2018 Grand Final

Five Soho House Group bar teams from across the globe were invited to the grand finals of the inaugural Soho House Cocktail Cup, held at Soho Farmhouse on 22nd October 2018. Over 100 competitors and guests gathered in the Hay Barn to support the bartenders under the spotlight as they took to the stage.

Each bar team presented three cocktails, one for each drinking occasion: daytime, aperitivo and late-night. The drinks were judged against Soho House principles - speed, flavour, consistency, and simplicity. And the prize? A VIP trip to a Bacardi Martini brand home, a party for the entire bar team, the Soho House Cocktail Cup trophy and of course well-deserved bragging rights.

Once the judges deliberated, three front-runners were announced: winners of Best Drink, Best Video, and to the overall winners of the Soho House Cocktail Cup 2018.

As a joint initiative from Soho House Group, Bacardi Martini, with the support of Difford's Guide, we would like to congratulate the finalists. Thank you to all 25 teams who entered, we were delighted with the quality of the drinks and the creativity and thoughtfulness which went into the amazing videos.

Alice Lascelles, esteemed MC of the night

Judging panel, from left to right: Tom Collins (UK director Soho House), Simon Difford (Difford's Guide), Camille Vidal (Brand Ambassador St-Germain), and David Kaplan ( co-founder Death & Co).

Best Drink of the Competition

Cecconi's, Barcelona won best drink of the competition. In fact, the judges thought two of their three drinks the best, so they received joint first place for the Palomita and the Tonico. See all three of their drinks below.

Best Video of the Competition

Soho House 76 Dean Street, London were announced winners of best video in the competition, inspired by Dexter and Sex and the City.

The Cocktail Cup Winners

Moments after winning best video of the competition, Soho House 76 Dean Street, London were crowned the deserving champions of Soho House Cocktail Cup in light of an exceptional performance, delicious drinks and team spirit. And they didn't win alone - the room erupted in ecstatic applause from competitors and guests alike, with a grand celebration from Dean Street's supportive entourage who joined them in receiving their prize.

The Finalists

Soho House 76 Dean Street, London

Matteo Battistello, bar manager at 76 Dean Street, led his bar team, Simone Di Leonardo, Travis Francis and Stefanos Tsoukladelis onto stage. Notably, Dean Street stood out for their excellent teamwork, as each bartender presented their cocktail whilst their teammates made their drink. Their aperitif bottled cocktail, with packaging designed and labelled by the bartenders, was particularly good.

Cheeky Lemonade

Glass: Highball (Cabana acrylic highball glass, Soho Home)
Garnish: Two watermelon and one white melon spheres on a stick
Method: Build it in a glass and give it a quick stir. Place the garnish.

25 ml Bacardi Superior
10 ml Martini Bianco
Top up with house lemongrass & rosemary tonic water (10% malic acid solution at 20%, 12.5% sugar syrup 2:1)

Sparkling Cosmo

Glass: Coupe (Eltham gold rimmed champagne coupe, Soho Home)
Garnish: None, optional: orange twist for a different experience
Method: This is a bottled cocktail. Mix the ingredients together and add CO2. Bottle. Poured from the bottle into chilled coupes.

80 ml Bombay Sapphire
100 ml Grey Goose Le Citron
20 ml Miclo Rose Liqueur
60 ml Briottet Crème De Cacao Blanc
15 ml Cointreau
70 ml Eager cranberry juice
15 ml Malic acid solution 20%
5 ml Saline solution 9%
400 ml Kingsdown still water

Late Bloomer

Glass: Rocks (Barwell cut crystal rocks glass, Soho Home)
Garnish: Edible flower
Method: Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass. Strain and pour into a rocks glass.

20 ml Dewar's 12yr
20 ml Bacardi 8yr
15 ml Discarded sweet cascara
5 ml Maple syrup
Discarded grapefruit twist
3 Coffee beans

Cecconi's, Barcelona

The Cecconi's Barcelona team comprised of Alberto Terenghi, Marcos Fernandez Hernandez and Manuele Biagianti who attended the night sharply dressed in matching white uniforms. The trio presented elegant cocktails, whilst demonstrating excellent technique and a well-practiced routine.

Palomita

Joint first place for Best Drink

Glass: Coupé
Garnish: Dried Chamomile
Method: Add all the ingredients into a smaller shaker tin and dry shake. Add the ice and shake again, then double strain into your coupé glass. Top up with prosecco.

35 ml Bacardi Carta Blanca
10 ml St-Germain
15 ml Lime juice
15 ml Fresh pineapple juice
15 ml Chamomile syrup (1 l warm water, 2 kg caster sugar, 25 gr chamomile)

Tonico

Joint first place for Best Drink

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Grapefruit slice & sea salt
Method: Add all the ingredients, except grapefruit soda, into a smaller shaker tin and shake. Double strain into a glass. Top up with grapefruit soda.

50 ml Patron Reposado
10 ml Lime juice
20 ml Grapefruit juice
20 ml Agave + genmaicha tea (30 gr genmaicha tea, 300 ml warm water, 250 ml agave nectar)
Top up grapefruit soda

Hanky in the Boulevard

Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Thyme
Method: Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass, except chinotto, then add cubed ice and stir. Keep adding ice to make sure you control your dilution. Strain out into a rocks glass. Top up with chinotto.

30 ml Aberfeldy 12 years
15 ml Martini Bitter
15 ml Barulio
5 Coffee beans

Soho House 40 Greek Street, London

Aris Ganga, bar manager of 40 Greek Street stepped in for his colleague who unfortunately couldn't attend. Felix Bein and Laura Castagnone followed with equally slick presentations, you can see their cocktails below.

Water Lily

Glass: Vintage Coupe
Garnish: Mint Leaf
Method: Shake with cubed ice and double strain into a vintage coupe.

40 ml Martini Bianco
20 ml Bacardi Carta Blanca
15 ml Lemon juice
2 bsp Caster sugar
3 Mint leaves

Royal Exchange

Glass: Gold Rim Coupe
Garnish: None
Method: Stir in a mixing glass and strain into a gold rim coupe.

50 ml Dewar's 12
15 ml Tokaji
10 ml St-Germain
2.5 ml Grapefruit Bitters

Grapefruit Slap

Glass: Highball
Garnish: Lemon peel
Method: Shake with ice and strain into glass over block ice.

35 ml Bombay Sapphire
15 ml St-Germain
35 ml Grapefruit syrup
5 ml Lime juice
3 dash Rhubarb bitter

Little Beach House, Malibu

Juan Mancinas, Catherine Mortilla, Brent Liebman and Spencer Genesy

Little Beach House came aptly dressed, representing their bar on the West Coast. Their eye-catching lifeguard uniforms flaunted attention to detail, and we were not disappointed as Spencer Genesy stepped in and supported his bar team with cocktail shaking and a running commentary.

Japanese Breakfast

Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: Celery Salt, Fennel Pollen, Celery Leaf
Method: Add all ingredients to tin. Dry shake hard. Add ice and shake hard and fast. Double strain into a glass.

22.5 ml Tomato leaf infused Bombay Sapphire
22.5 ml Celery leaf infused Bombay Sapphire
22.5 ml Matcha/Black sesame fermented honey
22.5 ml Meyer lemon juice
3 dash Celery bitters
1 Egg white

Capritief

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Grapefruit Zest (discard), Cucumber Ribbon, Watermelon Radish Wheel
Method: Add all ingredients except the soda water and tonic to the tin. Whip with 3 cubes. Dump in to Collins glass. Add ice and top with equal parts soda water and tonic water.

30 ml Radish/Saffron infused Martini Bitter
22.5 ml Cynar
7.5 ml St-Germain
30 ml Fresh passionfruit juice
7.5 ml Lemon juice
7.5 ml Ginger syrup
30 ml East Imperial Burma Tonic
30 ml East Imperial Soda Water

Locals Only

Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Caramelized Banana, Pineapple Fronds
Method: Pour 103.5 ml of clarified milk punch batch into glass. Add large 2X2 inch ice cube.

315 ml Pandan/Banana infused Santa Theresa 1796
75 ml Leblon Cacacha
15 ml Dr. Bird Overproof Rum
15 ml Benedictine
240 ml Harmless Harvest Coconut Water
10 ml House made falernum
30 ml Demerara syrup
120 ml Pineapple juice
60 ml Lime juice
30 ml Kalamansi juice
180ml Scalded milk

The Allis, Chicago

Matthew Gutierrez, Zachary Coe and Christian Leon took to the stage, with bar manager Jorge Vallejo supporting. They shared the same story – each had begun as a bar-back. Jorge stood by as his team prepared their cocktails, helping to present each to the judges. Notably, it was Jorge's grandfather who handstitched their personalised matching roll necks.

Flor de Cerezo

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Grapefruit zest discarded/edible panzi flower
Method: Shaken, double strain, top off with prosecco, garnish and serve.

15 ml Fresh lemon juice
15 ml Hibiscus honey syrup
22.5 ml Mancino Sakura
30 ml Cazadores Blanco
30 ml Martini Prosecco
2 drop Hopped grapefruit bitters

Trip to the Farm

Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Dehydrated lemon wheel
Method: Stir, strained, garnish and serve.

15 ml Martini Bitter
15 ml Santa Teresa
30 ml Martini Rubino
30 ml Bombay Sapphire Gin (infused with rosemary for 24 hours in an oak bottle)
3 drop Homemade mole bitters

It happened in a smoke-filled room

Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Cherry and vanilla bean/cigar smoke
Method: Stir, strain, garnish, smoke and serve.

7.5 ml Vanilla syrup
15 ml Fernet Branca
15 ml Dusse Cognac
15 ml Martini Ambrato
60 ml Dewar's 12
3 drop Bittercube cherry bark and vanilla bitter

Photography: Jamie Lau #studiolauphotography
Videography: Alicja Rymarowicz