Starting our LCW week off a technical week early, we joined MONIN, the UK’s leading supplier of high quality syrups, for the final of the MONIN Cup on the 24th September at the Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen.
In it’s third edition, this bi-annual competition celebrates and champions young professional bartenders from across the UK, this year seeing six finalists go head to head to create both an alcoholic and no-ABV cocktail using MONIN syrup.
The six finalists (detailed below with their contributions) had previously won regional heats which were held nationwide earlier in the year including one wildcard entry – selected by the judges based on their creativity:
The MONIN CUP Finalists (L-R): Declan Anderson, Sam Boevey, Kevin Ballarin, Dimi Savvaidis, Amie Smith, Jordan Faima
Monin Cup Finalists:
Scotland
Dimi Savvaidis – The King of Islington, Dundee
NO-ABV: MONIN Almond syrup in ‘The King’s Mai Tai’
COCKTAIL: MONIN Watermelon syrup in ‘Cliff Diver’
North of England
Declan Anderson – YES Bar, Manchester
NO-ABV: MONIN Basil syrup, Le Fruit de MONIN Beetroot, MONIN Blueberry syrup in
‘Triple Bee’
COCKTAIL: La Liqueur de MONIN Violet, Le Fruit de MONIN Carrot, MONIN Honeycomb
syrup in ‘The 0161 Mango On The Map’
West of England
Amie Smith – Faraway Cocktail Club, Bristol
NO-ABV: MONIN Violet syrup, MONIN Lavender syrup in ‘Rosa Me Sin-gin’
COCKTAIL: La Liqueur de MONIN Blueberry, MONIN Lemon Pie syrup in ‘Afternoon with
Rose’
Midlands
Jordan Faima – MOJO Cocktail & Rum Bar, Nottingham
NO-ABV: MONIN Chocolate Cookie syrup, MONIN Salted Caramel syrup in ‘Monin Egg Cream’
COCKTAIL: La Liqueur de MONIN Coconut, MONIN Chai Tea syrup in ‘Chai Holiday’
London
Kevin Ballarin – East London Liqueur Company
NO-ABV: MONIN Basil syrup in ‘ORTO Highball’
COCKTAIL: MONIN Chestnut syrup in ‘Monte Bianco’
Wildcard
Sam Boevey – London Cocktail Club
NO-ABV: Le Fruit de MONIN Rhubarb, MONIN Cinnamon syrup in ‘Gilbert Crumble’
COCKTAIL: MONIN Cucumber syrup, MONIN Anise syrup in ‘Generation Gap’
Dimi Savvaidis in action at The Monin Cup UK 2018
The winner of the competition was Dimi Savvaidis, whose ‘Cliff Diver’ cocktail and ‘King’s Mai Tai’ no ABV serve saw him crowned UK Champion. He will now go on to become a MONIN brand Ambassador and represent the UK in the MONIN Cup International Final in Paris this December, and enjoy a trip to the Berlin Bar Convent later this year.
Despite there being one winner, we really did think that all of the drinks on offer were spectacular and inventive and really helped us see the versatility of MONIN syrups – we’re going to be doing a lot of experimenting with these in future!
Drinking Twins 