn’t a book that told bartenders what to do. We needed a book so bartenders and people wanting to bartend know what the job entails. For me that was the heart of the book. The gurus of our time – Ted Haigh, Angus and Dale, do have a service niche, but some of them still get misinterpreted by their readers as drink production being the core to their success.

DWME: What qualities do you look for to identify a good bartender?

GR: How much attention they give to me when I walk into a bar, it’s that simple.

I walked into a bar in England last year and went straight to the bar where the bartender was pulling a pint of beer.

I stood in front of him, yet he didn’t even look up. All he needed to give me was some form of acknowledgement, which he failed to do.

I would drink rubbish drinks from a good bartender who cares about me every time.

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DWME: How are you still passionate about bartending after so many years?

GR: It helps not to have a real job (laughs)! It keeps me going – I work 365 days a year, including Christmas Day! DWME: Apart from the Negroni, which cocktail do you wish you had invented?

GR: The Manhattan. These are my two favourite cocktails.

DWME: What is the difference between building a drink up in a glass and stirring on ice, and straining before mixing in the glass?

GR: Just like any other cocktail, if you stir it over ice you pre-dilute it.

Whereas if you pre-chill the cocktail and then strain it into a glass full of ice it won’t melt as quickly.

DWME: At ‘that’ event by Negroni, did you actually finger stir the Negroni all night?

GR: Yes... there is something about a finger stirred Negroni!

I worked at another event called Star Chefs in New York which was a Fuji affair and not a cocktail event. I refused to do the finger stirred Negroni because I hadn’t been doing it for a couple of years, but the event organizers requested me to do it. So I did it, but it was kind of a mistake.

I did a presentation during the day and got a decent turn out. In the evening, I did the finger stirred Negroni but no one knew who I was. I was just an old guy wearing eye makeup, stirring these Negronis with my finger and serving them (laughs).

If people knew who I am, obviously, they would all laugh and appreciate me. If people didn’t know who I am, they would react in the same way.

In a way, everybody laughed and not one person questioned why I put my finger in the drink. As I contemplated on it, I had come to a realisation that if I was putting a smile on those people’s faces, that was my job as a bartender.

DWME: We know that 50 per cent of people know you… We wonder if someone without your reputation could get away with a finger stirred Negroni.

GR: It would all depend on the intention of the bartender doing it. If the intention was the same, there would be a good reaction.

DWME: Had someone introduced you to mindfulness at a younger age, how do you think your career or life would have been different?

GR: It wouldn’t be different at all because at an earlier part of my life my reaction to mindfulness would be “F*** You – Just make me a drink!” I came to mindfulness when I was ready for mindfulness.

DWME: What is more important to you - the drink or the service of the drink?

GR: The service hands down every single time. I would drink crappy drinks from a good bartender who cares about me every time.

DWME: You may have been given the title “The Enfant Terri” of the Guru world, and in the Guru world there are different levels: the “white head crew” and the “dark head crew”. Do you have anything you consider fundamentally different about you in your approach and outlook?

GR: Yes I do and each of those people also have their way of doing it.

Salvatore is a great case point, he’s the Maestro. I was behind the bar

with him a few years ago. Everyone was watching us make drinks behind the bar and he remarked, “Two legends behind the bar…” I cringed at that but when you delve into Salvatore you find he’s a show-off. When you understand Salvatore, it’s all about people and service, that’s his real passion, his theatre.

We’ve been brought up and taught to learn from our elders. What I’ve come to realise is that you can learn just as much from those that are younger.

I can teach younger people about mindfulness and service, and they can teach me about dry shaking, things that my generation never did. So no matter how old you get, never dismiss ideas coming from younger people.

Listen to them, some of it may still be bullshit, but you’ll get some nuggets as well.

DWME: How would you define the stages of your career from being a younger bartender entering New York at 23 to being a worldrenowned industry guru at the age of 62? Do you define it in terms of stages?

GR: Absolutely. I’ve been through as many ups and downs as anybody else. I’ve worked in good cocktail bars as well as in neighbourhood joints.

There are definite stages you have to go through and you have to know that whatever you’re being thrown is being thrown at you for a reason and if it’s bad it will surely pass. People say I’m a legend, I reply I’m a f*****g bartender! (laughs).

DWME: Who would you choose to be your desert island bartender and what drink would you ask for?

GR: The bartender is David Ridings, my mentor who passed away in 2002 and the drink I would probably choose on a desert island would be a Negroni.

DWME: We know you love music. If you could narrow down the journey so far to one single track, what would that be?

GR: Sid Vicious – My Way. DWME: Do you consider yourself a bit of a Sid Vicious of the bar world?

GR: Actually…. more like the Keith Richards of the bar world. Why the f*** not?

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Gaja ° PROFILE °

True to Its Origins

F

ounded in 1859, Gaja is globally renowned for producing opulent wines that are faithful to its origins. The brand is credited with transforming the image of its native Piedmont region and putting it on the world wine map.

Owned and operated by five generations of the Gaja family, the winery is known for developing techniques that revolutionised the winemaking in Italy. Amongst its bold innovations included the use of barriques (225-litre French oak barrels) for ageing wines.

Whilst Gaja is primarily known for its red wines from Piedmont, what is less known are the estates it owns outside the region. In 1994, Gaja purchased its first wine estate in Tuscany, Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino. This estate produces three Brunello di Montalcino wines – including the single vineyard Sugarille – from

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vineyard holdings spanning 65 acres.

In 1996, Gaja acquired a second property in Tuscany, Ca’Marcanda, located in Castagneto Carducci in Bolgheri. Of the property’s 200 acres, 150 have been planted with new vineyards, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. For centuries, Ca’Marcanda was a marshland and had no history of grape production. It’s only in the last quarter century that it has become renowned for its wine.

Ca’Marcanda was named as the “house of endless negotiations” by the Gaja family due to

the enormous length of time it took for Angelo Gaja to secure the estate. It is a mix of the two classic Bolgheri soil types: terre brune or dark earth (predominantly loam and clay, with very little limestone or stone) and terre bianche or white earth (primarily clay and sand, rich in limestone and filled with abundant stones and pebbles of different sizes).

Since its foundation, the Gaja Winery has continuously evolved in ways that have always focused on the attention to the quality and meticulous care of its wines.

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5/6/2015 10:43:37 AM

° FEATURE °

Gaja

Talk with D

Gaia

ubai had a rare treat when Gaia Gaja graced the city this past September. Highlight of her visit was the two-hour invite only masterclass on Ca’Marcanda held at the Skyview Bar, which saw 50 sommeliers from Dubai’s finest restaurants and hotels attending the session.

With her signature style of precision knowledge, adept public speaking and warmth, Gaia talked about Vistamare (Vermentino, Viognier blend), Promis (Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese), Magari (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) and four vintages of Ca’Marcanda (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc: 2000, 2003, 2009, 2010).

The much-anticipated event was the first masterclass of Ca’Marcanda in Dubai, following a 10-vintage vertical of Gaja Barbaresca at the Burj Al Arab over three years ago. It was made possible with the help of Piero Giglio and his

team at BiCE, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort.

Born in Barbaresco, in Italy’s renowned Piedmont region, Gaia had a wine named in her honour (GAIA and REY Chardonnay) even before she took her first steps. The eldest daughter of famous winemaker Angelo Gaja, Gaia is the fifth generation of her family to work at the Gaja Winery. In her role, she represents the company at tastings and dinners around the world. She also oversees the day-to-day running of her family’s prestigious 154-year old estate in Piedmont and the production of wines.

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Single Malts Guru Session with

IAN MILLAR GLENFIDDICH GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR

R

enowned Glenfiddich Global Brand Ambassador Ian Millar delighted the UAE with his presence when he was in town this April to spread the message of the world’s favourite and best-selling single malt.

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° MEET °

During his visit, he conducted masterclass sessions for the bar trade in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Such was the anticipation from the industry that the event generated quite a spectacular turnout – more than 600 people came! Attendees were held in rapture as Ian brought them to the fascinating world of single malt and the history of Glenfiddich itself. Of course, the classes won’t be complete without some tastings of the 12, 15 and 18 year old core expressions of the brand.

When asked how do beginners go about selecting the right whisky for themselves, Ian said “The best way to really get to know single malts and the differences between them is to do some little tastings. Buy miniature bottles, try them and if you don’t like them, then there are no big financial risks.”

In terms of meeting the growing demand for single malt Scotch whisky, Ian stated “There are other ways of producing whisky more efficiently to the point where you can produce more without compromising the quality of what you do.” Whilst other brands have already laid out plans to expand to meet market demand, he said that “we’re getting closer to a point where we may have to consider expanding, but it’s not

on the table right now.”

He added that “at Glenfiddich, we have been trying to be a little bit more realistic. We would not rather do things up and down. We’re looking at things from both the production point of view, so we’re always able to produce good, aged whiskies for our audience... and that’s a global audience; not just a selective audience wherein this statement is catered to this market or that region. We want to keep every market engaged with Glenfiddich.”

“Whisky is ever changing”, he declared.

“There’s a lot of distilleries popping up in Scotland. And in the last year, there were some new distilleries being built in Ireland. There’s actually a lot more happening on the smallestscale distilleries. Breweries are now producing whisky as an offshoot of what they’re doing. It’s good because it gives them instant revenue.”

Furthermore, he pointed out that “There’s a lot more going on in the single malt world.

I think it’s going to get more difficult as a lot of companies are now compromised by the available stock they have in their warehouse.

We’ve seen a lot of non-age statement whiskies coming in – some of them are good, some are okay and some need a little more work.

So we’ve been very careful about non-age statement whisky style.”

“But remember, in 1963, Glenfiddich launched the first single malt to the rest of the world.

It was a non-age statement bottle and was simply called a straight malt. It didn’t have an age statement. For me, it’s not absolutely vital but it does tell consumers what to expect from an age point of view and from a price point of view. Ninety per cent of our offerings has an age statement. I don’t think we’re going down the non-age statement route”.

On a personal note, Ian revealed that when he’s not drinking Glenfiddich, he’s getting one of the single malt Scotch whiskies in his portfolio of 10 brands that he loves. That way, no matter where he is in the world, he would definitely get to enjoy his drink.

Although Ian loves old whiskies, he said that “the thing about old whiskies is that when you’ve been drinking them all the time, you take them for granted. So what I don’t do is drink a lot of 50, 40 and 30. I purposely don’t drink it all the time as it tends to spoil your palate. My go to whisky is the 15 year old. It’s rounded and embodies what I’m looking for in a whisky”.

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° MEET °

JAMES ZORAB Single Malts Ambassador

J

ames was first introduced to whisky at a tender age of eight when his father took him to a distillery on the Isle of Skye. After obtaining his Masters in Chemical Engineering, he went home and worked for a wine merchant who also stocked a large range of single malts. That’s when his interest in whisky began.

Prior to moving to Dubai, he did stints for the world’s largest independent whisky bottler – The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

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DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Simple question: what is the key difference between a single malt and a blended whisky and why do single malts have such a premium, exclusive reputation?

JAMES ZORAB: Single malts are the product of a single distillery and are made using 100 per cent malted barley. Meanwhile, blended whisky can contain whiskies from multiple distilleries and can be produced from other grains such as oats or wheat.

Single malts are therefore made in much lesser quantities, matured for much longer periods of time, and generally have much higher levels of complexity than blends. They are also much more expensive and time consuming to produce than blended Scotch. Thus, they are held in higher esteem.

DWME: What is your mission in Dubai for single malts and what lessons do you want to impart on the trade?

JZ: My mission in Dubai has multiple layers. As a whisky lover, I want to share my knowledge and passion for single malt Scotch whisky to whoever will listen. Single malt whisky can be a very daunting category with so many different brands and ages available and jargon used. I would love to help show people how to navigate the category and encourage them to explore – I truly believe there is a single malt out there for everyone, and if I can be the one to introduce it to them then I’ve done my job.

Many bars are wary of carrying too many single malts as they tend to be high value items.

They can gather dust unless the staff have the tools to sell them. Starting with a range like Glenfiddich is really good because the 12YO

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and 15YO are proven sellers globally. However, letting the staff taste and explore new brands will give them the skills and vocabulary to sell – and selling single malts is all about passion and communication.

DWME: What do consumers and the trade need to understand to fully appreciate single malts and what are the main elements?

JZ: First, understand that everyone drinks single malts in different ways. The best way to drink them is the way you like it. To fully appreciate a single malt, all you need is a nose. However, understanding how to change the aromas leaving the glass is important. A single malt neat (40% ABV) can be a challenge for some, and many are quick to reach for the ice bucket. If you simply hold the glass in your hand and allow the whisky to warm, it will soften greatly and enable the deeper aromas to drift up to your nose.

Adding a few drops of water will also soften the nose and can release the hidden depths of a whisky. You must be careful with water though as you can always add more but can’t take it out.

Take your time with a whisky. People can be all too quick to neglect the age statement on a bottle. Take for example Glenfiddich 12YO. By the name, you can see that it has spent 12 years in an oak cask gently maturing in Dufftown, Scotland. If you think back over the last 12 years of your life and all that’s happened to you, it seems fair to give the whisky a few minutes to express itself and tell you of its life inside the oak, and you’ll find it has a lot to say!

DWME: Why do you feel Glenfiddich has been so successful over the years? What led to its success?

JZ: Glenfiddich was the first distillery to market

and export single malt outside the UK in 1963, in effect, creating the single malt category. Others chose to observe this daring move thus it took a few years for other single malts to follow Glenfiddich’s lead.

William Grant built Glenfiddich by hand in 1886 with the dream of creating the ‘best dram in the valley’. His descendants still own and manage the distillery to this day and are extremely passionate about upholding this dream. It’s no surprise then that they also treat their employees like family with many of the characters who help make the world’s most awarded single malt been there for over 40 years. This amount of passion and care could only create something as special as the Glenfiddich single malt whisky.

DWME: How do Glenfiddich’s different years differ in taste and character? When and how should each expression be drank?

JZ: For me, drinking whisky should be about having fun. Adding rules about how to drink it only complicates matters. Each of the expressions can be enjoyed neat, with water or ice and even in a cocktail as long as the spirit is allowed to shine.

Glenfiddich 12YO and 18YO are matured in both ex-bourbon American and ex-sherry European oaks, but the amount of each varies with the 18 consisting of 5 per cent more of the former. The 12YO expression has aromas of fresh pear and subtle oak whilst the 18YO is much more refined with aromas of baked apple, cinnamon and spice.

Glenfiddich 15YO is a very special whisky made like no other. We call it the Solera because it is married in our Solera vat which is always at least half full of 15YO Glenfiddich. The

three ingredients that make up the whisky are matured in either ex-sherry European oak, exbourbon American oak and virgin American oak casks, giving Glenfiddich 15YO aromas of honey and dried fruits. Glenfiddich 15YO is definitely for the sweet tooth. It’s proven so popular that it has made Glenfiddich the only distillery with two entrants in the top ten best-selling single malt list and outsells the entire output of other distilleries.

DWME: Tell us about yourself and your background and your thoughts on the whisky market in Dubai.

JZ: My father is to be blame for my line of work.

He was always very passionate about whisky, and he passed that on to me. My first memory of whisky was when my father took me to a distillery on the Isle of Skye at the age of eight.

After obtaining my Masters in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bath, I came back to Edinburgh and started working for a wine merchant who also stocked a large range of single malts. This was when my interest in whisky was born. From there, I moved to the world’s largest independent whisky bottler – The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – which has been the breeding ground for many single malt ambassadors. I spent four and a half years there until I received an e-mail regarding a position in Dubai.

It’s a really exciting time to be working with single malts in Dubai. I’m finding more and more people are excited to learn about what the category has to offer and is all there to try.

Being a truly international city, I get to meet people from a huge range of countries all with a shared passion for single malts. I can’t wait to see where we go from here.

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° PROFILE °

The World’s

MOST AWARDED

& NO. 1 SELLING

Single Malt Whisky

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W

hen it comes to Scotch, single malts can be a very daunting category.

One can get lost in the variety of ages, styles and prices available – and to some extent, in the terms used. There’s also the perennial question of whether to drink it neat or with water or ice. And there’s no better introduction to this category than Glenfiddich.

A fulfillment of founder William Grant’s vision to create the ‘best dram in the valley’, Glenfiddich – Gaelic for Valley of the Deer – was the first whisky label to market and export single malt outside the UK, in effect, establishing the single malt category. Today, it is the world’s most awarded and No. 1 selling single malt whisky.

Over its 128-year history, Glenfiddich has blazed a pioneering trail that continues to this day. Not only did it lead the rise and popularity of single malt whisky, but it has also been a stickler for quality. The amount of care, dedication and attention that goes into producing every drop

could only create something as special as Glenfiddich.

Glenfiddich retains its uniqueness by continuing to be the only Highland single malt to distill, mature and bottle at its distillery in Dufftown using a single source of spring water throughout the process. Moreover, Glenfiddich remains the only distillery to continue using

wooden marrying tuns, giving its rich complexity.

At the Glenfiddich Distillery, time and experience are the core values of the brand’s operation overseen by Malt Master, Brian Kinsman. Accumulated and handed down through five generations, the rich whisky knowledge of its craftsmen ensures that

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° PROFILE °

each variant in Glenfiddich’s single malt range matures properly, balancing its rich character and unmistakable character.

By remaining a family run and operated business, Glenfiddich has the privilege of retaining its specific, often time-consuming production techniques, thereby ensuring the consistent and exceptional quality of its whiskies.

If there was ever any doubt about the expertise of Grant and his legacies, Glenfiddich has squashed them. The Glenfiddich range has received more awards since 2000 than any other single malt Scotch whisky in two of the world’s most prestigious competitions, the International Wine & Spirit Competition and the International Spirits Challenge.

“These prestigious awards are an honour, but also prove the lengths we go to at Glenfiddich to fulfill the vision of our founder, William Grant, who set out to create ‘the best dram in the valley’ over a century ago” Brian proudly proclaimed.

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With an extensive range of whiskies – from the ever-popular Glenfiddich 12YO to the rare 50YO – Glenfiddich is proud to continue the pioneering legacy of William Grant.

fruity notes as well as hints of pear. The palate is characteristically sweet and fruity, developing into flavours of butterscotch, cream, malt and subtle oak. And the finish is long and smooth.

PRODUCT RANGE

Glenfiddich 15YO Made using an innnovative distillation method, Glenfiddich 15YO is the true expression of the brand’s original approach to whisky making.

Matured in three types of oak cask – bourbon, sherry and virgin oak – the whisky is then left to marry in a handcrafted Solera vat. This process results in distinctive notes of rich fruit, spice and honey.

The nose of Glenfiddich 15YO is complex with sweet heather honey and vanilla fudge aromas combined with rich dark fruits. On the palate, it’s smooth, revealing layers of sherry oak, marzipan, cinnamon and ginger – reminiscent of Christmas cake. Full-bodied and bursting with flavour, Glenfiddich 15YO has a rich and lingeringly sweet finish.

Of the label’s core range, its most popular whisky is undoubtedly the Glenfiddich 12YO, although the 15YO and the 18YO are also much admired. Each year, Glenfiddich produces more rare variants, such as their 21YO, 30YO, 40YO and 50YO whiskies.

Glenfiddich 12YO The world’s most awarded single malt, Glenfiddich 12YO is the label’s signature expression and considered the pioneer in this category. Aged in the finest American bourbon and Spanish sherry oak casks, this whisky celebrates the sense of adventure that underpins the Glenfiddich brand.

Glenfiddich 12YO’s nose has a delicately balanced fragrance, with distinctively fresh and

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Glenfiddich 18YO This 18YO expression of Glenfiddich bears testament to the skill of the distillery’s craftsmen. Produced in small, individually numbered batches, it combines fruity sweetness from the Spanish Oloroso wood and oak characteristics from the traditional American casks. Its rich yet mellow flavours come together after being married in wooden tuns for at least three months to create a smooth and distinctive single malt Scotch whisky. The nose is rich, with ripe orchard fruit, spiced apple and oak. On the palate, it delivers a rich dried fruit and candy peel and leaves a warm finish.

Glenfiddich 18YO is packaged in a new stylish clear glass bottle with wooden stopper (tamperevident capsule underneath) and embossed cartouche to deliver premium finish and tactility. It is then wrapped in a new premium rigid box with top-loading lid, gold foiling detail and increased prominence for “Small Batch Reserve”.

SPEYSIDE APPLES

by Jason Clark

INGREDIENTS • 40ml Glenfiddich 12 YO • 1 Fresh Lime Wedge • 120ml Freshly Pressed Granny Smith Apple Juice METHOD Build ingredients over ice and stir GARNISH Large Mint Sprig, Cinnamon Quill, Dusted Icing Sugar GLASSWARE Highball

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° INNOVATION °

The Perfect Rosé

TO LIGHT UP ANY OCCASION T

oasting special moments calls for the perfect drink. That’s where Belaire Rosé Fantôme comes in. A glowing, limited-production edition, Belaire Rosé Fantôme is sure to light up any occasion – whether it’s birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, promotions or just simple celebrations.

BRILLIANT INSIDE AND OUT • It features a luminescent label that lights up at the push of a button • Inside the bottle is the vibrant Belaire Rosé blend, France’s most exquisite Rosé • The Fantôme’s alluring glow evokes Belaire’s glamourous South of France origins, home to the Cannes Film Festival and Monte Carlo Grand Prix EXQUISITE • A delicious, delicate blend of France’s three most famous Rosé grapes: Syrah, Cinsault and Grenache, aged for the perfect effervescence and blended with a 100 per cent Syrah dosage • A rich red fruit bouquet precedes an elegant palate of strawberry and black currant, resulting in a perfect harmony of aroma, taste, body and finish – refreshing but not too sweet

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LUXURIOUS • Packaged in a uniquely cool and contemporary black bottle that is illuminated by a glowing label, which radiates pink and white light • Grown and produced in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, home of the world’s finest Rosé wines and the stunning French Riviera cities of Nice, Monaco, St-Tropez, Marseilles, Grasse and Toulon VERSATILE • Perfect as an aperitif, food-pairing wine or even as a cocktail mixer • Can be sold by the bottle in bars, restaurants, hotels and nightclubs • Fills the huge gap between leading Rosé Champagnes and low-end Cava and Prosecco brands with a premium French identity Crafted by fifth and sixth generation father-and-son winemakers at their Maison founded in 1898, this bottle makes a powerful statement.

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° PROFILE °

BULLEIT WHISKEY A

n award-winning small-batch dry rye flavour re-born, Bulleit Whiskey has caught the eye of some of the world’s most discriminating palates. Its smooth, unique taste and unparalleled complexity are a result of high rye content, absence of phenol alcohol and at least six years of ageing.

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The story of Bulleit Whiskey goes all the way back to the 1800s when Augustus Bulleit made the long journey from France to the USA. The Western frontier was opening up to anyone tough enough to take a gamble on this unforgiving expanse. Augustus wasn’t afraid of a challenge, he found his way to Louisville, Kentucky where he picked up work as an innkeeper. He served bourbon, and while he understood that the rough and raw spirit matched the palate of the working man, he had a taste for a more refined spirit. So, he set about developing a more subtle recipe, one that would see Bulleit Whiskey become one of the fastest growing whiskies today.

The result was a hit and news of this new

style of whiskey spread fast through Kentucky and Indiana. Business boomed and Augustus continued to refine his recipe, that is...until he disappeared. He was on a trip along the Mississippi, transporting his spirit to New Orleans, but he never made it to his destination.

His fate is still a mystery today – for the next 120 years the Bulleit Whiskey name remained dormant.

Tom Bulleit, the Great-Great Grandson of Augustus, was responsible for breathing new life into the Bulleit Whiskey brand. The year was 1988 and Tom felt it was time the Bulleit Whiskey stills were fired up once more, and he would use a recipe that was almost 175 years old. The original mash bill had been passed

down through the generations and, with the full weight of his family’s expectations, he took on the role with a fierce dedication to producing only the finest spirit.

A key distinction with Bulleit Whiskey is its high rye content, and even with slight recipe amendments, it remains somewhat significantly higher than any other bourbon whiskey available on the market today. This makes Bulleit Whiskey the driest available. A further point of difference is in the distillation where the hotter tasting phenyl alcohols are removed. This offers a fresh, clean nose and with a relatively long period of ageing, the result is a complex, spicy bourbon whiskey that has a flavour all of its own.

The process starts with the grain and in its

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efforts to use only the best ingredients, Bulleit Whiskey has developed its own grain division which sources the highest quality rye and barley to fit its stringent quality guidelines. Similarly, the distillers use their own proprietary yeast.

It is housed in a vast library, which affords them complete control of the all-important fermentation process.

Bulleit Bourbon is aged between six and eight years and only in American white oak barrels.

Their charring level is pushed to the maximum level, char level #4, to bring out the richest colours and flavours. The barrels are stored in a single level, which is unique in the industry.

It would be far more cost effective to stack the barrels, but Bulleit prefer to maintain access to ensure consistency and quality.

A proud and endeavouring Tom Bulleit says today, “What we are creating with Bulleit

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Bourbon is one of the definitive styles of bourbon currently distilled in this country.” “It is one of the most distinctive mash builds out there. The high rye content, absence of phenol alcohol and at least six years of ageing produces something really special,” he says.

With Bulleit Bourbon selling well, it was clear that the market wasn’t afraid of the dry flavour of rye. So much so that Tom Bulleit began to flirt with the idea of producing a rye whiskey under the Bulleit name. The popularity of rye was growing around 2000 and after years of tinkering with his recipe, a small batch rye whiskey was released with a mash bill of 95 per cent rye. The flavour is light and sweet with a dry finish.

Continuing his dedication to quality, Tom ensured that Bulleit orders only the highest quality rye grains from all over the world, sources of which include Germany, Sweden and

Canada. Tom’s dedication to creating only the best paid off and in 2009, his peers recognised his hard work when he was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in Bardstown, Kentucky.

The smooth, unique flavour of Bulleit Whiskey has not gone unnoticed by the world.

In particular, it has caught the eye of some of the world’s most discriminating palates, making their presence consistently felt at the highly acclaimed San Francisco World Spirits Competition over the years. Various double golds now layer the neck of Bulleit Bourbon, along with hues of single gold, silver and bronze.

Bulleit Rye, even though young in its inception, is no stranger to a double gold either, the most recent being 2011. 2012 has been no exception to the accolades with both Bulleit Bourbon and Rye adding another gold to their collection.

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Tasting Notes BULLEIT BOURBON

BULLEIT RYE

Russet and deep amber in colour, Bulleit Bourbon features a rich, oaky aroma. The nose is of creamy vanilla with pickling spices and buttery pralines. The dry, clean flavour is mellow and smooth, making it a delicate, silky entry leading into a full body of honeyed grain, vanilla bean and pralines. This bourbon delivers a long smoky finish, with rich, fruity caramel and peppery spice.

Bulleit Rye has attracted much loved attention since Tom Bulleit was pressed by Bulleit lovers to produce the spirit. It is hailed as brisk, vibrant and loaded with spice. It’s medium amber in colour and offers up aromas of biscuit, spice (allspice, sage), white raisins and dried apricot.

A smooth entry is bolstered by sweet tones of maple and oak. Long, satiny, woody and shows notes of light toffee. There is no burn in the throat – you are treated to dried fruit elements that return for a finale on the finish.

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° PROFILE °

HENDRICK’S A MOST UNUSUAL GIN I

n the world of mixed drinks, ever since the first cocktail books of the 19th century, gin has indeed been the dominating spirits category. The beauty of gin is that no recipe is like the other. It’s a very versatile and mixable spirit which is rather handy these days now that the world of bartending is at its peak. Behind the bar, it is the star in concoctions like martinis, fizzes and punches, as well as in slings, daisies and cobblers to name only a few.

For a long time, gin was the tipple of choice for the movers and shakers. Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope were seldom seen without a gin martini.

Gin did, however, fall out of fashion for a few decades to leave room for vodka. But thankfully, much due to the birth of modern gins and not least to Hendrick’s own cucumber elixir, gin has rightfully reclaimed the throne as the spirit of choice for quintessential drinkers all over the world.

Hendrick’s – produced and launched in 1999

by William Grant & Sons – is a most unusual premium gin. Defined as a ‘Distilled Gin’ by the European Union, Hendrick’s is infused by the marvelous coup de grace of cucumber and rose petal essences, producing a wonderfully refreshing gin with a delightfully floral aroma.

Its distinctive flavour is a result of using 11 botanicals, including highly aromatic coriander seeds from Eastern Europe and Morocco, juniper berries from Italy, and angelica root imported from France and Belgium. Helping to bind all these flavours to create an intricate blend is Orris root, which is aged for up to three years. Throw in some lemon peel, chamomile, cubeb berries, orange peel, elderflower, meadowsweet and caraway seeds into the mixture and the product is a spirit that gin

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aficionados prefer to imbibe.

Distillation takes place in a small town in southwest Scotland called Ayrshire. Hendrick’s draws upon centuries of distilling expertise and abundant pure soft water sourced from the local Penwhapple reservoir. It is then handcrafted in minuscule batches of only 450 litres at a time – the smaller the batch, the more control can be exerted by Master Distiller Lesley Gracie and Stillman Alan Rimmer.

Moreover, Hendrick’s is the only gin utilising a combination of a Carter-Head and a Bennett copper still. Boiling the botanicals in Bennett copper still produces a spirit with great depth of flavour. Conversely, the Carter-Head still gently bathes the ingredients in vapours, resulting in a wonderfully light, smooth, citrus spirit. Combining the spirits from the two stills produces a supremely divine smooth gin that has both the required character and balance of

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We don’t distill the gin with cucumbers since we desire the freshness, so we have to infuse it after the regular botanical distillation. These cucumbers – which come from Holland and occasionally Belgium – are distilled separately using a cold distillation process. Since we are using fresh cucumbers in the gin and it does have a hint of fresh cucumber (for those who are highly observant), we always garnish our Hendrick’s & Tonic with a freshly cut slice of cucumber.

ERIK ANDERSSON Asia Brand Ambassador, Hendrick’s Gin

subtle flavours – qualities that make Hendrick’s a most unusual gin.

As one of the front-runners in the gin category, Hendrick’s is always seeking new ways to be innovative and unusual. “We don’t distill the gin with cucumbers since we desire the freshness, so we have to infuse it after the regular botanical distillation. These cucumbers – which come from Holland and occasionally Belgium – are distilled separately using a cold distillation process. Since we are using fresh cucumbers in the gin and it does have a hint of fresh cucumber (for those who are highly observant), we always garnish our Hendrick’s & Tonic with a freshly cut slice of cucumber”, says Erik Andersson, Asia Brand Ambassador for Hendrick’s Gin. Apart from highlighting the gin’s flavour profile, the garnish has made a unique distinction and differentiation for Hendrick’s. Hence, when people see a G&T with a cucumber slice, they would somehow identify it with Hendrick’s, reinforcing its brand message and name.

Staying true to being unique, Hendrick’s is a vast supporter of adventurous journeys and escapades to find unusual botanical ingredients.

As a matter of fact, it had launched its own expedition into the unknown. Perhaps not to seek out new life and new civilisations, but certainly to boldly go where no gin distiller has gone before.

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° MEET °

INTERVIEW WITH

David

Piper GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR, HENDRICK’S GIN

WORDS ° Mark Henderson

O

n his travels around the globe, artist turned brand ambassador for Hendrick’s Gin David Piper talked about his unlikely journey into the role, his passion for Hendrick’s Gin and his recent undertaking of an extraordinary quest to discover new flavours.

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DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: What do you do in your role as Hendrick’s global brand ambassador?

DAVID PIPER: A large part of my job is travelling the world, spreading the gospel and message of how we make Hendrick’s. It’s always important to remind people and let them know that the brand is produced in a unique way. There’s no other gin made like Hendrick’s. Only Hendrick’s is crafted with infusions of cucumber and rose petal essences and utilises a combination of two types of stills. One of them is 150 years old and uses a maceration process whilst the other employs a vapour extraction process.

DWME: From what we have gotten to learn about you and your role, we have become very intrigued. How does your creative outlook shape your work with Hendrick’s?

DP: I come from a background as an artist, writer, performer and party organiser. Working with Hendrick’s has allowed me to do some incredible projects and a lot of things that I probably want to do anyway. But now, I get to do them in the name of a fantastic gin, which I am a huge, huge fan of. I actually gave up making art because I thought it was more interesting to do things in the real world than in the art world. You can influence people a lot more and play with reality a bit. I think that’s part of what we do at Hendrick’s – we try and twist things upside-down and inside-out and stand them on their heads and make the whole world a little bit topsy-turvy.

DWME: We would like to go back to the very beginning and discover how you actually got into the role - is Hendrick’s in your blood?

DP: I think it is very funny that I ended up doing this because when I was growing up, my father was working with gin, some of the more traditional brands. I was working as an artist, performing and organising parties when Hendrick’s launched in the UK. I was the master of ceremonies at the little launch party, and somehow from there (I must have become involved in some kind of discussion), I ended up doing a project where I built three nonsense Victorian bicycle contraptions as a project for Hendrick’s. It was great fun.

One of the keys to the success of the brand is that it has always been allowed to grow slowly.

There has never been huge money put behind advertising or marketing campaigns. It has been allowed to grow at the pace at which bartenders are happy to accept it and start playing with it.

So as the brand slowly grow, they kept calling

We posed this idea that if it’s still possible in the 21st century to go somewhere incredibly remote and find things that no Westerner has ever tasted; new flavours essentially, there’s a kind of promise, and that was our El Dorado.

me back for projects. One year we ended up buying a whole Victorian railway carriage and turning it into a collection of curiosities. As I started working full-time in the UK for Hendrick’s as kind of commander of special operations for a year and half, the vacancy for global ambassador came up, and I nabbed it.

DWME: Can you tell us a bit about ‘The Botanical Quest’ that you were involved in?

DP: Well, there is this chap named Charles Brewer-Carias, who is a Venezuelan explorer and very much the 21st century embodiment of the spirit of the great Victorian gentleman explorers.

He is 75, has a big bushy white moustache and is a lot fitter than I am. He takes great delight in challenging me to pull-up contests and all that kind of thing, and I always lose - he’s an incredible man.

He has discovered hundreds of new species of every kind, from fungi to four-legged things to hundred-legged things to plants and trees. He’s known tribes of Indians for forty years or so, discovered huge cave systems and the largest sinkholes in the world, all that sort of stuff.

With his help, we posed this idea that if it’s still possible in the 21st century to go somewhere incredibly remote and find things that no Westerner has ever tasted; new flavours essentially, there’s a kind of promise, and that was our El Dorado. We were granted an opportunity to live with a tribe of Indians who took us around various parts of the rainforest and the village; to the base of the mountains one day, up the river the following day and down the river the next – basically all over the place looking for the plants and fruits they use in magic medicine.

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째 FEATURE 째

of Bartending Y

ou may or may not have realised this from the comfort of your bar stool, but the global cocktail industry we are currently going through is what industry aficionados are calling the Second Golden Age. WORDS 째 Jason Clark

The popularity of cocktails and the craft of making them has been on a huge resurgence over the past 15 years and particularly over the past 6 to 7. The first Golden Age is considered to be mid-late 1800s when the godfathers of mixed drinks such as Jerry Thomas and Harry Johnson developed the techniques and formulas we still use today. It was a time when bartenders were dressed immaculately head to toe in suits, were held in very high regard for their art and were paid accordingly to concoct fanciful libations for the upper echelons.

This continued through to 1920 when the USA introduced Prohibition and completely changed the stage that such maestros had to work on by making their craft illegal. Many bartenders moved overseas or took pay cuts working in the seedy shadows of speakeasies to continue their craft.

And many just quit altogether.

Whilst it may never reach such heights again, what has returned is the care and attention to detail that slowly dissipated in the 70s and 80s as it was replaced by neon colours, mini umbrellas and quantity over quality.

Now, however, bartenders are being noticed, appreciated and rewarded for their craft like never before. Bartending has become a respected career again in many countries. Those who embrace it really do care about not only making their guests the best drinks possible, but also providing the best experience.

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The main influence behind this renaissance has been the Internet, which has become an invaluable tool for the modern bartender.

Knowledge and history are being shared so the standards are lifted and the drinks are getting better. Brands are also investing big bucks in order to train, educate and share their stories as well as hosting big competitions with big prizes that put the winners into the spotlight.

It has created a global community of highly passionate and creative individuals which in turn gives us access to infinite opportunities to learn and gain inspiration to experiment and share our growth with our guests. Talented young bartenders are striving more than ever to deliver the ever elusive perfect serve – the ultimate drink to elevate their status – day in and day out.

This enthusiasm or geekiness can often sidetrack bartenders a little with them being so focused on the drink, often designing tipples to impress their peers rather than the people they serve in their bar. Yes, it’s great to design the next best thing. But the question is, does it work for the bar and the guests whose money pay your wages?

Customer satisfaction should be the number one priority for us all, entertaining and giving guests the best experience possible whilst frequenting your establishment. When

guests receive a winning experience, the bar wins. When the bar wins, the staff win, and everybody’s happy.

Whilst the UAE scene is a lot younger than the likes of New York and London, it is not too far off the pace, improving and developing at an extremely fast rate. This progress is certainly something to be proud of considering its brief history and isolation. The region has incredible venues and a thirsty market eager to experience what’s on offer, so it’s a very exciting time and place to be right now.

The number of enthusiastic young bartenders attending trainings and masterclasses is very impressive, so the standards are only going to continue to improve rapidly over the coming years. It’s hard to imagine just where the next trends will lead, but I feel we are on the cusp of seeing some very creative new cocktail styles being presented in bars in the years to come.

In light of this, I would like to make a toast to all of you like-minded, passionate purveyors and slingers of fine booze out there that are contributing to the golden glow we are currently basking in. I raise my glass in cheers to you all and hope to share another with each of you soon.

Salute!

INGREDIENTS • 40ml Ron Zacapa 23 • 10ml De Kuyper Dark Cacao • 5ml Mayan Spiced Nonino Amaro (Homemade) • 30ml Cold Drip Coffee Extract (Homemade) • 2 Dashes of Mezcal and Tonkanut Bitters (Homemade) METHODS • Add all ingredients to shaker with ice and use throwing technique.

• Strain through a funnel into a dark chocolate sphere.

• Decorate sphere by lightly blowtorching then sprinkling with Pop rocks and frozen dried raspberry powder.

• Gently inject sphere with a salted caramel foam until a small touch oozes out of the hole, then add straw.

• Place on a small glass ramekin with 25ml cold drip coffee and a nugget of dry ice (to create aromatic coffee vapour).

• Place onto a saucer with a teaspoon.

• When serving, you must instruct the guest how to drink/eat it, which is to sip the cocktail through the straw. Once finished, crack open ball with the teaspoon and eat the chocolate with the coffee which will have stopped steaming by then.

• Enjoy!

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HOW TO DRINK

WHISKY WORDS 째 Chris Chambers

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hisky is a fascinating but sometimes confusing subject, with so many things to learn about the different styles, regions, casks and more. I have fielded many questions over my years of working with the liquid, but the most common one is always “How do I drink it?”

The glib answer would be that you should put it in your mouth and swallow, but it’s a little bit more complicated than that. What I’m really being asked with that question is what sort of glass to use, what can be added to it, and what should be looked for when tackling this grand spirit. I offer you my answer to this popular question.

Newcomers to whisky have usually heard the stern admonition that the only way to drink the spirit is neat, with maybe – MAYBE – a splash of water if you had a knife to your throat. Ice is sacrilege, and as for cocktails, you would get a better reception if you had offered to steal their shoes. Thankfully the truth is that if you did let coke touch your single malt then no long-dead Scots will rise out the grave to haunt you, and if someone does complain to you at the bar that you’re not doing it the ‘right’ way, you are allowed to (im)politely ignore them.

If you’re paying for it, then you can do what you like to it. With this in mind, if it’s the first time you’re trying a particular whisky, I feel it’s best to give it a go without a mixer. That way, you can get to know the flavours of a particular bottling before deciding how best to proceed with subsequent encounters. A good glass tumbler is still the most common drinking vessel, however, special tasting glasses from Glencairn and Riedel, though expensive, do help get the most out of your whisky especially on the first couple of tries.

Now you have your glass and you have poured in some whisky, you must combine the two.

When deciding how much to pour, I go by the late author Ian Banks’ suggestion in his ode to whisky – Raw Spirit – of “A measure pleasing to both guest and host”. If you are your own host, you can please yourself. But I find more than a quarter of the glass is unnecessary and runs the risk of spillage. There is a saying that you shouldn’t cry over spilt milk, but lost whisky can see a few drops shed.

Where you then go is with your eyes. Take a look at the colour which gives you an idea of what sort of cask the whisky was matured in.

Lighter shades tend to be ex-bourbon casks while darker colours tend to have been primarily matured in ex-sherry casks. If you swirl the spirit around in the glass, you can also tell by the number of streaks on the sides roughly the level of alcohol in the whisky – the more streaks the higher the content. Of course, a faster way of doing this is to read the label on the bottle.

However, if you start to go to blind tastings, this is a great way to practice your skills.

Next, you must nose the whisky. This is a very important stage, as your sense of smell is very vital to your ability to enjoy delicious flavours on the palate. If you try holding your nose the next time you eat or drink something, you will discover what I mean. You want to sniff carefully, but not too briefly to appreciate all the aromas.

I say carefully, because if you sniff too sharply, you can ‘burn’ the lining of your nose on the alcohol fumes, which will affect anything else you are sampling that day. Some tasters choose to pour a little on their hands and rub them together, then smell the aroma from there.

Personally, I feel that’s a waste of whisky, but each to their own.

From there, just describe what you can smell!

This is a big issue for many novice tasters as

they feel they somehow aren’t ‘qualified’ to chip in. If you can’t quite work out how to describe specific flavours, just work out what it reminds you of and work back from there. A great example was one I heard of a whisky smelling like the inside of their grandmother’s handbag, which we established meant they were smelling tobacco, toffee and soft leather. As well as the flavours, you want to see if you detect any harsh or ‘off’ notes. Whisky quality is not as volatile as wine so you very rarely get a bad one even after being stored for a long time, but it does happen.

Lastly, you have to drink it. Not a great hardship, I’m sure you’ll agree. Resist the urge to drain your glass in one go, and instead, take a sip then swirl it around the surface of your mouth and tongue. Try to think about the different sensations you get, such as is it spicy or sweet, strong or soft? Some say that you should hold it in your mouth for as many seconds as there are years of age on the bottle, but as some whiskies don’t print their age on the bottle, this can turn into an impractical guessing game.

Once done, swallow your spirit then think about how it feels as it disappears down your throat. That sensation is called the Finish, and tends to be described in terms of texture or length, the latter term being used to describe how long you can still taste the whisky after it

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has left your mouth. After you’ve had a think, you get to do it all again! This time, however, you want to think about the different flavours you get much like with the aromas on the nose.

At this stage, it seems a good moment to talk about water in whisky. While putting too much water in your whisky can ‘drown’ it, muting the flavours to the point of being unrecognisable, a couple of drops will drop the alcohol level down a little, which can allow you to pick up some of the more delicate flavours. This is especially true if the whisky has a high alcohol content and/or if you are still developing your palate. Another reason for doing so is that it will ‘open up’ your whisky as the water and whisky combine to allow more volatile aromas to escape the glass.

If your chosen spirit is too strong for you, feel free to add some water before the second taste, otherwise give it a go afterwards.

I find some whiskies work better with and some work better without water, ultimately this will be down to personal preference, but it makes sense to try it both ways just to be sure. However, ice is a different matter. If you’re drinking it as a long drink then yes, chill it down.

A rocks serve can also be very refreshing and does work with some kinds of whisky. In general though, I am not a fan of ice as cold temperatures do not only lock out some of those more subtle flavours, but it can also overdilute your whisky if the ice melts too quickly.

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If you must use ice, I can recommend either purchasing an ice-ball mould or frequenting a bar that uses them as the broad surface area reduces dilution to a minimum compared to the standard cube.

Now that you have gotten to know your whisky, feel free to experiment. Seemingly going out of his way to pick a fight with the traditionalists, top spirits writer Dave Broom recently released the excellent book – Whisky: The Manual – which saw him mix dozens of fine (and expensive!) liquids with a variety of mixers.

Finding out how, say, a Talisker 18 mixes with coke provides a certain iconoclastic thrill that is hard to resist reading about even if you may not try it yourself.

Once you understand the characteristics of a particular whisky straight up, you can then put

it to use in cocktails as a way to add some rich distinctive flavours to a recipe. The Facebook group Whisky Blasphemy provides some excellent if unusual combinations for you to play around with.

I hope that has answered some of your questions about how to drink your whisky. I just have one more piece of advice on this subject, and that’s to ask yourself one question while drinking: “Am I enjoying this?” If you are, great!

If not, then don’t be afraid to play around a little – add a little water or ginger ale, or if you already drank it like that, leave it out! You’re not sitting an exam afterwards; you’re just enjoying a grand drink, and you can be confident in ignoring anyone who orders you otherwise.

If you’re wondering which whiskies to begin with, the Classic Malts range from Diageo is a

great place to start to get to grips with a wide variety of different whisky styles. Of course, no whisky is made the same, which is another of the fascinating things about it – from the sweeter Speysides to the smoky Islays, from lively bourbons to the meditative Japanese malts, there are a whole range of flavours to enjoy. Take a deep breath, grab a few glasses, dive in and enjoy!

Chris Chambers has a decade of experience in the alcohol industry, including five years with the world-renowned Royal Mile Whiskies in Edinburgh. In that time, he has gained an extensive knowledge of whisky from all corners of the globe and a passion for the stories behind all forms of alcohol.

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Cider and Its Rise in Popularity W

ith its softly bubbling body served on ice and chilled to perfection, cider is one of the most sessionable and tasty drinks on offer right now.

Filter your way through cider cities like those in the UK or Australia and you’ll play witness to a strong culture surrounding this fun fizz – it’s at every party or social-work event, it’s in every home’s fridge, always the afternoon catalyst for a good night out and often the perfect ingredient for delicious cocktails. It’s the drink on everyone’s lips, and the demand for this appley goodness seems unrelenting. Everyone wants it, and everyone wants it now.

WHY IT’S SO POPULAR Traditional cider – often referenced as dry ice – is the segue for this booming category, and it has a long and well-respected history. After their conquest of England in 1066, the Normans introduced the alcoholic beverage that is today known as cider.

Traditional cider making starts with picking apples that are then left to mature for a week.

The apples are then tipped into a scratcher, made for crushing. Next, the apples are crushed to extract the juice in a cider press. In modern plants, mechano-hydraulically operated plate presses are used. The freshly pressed juice is either fermented straight away or in some cases is concentrated and stored away for later conversion to cider.

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A good example of traditional cider is Magners Irish Cider, currently the number one selling Irish cider in the world. Magners is famous around the globe for its high quality and Irish heritage, having been produced in Ireland since 1936.

Step into any pub in Ireland, and you’ll often see Magners served over ice throughout the venue.

These are the things that make Magners the most popular premium cider today.

It takes the traditional ways of producing cider and steps it up a level using 17 different types of culinary and dessert apples to make their juice and insists on lengthy maturation for two years, followed by a two-stage fermentation process.

The result is a balanced rounded cider with good body, complexity of flavour and length – exactly what you should expect from a good dry cider.

CIDER TODAY Recently, cider has been the strongest growing alcohol category globally, and all signs indicate an upward trend as it currently holds 4 per cent of the market. More and more consumers demand cider as it provides an attractive option to non-beer drinkers who are looking for something different, which is not overly sweet or too high in alcohol, and still presents an attractive flavour profile to the everyday drinker.

So, right now is the perfect opportunity for bars to start stocking cider for the oncoming demand.

While there are several other choices of ciders available, Magners Irish Cider gifts managers the ease of product awareness. Magners’ profound popularity and worldwide notoriety of its flavour profile are enough to excite the everyday consumer alongside its fun, easygoing culture.

Magners is available in both draught and bottle.

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Tasting Notes MAGNERS ORIGINAL Nose: Slightly charred aromas of grilled apples have a flinty vine fruit scent Taste: A full-bodied flavour with layers of complexity from mature fermented notes, vine fruit, fermented apple, spicy notes and a balanced acidity for a clean sharp taste Finish: The finish is clean, crisp and refreshing to the last drop, leaving a taste of spicy fermented apples Magners Pear cider – made from 100 per cent pear – is also available. It uses the best quality pears that are ripened and selected to provide a distinctive character and a delicate refreshing taste.

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° MEET °

Unearthing KIM CRAWFORD K

im and Erica Crawford created this leading NZ luxury wine label in 1996 from humble beginnings. Constellation Wines New Zealand carries on the brand spirit of these unique wines through the world’s top restaurants and bars.

WORDS ° Ashley Pini & Maurizio Corda

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Bucking the trends: Kim Crawford

The urge to do things unconventionally, take risks, initiate new trends and welcome the different will always be part of the Kim Crawford philosophy. And crafting wines specifically designed for consumers – if the experts love it, then that’s a bonus.

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Co-founder of Kim Crawford Wines: Erica Crawford

Some of the best ideas have been born over a few glasses of wine – but it’s not often these ideas come to fruition. Founded in 1996 by husband and wife team Kim and Erica Crawford, the original aim for the Kim Crawford brand was to create a clean, top quality, fruit driven chardonnay, free of the heavy oak that was popular at the time. The idea that looked like a pipe dream in the very beginning would go on to pave the way for Kim Crawford to become known as a forward-thinking winery, not afraid to buck industry trends.

Erica and Kim met at a wine convention in Erica’s native South Africa.

She had no idea the chance meeting would take her out of her stable job as a marketing executive and drop her in the deep end of wine marketing – but she fell in love with the new role straight away. Kim, a farmer from Waikato, had no intentions of becoming a winemaker originally – until one of his lecturers at university suggested he take a closer look at New Zealand’s then budding wine industry. And as they say, the rest is history.

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The early years were a struggle, but through adversity, character is born – and it paid off. New Zealand took the brand to heart and in less than a decade, Kim Crawford Wines achieved the title of ‘tenth largest New Zealand brand’ in terms of global sales. As Erica states: “We started with very little and have had wonderful support from all corners of the world.

Like in those early years, we still believe that having fun while working is very important.”

This high-speed success was assisted by Constellation Wines New Zealand’s (then Nobilo Wine Group) purchase of Vincor in 2006 (Vincor bought KC in 2003) to support the increasing domestic and international sales demands of the extremely popular wines. The winemaker’s direction was consistent from the beginning and obviously effective – “when the grape is at its peak, preserve that moment in the bottle and have it come alive in the taste”. Kim Crawford Wines was also the first New Zealand producer to use screw caps. To celebrate the event, a quirky midnight tasting was held at Auckland’s Spy Bar – and the initiative was welcomed

by representatives from the local wine industry.

At the beginning of 2000, a new state-of-the-art winery was opened in Marlborough, which meant that grapes could be picked at optimum ripeness without the restriction of contract processing facilities. Today, the market is quite different from the one in which Kim and Erica entered in 1996. In New Zealand, there were just 100 wineries in the mid-90s. Now, there are almost 600.

During the past 19 years, innovation and creativity have helped Kim Crawford capture special niche markets, and a perfect example is the rather daring launch of the Pansy Rosé in 2001. A rosé dedicated to Auckland’s gay community, its launch caused quite a stir. With the brand’s mantle handed over to Constellation Wines New Zealand, Kim Crawford continues to look forward to the future. With an exceptional ability to discover new niche markets, the brand is enjoying continuous success overseas and its staff work to ensure only original, top-quality wines are produced and distributed.

The first office for sales, marketing and shipping was at Kim and Erica’s home

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WHERE WINE IS

ART R

obert Mondavi Winery in the Napa Valley is arguably the USA’s biggest wine success story. Its founder, Robert Mondavi, believed that wine is art most fully appreciated when enjoyed in the company of the culinary, performing and fine arts.

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Founded in 1966, Robert Mondavi Winery is one of the world’s leading producers and marketers of fine wine. Robert Mondavi changed the course of the US wine industry when he fulfilled a long-held dream to make great Napa wines which would hold their own on the world stage of wines. Today, Robert Mondavi wines are distributed in 90 countries around the globe.

Robert, aged 53, chose a 12-acre site in the

To Kalon Vineyard, a historic property long regarded as one of the Napa Valley’s finest. The vineyard was first planted in the late 1800s and was named ‘To Kalon’ – which is Greek for ‘the beautiful’ – by its founder.

“It was a vineyard with a distinguished history and a magical nature. Ideal soils, sunlight and rain – to my eye, the vineyard was a treasure. As I walked the property, admiring its contours and

vines, smelling the richness of its soil, I knew it was a very special place,” said Robert Mondavi in his memoir “Harvests of Joy”.

Robert hired architect Cliff May to design the winery as a homage to California’s early missions. The warm, earth-toned arms of the building soon embraced visitors for wine tastings, tours and cultural programs, which, at the time, was quite a new and innovative

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concept.

In 1969, the Winery’s first Summer Music Festival debuted as a fundraiser for the Napa Valley Symphony. Robert and his wife, Margrit Biever Mondavi, assembled a collection of antiquities and art, particularly the sculptures of San Francisco artist Beniamino Bufano, and placed them throughout the winery for the enjoyment of staff and visitors. The Great Chefs program, established in 1976, was the first winery culinary program held in America.

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Robert and Margrit believed that wine is art most fully appreciated when enjoyed in the company of the culinary, performing and fine arts. Together, all the arts contribute to a heightened appreciation of life – a philosophy that continues to guide the winery today.

Mondavi was convinced that the personality of great wines was a result of soil, climate, vineyard management and winemaking philosophy. Today, the winery continues to pursue Robert Mondavi’s goal of excellence with

the same passion and innovative spirit, moving forward with technology and programs that break barriers and present new opportunities.

For more than 40 years, Robert Mondavi Winery has led California’s wine industry with innovations in winegrowing and winemaking, as well as educational and cultural outreach.

And the vision of founder Robert Mondavi, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 94, continues to inspire the winery and vineyard teams to always reach higher.

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Winemaking Innovations As early as the 1960s, Robert Mondavi Winery helped introduce to California such fine winemaking techniques as the use of cold fermentation, stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels. The new To Kalon Fermentation Cellar, completed in 2001, marks a return to tradition with oak fermenters, prized for their ability to enhance aromas, flavours and complexity in red wines.

Today, through gentle handling and gravity flow, Robert Mondavi Winery allows wines to be transferred as gently as possible throughout the winemaking process. A recent renovation features a multilevel winery and underground first-year barrel cellar for the winery’s reserve, district and vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

In the late 1960s, Robert Mondavi popularised Fumé Blanc, a name he coined for dryfermented, barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc. At the time, Californian Sauvignon Blanc wines were sweet in style and of mediocre quality. Robert created this distinctive, high-quality version with anticipation of growing consumer demand for dry wines to accompany food. The move is now acknowledged as the catalyst for recognition of this wine variety in the US.

Wines Produced Robert Mondavi’s wine selection covers the following varietals: RESERVE: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Fumé Blanc DISTRICT: Oakville District Cabernet Sauvignon NAPA VALLEY: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Fumé Blanc, Moscato d’Oro, Sauvignon Blanc Botrytis SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Current releases, available in limited quantities only at the winery or through the Spotlight wine club, include: Unoaked Chardonnay, To Kalon Vineyard IBlock Fumé Blanc, PNX Pinot Noir, Vine Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon and Carneros Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Training Sessions with

DE KUYPER

Brand Ambassadors PHOTO: Nicolas Saint-Jean (Left) and Arno van Eijmeren

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hen two industry greats come to talk about their craft, it’s an opportunity not to be missed. Bartenders across Dubai took time off to attend the highly anticipated visit of De Kuyper’s Brand Ambassadors, Arno van Eijmeren and Nicolas Saint-Jean.

The three-day visit was highlighted by a series of flair and cocktail sessions geared toward enhancing bartenders’ knowledge of the craft.

Over the course of two days, Nicolas conducted flair classes in small groups on the lawn in front of Maya, Le Royal Meridien. Each session consisted of 10 where participants learnt tricks from the legendary 4-time World Flair Champion and some of his moves. These lucky bartenders won their tickets to the classes through posting pictures of themselves flairing with a De Kuyper bottle on Facebook.

Overall, the sessions registered roughly 60 people. The classes didn’t just talk about flairtending. Nicolas also pointed out that flair is not just juggling, but about entertaining guests, being the perfect host and demonstrating the skills bartenders have. Nicolas also did startending at Maya, Buddha Bar and Mahiki whilst in town.

Meanwhile, Arno went on a road trip hosting De Kuyper cocktail sessions. He showed some of Europe’s trend setting cocktails made from a blend of fresh ingredients and De Kuyper’s liquors and new bitters. Bartenders were inspired to meet this bartending legend and listen to his take and twist on classics, so it’s not surprising that 120 people came.

On the second day, De Kuyper hosted the largest ever masterclass in Dubai at the luxurious Cavalli Club. Turnout was phenomenal

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– close to 350 people from across Dubai were present. So much so that it was standing room only. As the session commenced, loud cheers reverberated inside the venue as Arno and Nicholas stepped up to be introduced. The scene was just spectacular!

During the masterclass, these two legends did an amazing cocktail demonstration followed by a presentation on what flair bartending is.

A fantastic flair show served as a finale to the wonderful session.

Whilst the cocktail and flair demonstrations were brilliant, what really stood out for so many attendees was how Nicolas talked about what flair is and the duty of a bartender as a host. He added that to entertain customers with a smile and quick flick of the hand is as much flair as an elbow stall.

Considered celebrities in the industry, many people lined up to have their photo taken with these two ambassadors and get something signed by them!

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° MEET °

De Kuyper Global Flair Ambassador

NICOLAS

SAINT-JEAN T

he Global Flair Ambassador for De Kuyper, Nicolas is a 4-time Flair World Champion with a unique performing style highly influenced by his hip-hop past. His impressive record included performing for Queen Elizabeth the II, the Crown Prince of Bahrain and the Prince of Monaco. He is the creator of Head-to-Head flair concept and founder of the flair bartending school, Flairmotion.com.

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Please tell us briefly about yourself. When and how did you get your start in flair bartending?

NICOLAS SAINT-JEAN: I started flair bartending in 1996, simply because I wanted to become a bartender. I always loved the idea of being a bartender when I was young. It seemed like the coolest job in the world. And it still feels this way today thanks to flair, which became a passion from the start. So I moved to London to pursue that dream. I got my first job as a waiter before getting enough experience in the industry and in English to then try my chances in a proper bar.

DWME: As a Global Flair Ambassador for De Kuyper, what does your job entail? What’s the most valuable lesson you have learned in your role?

NS: As a Global Flair Ambassador for De Kuyper, my role is to educate the bartenders around the world about De Kuyper, their products, their philosophy and how to be more entertaining behind the bar whilst taking their service skills

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to a whole new level. In short, I try to teach bartenders how to take their job extremely seriously but not themselves, which creates for the guest a totally new experience.

The most valuable lesson that I have learned through the years as a brand ambassador for De Kuyper is that each country is different, and so are the people. Hence, you need to adapt each and every time to get your message across to bartenders. De Kuyper gives me an amazing opportunity to talk to the bartenders face to face and share my experience in the field. It also allows me to give bartenders tips on how to improve their service, learning how to use the bottle and liquors behind the bar to be more entertaining when making cocktails. For many of them, bartending is not a part-time job but a passion and lifestyle.

DWME: You founded the flair bartending school, Flairmotion.com. Can you tell us a bit about it? What is its aim and who are eligible to join?

NS: I founded the bartending school Flairmotion. com in 2004. It’s a mobile school in which courses last for a week, for six hours per day, everything included. At the moment, the school is based in Spain in Malaga. People from all over the world come to learn how to flair with zero skills or to improve their moves or routines.

They also come to know more about the origins of flair, what it really means and how it can be used behind the bar to its best. The school

focuses on style and attention to details, for a beautiful service perfectly executed – whether you work in a hotel or in a nightclub.

DWME: Do you see flair bartending developing as a trend in Dubai?

NS: Definitely, yes. It did in the past and it could again in the future. I think at the moment, flair is going through a new phase, after a rebirth in 2000. The focus now is more on mixology whilst flair is fighting to get its own identity towards the customer.

People often associate you with a juggler when they see you behind the bar throwing bottles, which is fair enough because we too, often used “juggling” behind the bar to entertain guest. Therefore, I believe juggling had overshadowed the real flair culture in the past few years and today, flair pays the price for it.

The good news is that flair bartending hasn’t established itself quite yet, so there’s going to be a lot of exciting projects ahead and some big surprises yet for the future to come.

DWME: Apart from bartending, what’s the one thing that you would like to do or pursue?

NS: I always wanted to be a bartender as far as I can remember, which I realise today was the best decision of my life. Thanks to bartending, I have achieved a lot of my dreams.

I have travelled the world more than once, and still keep doing it. I have met a lot of really

interesting people and friends. I have learned how to edit videos and pictures. I live in the sun.

I have a beautiful family and four dogs... I am in a pretty good place at the moment. THIS, is the one thing I would like to keep doing apart from flair.

DWME: If you could fill your glass with one cocktail, what would it be? And who would you like to make it for you?

NS: The best cocktail I could dream of would be one created and served by my own son.

DWME: What’s your perfect bar like?

NS: My perfect bar does not exist for more than one night. I live for the moment more than the place itself – this is why I haven’t opened my bar yet. I could really enjoy one bar on one night and the following night, really dislike it.

For me, the bartender, the crowd and the music makes a great bar, but most importantly, ourselves. Whether we are in a good mood or not might change for one evening a low-profile bar with average cocktails into the best bar in the world.

DWME: If you could offer one piece of advice to bartenders in Dubai, what would it be?

NS: It’s so hard to give real advice since we all have different lives, backgrounds and destinies.

I guess all I can say is “Follow your dreams as far as you can and always turn the negative into positive as this creates happiness.’’

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° MEET °

De Kuyper Global Brand Ambassador

ARNO VAN

EIJMEREN A

native of Vlaardingen, Rotterdam, Arno’s passion is in bartending. His ultimate goal is to take bartending to a higher level and educate the consumers. He began his career in the hospitality industry after high school and a few years of experience in different trades.

Arno has trained over 5,000 bartenders from all over the world. In his role as Global Brand Ambassador for De Kuyper, he develops new cocktail recipes for the brand. He also owns and operates BarrelProof Company, a consulting and training centre. The company also runs a small spirit and cocktail shop (Barrelproof Boutique) and an award-winning bar (Dr.) in Rotterdam.

In 2007, De Kuyper forged a cooperation with Arno and his company at the opening of De Kuyper’s new training facility, De Kuyper Works!

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: Please share with us your background in bars. At what point did you know that you would want to pursue a career in bartending?

ARNO VAN EIJMEREN: It started about 15 years ago in my hometown in Rotterdam. I had a little bit of experience in the hospitality industry, basically doing dishes, barbacking in local pubs and making salads and sandwiches in lunchrooms. At that time, I already started working full time in real estate business until one of my friends asked me to help him out make some drinks for a soft opening of a famous discotheque in Rotterdam.

He asked me to make 200 caipirinhas, a drink I never heard of. None of the guests knew this

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drink either, and I got so many compliments that from that point on, I fell in love with making drinks and entertaining guests. I quit my job and got involved in the cocktail industry full time.

Eventually, I moved to London for two years and learned the ropes of the trade. I worked together with the best of the best in the London bar scene – and it made me what I am today.

DWME: As the Global Brand Ambassador for De Kuyper, what does your job involve? What are the joys that your role brings?

AVE: I have been working for De Kuyper for eight years now. Me and my team, from BarrelProof Company, are responsible for creating all the signature recipes with De Kuyper liquors. We are also responsible for the complete training program concerning all visitors, including importers, partners, distributors and bartenders from all over the world. I have the privilege to travel the globe, meeting fellow bartenders face to face, sharing my experience in bartending and hoping to inspire them in any way possible. It’s wonderful to meet all these enthusiastic bartenders, telling them the De Kuyper story and teaching them about the quality products and how to use them. And of course it’s great to travel and see more of the planet in this kind of way.

DWME: What usually is your inspiration or philosophy in creating cocktails?

AVE: I get a lot of inspiration from different themed ideas and seasonal ingredients combined with flavours that you wouldn’t pick in the first place. It’s more sort of thinking out of the box. In my eyes, a cocktail has to have four aspects. First of all, it has to have a great presentation. Second, it has to have a good aroma. Third, it has to have the right balance in taste. And last and fourth is that it has to be popular with the people. In other words, it has to be a drink you can enjoy more than once on your night out.

well for their outstanding ways of choosing a nice location and setting for drinking cocktails.

I mean, who doesn’t like to be drinking their cocktail with a breathtaking view of the dazzling city?

DWME: What’s your dream bar to get behind?

AVE: My dream bar is located in Rotterdam, and it’s named Dr. My colleagues and I have worked hard to make this bar the way it is today. A bar with high quality cocktails, superb service and a great atmosphere. It’s been a dream that has come true.

DWME: Your favourite drink and food pairing?

AVE: I find food pairing very interesting. Of course, there are a lot of ways to combine drinks with food. But if I have to pick one, it would be a combination of flavours you wouldn’t normally think that would work together. For example, King Crab served with a Chocolate Martini.

DWME: Have you noticed any new trends emerging in Dubai lately?

AVE: I have noticed some themed bars and restaurants. The life of a globe-trotting bartender is like living in the fast lane, so basically I haven’t really seen enough of Dubai to really notice outstanding trends.

DWME: What do you think are the great cities for drinking?

AVE: In my opinion, London is a great city with the crème de la crème of chefs and bartenders.

In the past, the industry has shown that London is leading in most trends when it comes to cocktails. For example, the ‘Return of the Tiki bars’, ‘Barrel Aged Cocktails’ and outstanding themed night clubs.

Singapore and Hong Kong are great cities as

DWME: We understand that you and De Kuyper started a partnership. What was the aim of the collaboration?

AVE: My team and I play an active role when it comes to new product innovations in the De Kuyper portfolio. In this partnership, we have done a lot of creative projects around the brand with the main goal of raising the level of bartending. To this end, we’re very proud to be a part of this.

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° FEATURE °

Nicholas Murcott on

Sake Zuma Dubai - Main Dining Area

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s sake’s appeal continues to grow amongst consumers in the Middle East, it has become an increasingly popular fixture on menus in bars and restaurants. Nicholas Murcott, Head Sommelier of Zuma Dubai, talks about the sake evolution in the region and why many of their customers choose it to go with their food.

DRINKS WORLD MIDDLE EAST: How would you compare the sake market in Dubai now and two to three years ago?

NICHOLAS MURCOTT: We have experienced tremendous growth and interest both through customer demand and from more high-end restaurants adopting a buying program to incorporate sake into their beverage offerings. A greater emphasis has been placed on the importation and offering of better quality products and not the usual throat burning products that were previously confused with what is known today as a “refined rice wine”.

We now have two importers with far more diverse portfolios and growing interest being shown by niche and small family-run breweries wanting to be listed in the cities’ top restaurant menus. As diverse and cosmopolitan Dubai is, many travelers venturing into the market are now well versed in finer sakes and how they should taste, driving top sommeliers to ensure they deliver quality products that are both unique and, of course, fresh in style the way sake should be enjoyed.

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DWME: What do you think has driven the sake evolution in the region?

NM: The beverage industry and sommeliers are embracing the fact that sake has become a separate category all on its own and with international travelers venturing to the region, the demand has grown. At Zuma, we have seen a growth in the popularity of sake and a rise in customers’ appetites for Japanese cuisine. As more and more food lovers become familiar with the Japanese cuisine from our menus, they have become much more interested in trying a variety of sake styles and tastes to complement the dishes. This demand has had a direct effect on the need for more knowledgeable sake sommeliers in the region.

DWME: What is the percentage of Zuma guests opting for sake?

NM: Zuma has a very exciting sake list with numerous imports that are brought in specifically for our restaurants. Currently, we offer 12 cold and hot sakes as part of a carafe tasting for our customers, together with a long list of offerings of 30cl bottle sakes and a listing of some 53 sakes in all styles and prefectures.

This diversity allows our customers to taste through a variety of recommended options to pair with our food or alternatively, find a sake that matches their particular taste – whether they’re a novice sake drinker or an aficionado with a more educated palate.

Our team of dedicated sommeliers is always on hand to offer their expertise and encourage our customers to be led on a journey to find something new and exciting to pair with our cuisine. We have for sure seen this category continue to grow over the years and one that will soar moving forward in terms of customer enjoyment.

DWME: What is your favourite sake pairing with non-Japanese or non-Asian cuisines?

NM: There is a mistaken belief that sake is only for Japanese food. In actuality, it makes a fine accompaniment to many different cuisines and can sometimes be a better pairing than wine.

Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo are often lighter and more subtle compared to many quality white wines. They should be paired with lighter, milder foods, such as seafood and chicken, thus potentially a starter option or matching well with a cold or hot fish course.

Genshu, which is ‘cask strength’ or undiluted sake, is higher in alcohol and stands up well to meat. Likewise, a Junmai, which often has a rich, heavy body, is sometimes considered the

Zuma Dubai - Bar Area ‘red wine’ of sake and can therefore, pair with stronger flavours including beef, fried foods and rich sauces.

Sake offers a lovely change to the usual lineup in a progression of wine pairings. Being slightly higher in alcohol, it can go after the white wines but before the reds. Alternatively, it can be enjoyed as an aperitif at the start of a meal.

Rather than pair champagne with caviar, try a sparkling sake instead.

DWME: Do you think sake should be included in the Master Beverage List of international cuisine restaurants? Why? NM: Most definitely. In my opinion, there is a place for sake on all beverage menus, even more so as a pairing. For example, The French Laundry in California has a sake on the pairing menu which works beautifully.

Sake offers an exciting alternative to the usual start with bubbles, then an off-dry white, moving into a richer white wine and having a red for main and the age old ‘sticky’ for dessert.

It is pleasant to drink when paired with exotic ingredients, even to refresh the palate due to its slightly higher alcohol content (14-20%). So it has a place to work well anywhere on a menu.

DWME: What is the next sake trend in Dubai?

NM: I would say Tokubetsu Junmai, a magnificently dry and pure style sake. This, together with raw seafood, is quite a marriage.

Also, sparkling sake is a lovely alternative to a cocktail or a glass of bubbles and is becoming

an increasingly popular choice. Nigori, which is roughly filtered, might not be for the fainthearted, but is delightful with food and offers a very sensory experience. For desserts, a sweet Nigori is also an excellent choice.

DWME: As you know, WSET Level 3 Award in Sake has been launched and will be available to the UAE drinks industry through African + Eastern (one of very few WSET Sake APPs worldwide). How do you think this will benefit the Sake category development and promotion?

Whenever you apply an educational aspect towards a beverage that is as complicated as sake can be, the results can only be one that will benefit both the customers and the institutions investing in educating the workforce.

This will make restaurants carry a higher level of understanding and be able to promote not only the well-known breweries and styles of sake, but also encourage and drive the sale of unique products.

This will also challenge importers to look at products that will be well received and enjoyed by customers in the top restaurants and properties in Dubai. More importantly, customers will receive educated and knowledgeable recommendations and suggestions that will enhance the dining experience and continue to put Dubai and the UAE as a food and beverage destination to rival other major cities worldwide.

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° PROFILE °

Tennessee’s

First Legal

M

ade at the foot of the Smoky Mountains in scenic Gatlinburg, Ole Smoky is Tennessee’s first legal moonshine. Since its foundation in 2009, the company has grown to become the most visited distillery in America. Last year, the distillery sold over 35,000 cases of moonshine.

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Moonshine – which traditionally means “illegal spirit” – has been distilled in the backwoods of Tennessee since the 1800s. The outlaw hooch was extremely popular during the Prohibition Era because it could be produced and sold quickly as it didn’t require years of ageing in barrels.

For a long time, moonshine was unavailable. Many people had never even seen a jar of it, let alone tasted it. When Tennessee state law changed to allow the distillation of spirits, Ole Smoky saw an opportunity to showcase their superb mountain-made moonshine. Eventually, the company became the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee.

Staying true to its heritage and maintaining its original ingredients, Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine is quickly gaining recognition. In fact, it’s sold not only in stores and restaurants across America, but also in other parts of the world. Its rise in popularity is due in part to its delicious taste and versatility – it can be substituted into any of the favourite cocktails.

Not to mention that Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine is made using a 100-year-old family recipe perfected with the help of Dave Pickerell, who served as the Master Distiller for Maker’s Mark for over 15 years. Only locally sourced ingredients – including corn grown a few miles from the distillery, pristine Tennessee water and 100 per cent real fruit juice – are used.

Consumers these days are looking for a unique drink with that unique flavour they can’t get anywhere else. Ole Smoky’s unique flavours are another reason for its popularity.

Its lineup features apple pie, blackberry, peach, cherry, pineapple, charred and seasonal watermelon and sweet tea flavours. What’s more, Ole Smoky comes in ball mason jars (the way moonshine did when it was sold illegally). Every jar is personally distilled and sealed by a team with a lifetime experience and knowledge that has been handed down from generation to generation.

Whilst the moonshine category is yet to be fully understood and develop, with the stream of quirky new American themed bars and restaurants opening in the UAE, there is no better time to begin exploring this segment.

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° PROFILE °

APPLE PIE Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine mixes the delicious flavours of pure apple juice, ground cinnamon and other spices, with Ole Smoky’s handmade Moonshine. At 40 proof, it is very drinkable and goes down as easy as a forkful of sweet apple pie. Some like it cold; some like it hot.

BLACKBERRY Full of flavour, Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine blends the sun-ripened sweetness of wild blackberries with Ole Smoky’s family recipe. It’s perfect for sipping at a backyard barbeque or on the front porch.

PEACH One of the official flavours of the south, Ole Smoky Peach Moonshine celebrates the beloved summer fruit. At 40 proof, it is easy to sip straight, over ice or mixed into a creative cocktail.

CHERRIES Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries are an Appalachian party tradition. With fresh maraschino cherries soaked in 100 proof Moonshine, they are a party in a jar, meant to be enjoyed bite by bite and then finished straight up with the remaining Moonshine Cherries in the jar.

WHITE LIGHTNIN’™ Ideal for mixing, White Lightnin’™ is made from 100 per cent grain neutral spirits that have been distilled six times for premium smoothness.

It’s an alternative to vodka, gin and tequila and is perfect for making Moonshine Margaritas, Moonshine Mojitos or the mixed drink of your choice.

e l b a l i a Now av bai!

in Du

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Cocktail Recipes Full Moon INGREDIENTS • Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine • Ole Smoky Peach Moonshine • Ole Smoky White Lightnin’™ Moonshine • 3 parts Sour Mix

Mom’s Apple Pie INGREDIENTS • 2 parts Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • Splash of Lime Juice • Splash of Triple Sec • Top with Ginger Ale

The Dolly

Cherry Pepper

Blackberry Ginger Shine

INGREDIENTS • 2 parts Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • 1 part Juice from Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries • Top with Dr. Pepper Garnish • 2 Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries

INGREDIENTS • 3 parts Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine • 1 1/4 parts Ole Smoky White Lightnin’™ Moonshine • 4 parts Ginger Ale • Garnish with Mint and Fresh Blackberries

Apollo Sidecar

Blacklight INGREDIENTS • 1 shot Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine • 1 pint Light Beer

INGREDIENTS • Shot of Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • Half Pint of Beer

INGREDIENTS • Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • Tennessee Whisky • Cointreau • Lemon Juice • Garnish with a Swath of Caramel-Dressed Apple (If Available)

Tennessee Apple Jack

Sex on the Moon

INGREDIENTS • Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • Tennessee Whisky

INGREDIENTS • 2 parts Ole Smoky Peach Moonshine • 1 part Juice from Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries • 3 parts Pineapple Juice • Splash of Lemon-Lime Soda • Garnish with Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries

INGREDIENTS • Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • Ginger Ale • Splash of Lime Juice • Garnish with 2 Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries

Talladega Slammer INGREDIENTS • Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • Lemon-Lime Soda • Cranberry Juice

Backwoods Boilermaker

Double Moon INGREDIENTS • Shot of Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • Half Pint of Blue Moon

Candied Apple

Sour Peach Moonshine

INGREDIENTS • 2 parts Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • 1 part Butterscotch Schnapps

INGREDIENTS • 2 parts Ole Smoky Peach Moonshine • 2 parts Sour Apple Pucker Sour Mix • Garnish with Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries

Ole Smoky Apple Pie Hot Toddy

Shine N’ Seven

INGREDIENTS • 1-2oz Ole Smoky Apple Pie Moonshine • 1 Lemon Wedge • 1 tsp Honey • 6-7oz Celestial Gingerbread Spice Tea

INGREDIENTS • Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine • Lemon-Lime Soda

Moonshine Mule INGREDIENTS • 1 part Ole Smoky White Lightnin’™ Moonshine • 4 parts Ginger Beer • 1/2 Lime

Ole Smoky Lemonade INGREDIENTS • 1 part Ole Smoky White Lightnin’™ Moonshine • Lemonade

Not So Cosmopolitan INGREDIENTS • 2 parts Ole Smoky White Lightnin’™ Moonshine • 3 parts Cranberry Juice • 1/2 part Triple Sec • Splash of Lime Juice

White Daisy INGREDIENTS • Ole Smoky White Lightnin’™ Moonshine • St Germain Elderflower Liqueur • Asian Pear Juice • Lemon Juice

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° MEET °

Andreas Wickhoff

MASTER OF WINE A

s one of only three Austrians to hold the most prestigious title of Master of Wine, Andreas Wickhoff’s passion for wine is reflected in his motto – vinum exhilarat animum (wine cheers the spirit). Currently the Managing Director of Premium Estates of Austria, Andreas travels mostly around the world to promote the group’s wines and spirits.

Andreas never thought that his path would take him down the wine alley.

After all, he was born in Germany, one of the world’s brewing ‘capitals’.

It was while at the College of Tourism and Hotel Management in Bad Gleichenberg, Austria that his knowledge of wine deepened. His student buddy shared with him some of the finest examples of Claret and the New World. But it was a visit to Sattlerhof in 1998 – which included tasting of the 1997 Kranachberg – that was monumental in Andreas’ wine life.

His journey took him to Australia’s Brisbane, where he completed a degree in Food & Hospitality at Martin College. It was here that he gained access to the wine world down under before heading to work in the US. In both Princeton and Vail, he intensified his wine studies. His years of working in fine dining establishments in the French Alps and Corsica taught him much about wine from this country.

He returned to Austria in late 2003, during which time the Premium Estates of Austria idea was born. “Working for these growers has been an immensely rewarding journey and has taught me so much about the production of wine and the global wine trade”, he said.

In 2005, he graduated from the Weinakademie Österreich (Austrian Wine Academy) and received his WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits. His pusuit didn’t stop there. In 2008, he began his Master of Wine studies and four years later, graduated in the historic surroundings of London’s Vintner’s Hall.

In his capacity as the Managing Director of Premium Estates of Austria, he partially assists in the production process, but travels mostly around the globe to promote the group’s wines and spirits.

AWARDS • 2013: Wine Ambassador of the Province of Styria, Austria • 2012: Madame Bollinger Medal, Errazuriz Award, Villa Maria Award, Outstanding Achievement Award, Austrian Wine Marketing Board

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° FEATURE °

s ’ k c i r t a P t S

Day

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arch 17 – it’s the day when the world goes green as the Irish and Irish-at-heart across the globe observe St Patrick’s Day. What started as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland has become an international festivity celebrating Irish culture and heritage with parades, dancing, drinking and all things green.

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° FEATURE ° For thousands of years, Irish families have traditionally celebrated the feast as a religious holiday – a break during the season of Lent when prohibitions were lifted for one day of dancing, drinking and feasting on meat. However, the first parade held to commemorate St Patrick’s Day didn’t take place in Ireland but in the United States.

On March 17, 1762, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City. The parade did not only help them reconnect with their roots through familiar strains of Irish music but also help them to connect with one another, finding strength in numbers. Over the years, nearly a million Irish immigrants fled to America in the wake of the Great Potato famine. These immigrants were frequently victims of prejudice, and St Patrick’s Day parades became a display of solidarity and political strength. Soon enough, their numbers were recognised, and the Irish eventually organised and exerted their political muscle, becoming known as the “green machine”.

Today, St Patrick’s Day celebrations abound. Distinctly less religious, the celebrations continue to be a show of Irish solidarity, strength and patriotism. Of course, celebrating St Patrick’s Day isn’t complete without drinking Ireland’s iconic beer and pride – Guinness.

Arthur Guinness and His Legacy Born in 1725, Arthur Guinness came from a family of brewers in Celbridge, County of Kildare. Arthur’s father, Richard Guinness, was land steward and brewer to Dr Arthur Price, the Protestant Church of Ireland Archbishop of Cashel. He taught Arthur the craft of brewing.

When Price died in 1752, he bequeathed 100 pounds each to the two Guinnesses. His death, however, marked the beginning of Guinness brewing company’s history.

Arthur had his first venture of a small factory for ale brewing in Leixlip in 1756. He asked his younger brother, Richard, to help him conduct the business – and it has gone so well.

In 1759, Arthur moved to Dublin where he found an abandoned brewery at St. James’ Gate and rented it. He somehow managed to get the owner to agree to a lease for up to 9,000 years on these terms, and so he opened his new brewery in Dublin. He died just a few years later in 1803.

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Over the next century, Guinness grew to be one of the largest and most respected breweries in the world. It was also in this period that the Guinness World Records, which was the brainchild of then Guinness Managing Director Sir Hugh Beaver, was realised. Arthur Guinness’ hard work and insistence on excellence continue to live on today.

Guinness Today Continuing 300 years of great brewing tradition, Guinness is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide. It is brewed in almost 60 countries not to mention available in over 120.

Every year on St Patrick’s Day, Guinness practically overflows as people throughout the globe raise their pints in celebration. More than 13 million glasses of Guinness are drank around the world on that day. That’s 7.5 million pints consumed in one day, almost twice the amount of Guinness guzzled on an average day.

St Patrick’s Day Celebration in Dubai THE IRISH VILLAGE At The Irish Village, the celebration run for five days highlighted by different shows each day. The festivity kicked off with a much anticipated Bob Geldof Live concert on Friday the 13th. Saturday was all about family as the place hosted Family Day. Sunday and Monday showcased a live Irish band where revelers dance the night away to Irish music, food and booze.

On Tuesday, the celebration of St Patrick’s Day, there was live music with the Logues, Maplejacks and DJ Marky Mark on the decks. Promotion included purchasing 4 Guinness for the chance to win a year’s supply of the dark brew from The Irish Village.

“St Patrick’s Day at The Irish Village was the biggest ever. By 5pm, we had 600 people and ended up with a crowd of 3,500”, remarked General Manager David Cattanach. “It’s one of these unique events that no matter what day, it seems that everybody wants to be Irish for the day”, he added.

According to him, “for the day to be successful, you have to have good food, reasonably priced drinks and excellent entertainment all day. And we had all three, including two bands flown in from Ireland and Irish dancers.”

Although St Patrick’s was only a one-day event, he added that “the reason we did more than one day was that Bob Geldof has come out for the last 10 years, and he needs to play on the weekend. Saturday was for families. That’s when we had over 100 Irish dancers from the local community which could not perform mid-week. So it’s always nice to keep the theme going for a few days and combine all aspects, which contributed to a great festivity and gave the whole community the chance to celebrate.”

FIBBERS As with other venues, Fibbers had a great St Patrick’s Day. They made the most of the festivity by running a “Paddy’s Week” to fit in as much fun and enjoyment for their patrons as possible. They had live entertainment most of the week – varying from their usual weekly entertainment – and also featured a 5-piece Irish band called Boxty. The band played three times during that week in total and was a great success! They were also the main entertainment on St Patrick’s Day itself and kept the lively Irish crowd partying late into the night.

When asked why the celebration at their venue was successful, Bar Manager Emily Knight said “We had fantastic support from our suppliers.

Our liquor company generously supplied us with plenty of Guinness and Magners, which flew out that night (and week!). They also sent us lots of promotional materials and giveaways. Thus, we were able to hand out oversized green sunglasses, Guinness top hats and traditional Irish flat caps, along with plenty of other Guinness merchandise. This only served to fuel the party atmosphere more!”

“African and Eastern was very generous overall, and served to reflect our good relationship with them. It’s always best to maintain a good rapport with our suppliers, so when we want to run an event like this, we can work together to make it a huge success”, she added.

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° FEATURE ° “Considering that St Patrick’s Day was during the week this year, we had a fun and entertaining night. Although, perhaps a little tamer than could be expected at the weekend. However, Fibbers is a small venue, and so we are restricted to the number of customers we can entertain. We still managed to pack the place though, and a great night was had by all!” she expressed.

MCGETTIGAN’S St Patrick’s Day celebration at McGettigan’s went extremely well across all venues, according to Assistant Marketing Manager Nancy O’Connor. “We definitely saw an increase in numbers from last year, especially at our JLT venue with the addition of ‘The Baggot’, our new live music and comedy venue. It was the first time that we hosted St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Abu Dhabi since the bar opened last May, and we were very pleased with how it went. The reception from customers was fantastic, and we’re very excited to start planning for next year”, Nancy said.

When asked what’s the important component for a successful St Patrick’s celebration, she stated that “it would have to be fun loving customers (of which we have many!) in addition to excellent live Irish music and an electric party atmosphere. The two go hand in hand, and we believe that we were able to provide both at McGettigan’s. This year, we were fortunate to have some of Ireland’s top bands and music acts, such as Paddy Casey, Keywest, Picturehouse and Big Generator performing live across all venues over a four-day period.”

“We have always run Paddy’s Day activities on the 17th through to the weekend after or from the weekend prior, and we have found that people are more than happy to keep the party going. It goes without saying that the 17th of March is the biggest day for celebrating, school night or not.

However, once we have consistent but varied, high quality entertainment available for people to enjoy over the course of the celebration, we can draw the crowds on any night,” she added.

Furthermore she said that “Efficient service is of the upmost importance during a busy period such as this, and our managers ensure their teams are well trained and prepared in advance in order for operations to run as smoothly as possible throughout the event.”

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