Chivas Regal, globally recognized as the best of the premium blended Scotch whiskies, is pleased to announce the details of its 2014 Chivas Masters Global Bartending Competition. The competition, which kicked off this spring in 12 countries around the world including the U.S., celebrates the craftsmanship of bartending by challenging bartenders to travel back through time to rediscover the classic cocktails of the past and recreate them with Chivas.
At the U.S. competition, held in New York and hosted by the USBG (United States Bartenders Guild), Masa Urushido of Saxon & Parole was crowned the U.S. National Chivas Master. From here, Urushido will move on to compete on the global stage against the national champions from the 11 other participating countries for the title of 2014 Chivas Master. During the two-day global finale in New York City on July 14th & 15th, competing bartenders will be judged on a variety of challenges and skills including preparation, palate, creativity, food pairing, service and delivery. The final challenge will be held at a cocktail party where consumers will be invited to ‘vote’ for their favorite Chivas cocktail.
“Chivas is a timeless icon of luxury and a preferred ingredient in many original classic whisky cocktails,” said Megan Bordi, Senior Manager, Pernod Ricard USA. “The Chivas Masters Bartender Competition is designed to re-engage and build advocacy with the international bartending community with a focus on Chivas as a relevant and desirable cocktail ingredient. The competition format allows us to reach bartenders on a local, national and global level and culminates in an exciting two-day challenge in which a new Global Chivas Master will be crowned.”
Masa Urushido’s winning recipes include:
FROM THE CLASSIC AGE (1880 – 1920)
ROYAL LAVENDER FIZZ
2 parts Chivas Regal 12 year
½ part Crème de Violette
¾ part lemon juice
¾ part lavender syrup (simple syrup)
1 lavender scented egg
¼ part Absinthe
Soda water
Method: Dry shake all ingredients in a shaker except soda water.
Shake with ice very hard. Add soda water into the shaker, and strain into the glass.
Glass: Footed Highball glass
Garnish: Lavender stalk + Absinthe mist (atomizer)
FROM THE POST-WAR BOOM (1945 – 1960)
SPEYSIDE SWIZZLE
1 part Chivas Regal 12 year
¾ part Manzanilla sherry
1 part fresh pineapple juice
¾ part ginger syrup
dash of Angostura bitters
dash of orange bitters
Method: Add all ingredients in highball glass. Add crushed ice and swizzle with a swizzle stick. Top up with more crushed ice.
Glass: Highball glass
Garnish: grated nutmeg + pineapple spear
FROM THE DISCO YEARS (1975 – 1990)
ALABAMA SLAMMER #OAK
3 parts Chivas Regal 12 year
1 part lemon juice
1 part simple syrup
1/2 part amaretto liqueur
3 fresh blackberries
Oak aged beer
Method: Muddle fresh blackberries in a shaker with simple syrup. Add all ingredients except beer and shake with ice. Strain over fresh ice in a glass.
Top with beer.
Glass: Rocks
Garnish: lemon wheel
FROM THE AGE OF REVIVALISM (PRESENT)
NEW PAL
2 parts Chivas Regal 12 year
1 part Chamomile-infused Campari
1 part dry vermouth
Method: Stir and strain.
Glass: Rocks glass
Garnish: Chamomile mist (atomizer: dried chamomile is infused in whisky)
