Giffard West Cup 2022

As is often the case in this competition, the final scores were tight with Guan Yi Lee from Taiwan (left in photo) taking second place and Davide Barbieri from Italy third (right in photo). Claudio Bedini, also not far behind these three, deserves an honourable mention for his performance and brilliantly simple yet very tasty Morning Dew cocktail (see below).

On the first day of the competition, competitors were challenged to make a cocktail featuring Giffard's flagship Menthe-Pastille liqueur in the "Clarity" round. Crème de Menthe is a changing flavour to use in cocktails, particularly in a competition with 10% of the points available depending on whether Menthe-Pastille "shines or is overshadowed" and another 10% on how much the cocktail is relevant to the theme of clarity.

The second day's round saw the bartenders presenting the cocktail that won their respective national finals around the theme, "Listen to the Flavours." Each created a cocktail inspired by a piece of music and presented this to the judges with the track playing. This challenge was made harder by the stipulation that Giffard liqueurs or syrups had to represent at least 50% of the total volume of their cocktails as other alcoholic ingredients. In effect reversing the usual DNA of a cocktail where the volume of base spirit(s) normally exceeds that of the modifier(s).

Judging this competition was like being transported to a bar in a different part of the world as each bartender brought both their own personality and skills with those of the nation they represented. Some great techniques were demonised and very tasty cocktails were presented – a few of which I'll be adding to the recipe pages of Difford's Guide.

Follows each competitor and their cocktail recipes.

Winner

Benoit Bouillard from Dijon, France

Clarity cocktail: Menthe Pompon
Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Mustard cress
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
25 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
15 ml Teinture moutarde (mustard seed infusion in 60% alc./vol.)
50 ml Cordial petit pois & pomme verte (with malic, ascorbic and citric acid, pinch salt and sugar)

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Le Rouge aux Joues
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Reduction of Giffard Pomegrate liqueur dredged with dried flower dust. Garnish with edible flower
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
20 ml Blanche d'armagnac infusé au poivre de voastsiperifery
45 ml Giffard Liqueur de Grenade
15 ml Giffard Fleur de Sureau
25 ml Pinot Noir de Bourgogne cordial (with citric & malic acid)

Second place

Guan Yi Lee from Taipei City, Taiwan

Clarity cocktail: Alps Breeze
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Grapefruit zest twist
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
20 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
25 ml Kanoshizuku Gin
30 ml Fino sherry
10 ml Yellow Chartreuse
2 dash Cucumber bitters

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Heal The World
Glass: Champagne glass
Garnish: Giffard Banane du Brésil Lollipop & Jin Xuan tea powder (and cedarwood scented candle
Method: Throw all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
30 ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
30 ml Ron la Progresiva
20 ml Jin Xuan tea marigold cordial
30 ml Milk clarified pineapple juice
7 dash Sichuan green pepper bitters

Third place

Davide Barbieri from Torino, Italy

Clarity cocktail: L'essence
Glass: Wine glass
Garnish: Tin of crystalised mint leaves
Method: Stir first 5 ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass. To
30 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
15 ml Ginger of the Indies
15 ml Giffard Cassis Noir de Bourgogne
3 drop Saline solution
Top with Carbonated cold brew hibiscus tea

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: The Sideman
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Candy floss bubble (from Flavour Blaster)
Method: Stir first 5 ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass. Top with pear cider before slowly lowering ice tower into glass.
30 ml Giffard Caribbean Pineapple
7.5 ml Giffard Piment d'Espelette
7.5 ml Giffard Coffee liqueur
15 ml Don Abrham blanco tequila
2 dash Creole bitters
Top with Perry (pear cider}

Claudio Bedini
From: Sydney, Australia

Clarity cocktail: Morning Dew
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Leaf with water droplets
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
35 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
15 ml Raspberry eau-de-vie
70 ml Val de Loire sauvignon blanc wine

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Sally
Glass: Highball
Garnish: Paint edible pectin paint inside glass and garnish with rose petals
Method: Combine first 5 ingredients in shaker and whip with stick blender. Add ice, shake and strain in chilled glass filled with ice tower. Top with peach and jasmine soda.
30 ml Giffard Crème de Rose
30 ml Bourbon
25 ml Verjuice
15 ml Egg white
3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
20 ml Peach and jasmine soda water

Meliss Zikos
From: Düsseldorf, Germany

Clarity cocktail: After Seven
Glass: Tumbler
Garnish: Homemade macaroons
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass over large cube or ball.
60 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
40 ml Giffard Crème de Cacao Blanc liqueur
2 dash Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters
60 ml Fresh coconut water

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Dear August
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Fresh thyme sprig and lemon zest twist
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.

Peter Pliestik
From: Monkey Bar & Lounge, Prague, Czech Republic

Clarity cocktail: Theia
Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: Edible colour pained on glass
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
20 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
35 ml Dry white wine
2 dash Orange bitters
1 dash Saline solution (10%)

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: DJ-stif
Glass: Levitas Double Old Fashioned
Garnish: Golden glitter
Method: Stir first 4 ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass over large ice cube. Mix apple wine with golden glitter and pour into glass.
25 ml Giffard Vanille de Madagascar
20 ml Bourbon (heavily oaked)
10 ml Giffard Bitter
10 ml Verjus
50 ml Apple Wine (sparkling)

Danielle Crowley
From: Raven Group, Whistler, Canada

Clarity cocktail: Mint Condition
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Butterfly pea flower oil
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
22.5 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
30 ml Wray & Nephew overproof rum
7.5 ml Green Chartreuse
7.5 ml Giffard Madagascan
15 ml Simple syrup
15 ml Faux lime juice (45g citric acid, 30g malic acid, 1g tartaric acid, 4gsalt, 650g water)

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Miss American Pie
Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: Lime juice, dehydrated strawberry & coconut sugar rim
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.
45 ml Giffard Rhubarb liqueur
15 ml Rye whiskey
15 ml Bourbon whiskey
15 ml Strawberry infused port
15 ml Lemon juice
2 dashes Black walnut bitters

Hidekazu Takeda
From: Tokyo, Japan

Clarity cocktail: The Great Wave
Glass: Mt Fuji Rock glass
Garnish: Fresh wasabi
Method: Sir first 3 ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass over ice ball.
30 ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
20 ml Wasabi sake reduction
10 ml Yuzu juice
40 ml Soda water

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Canon Chord
Glass: Stemless wine glass and dessert plate
Garnish: Ground mixed peppers and mint leaf
Method: Shake first 2 ingredients with ice and stir next 2 ingredients with ice. Strain shaken and stirred elements into chilled glass over a large ice cube. Shake last 2 ingredients and stain to float.
10 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
10 ml Giffard Crème de Rose
10 ml Guignolet d'Angers
60 ml Cremet d'Anjou spice liquid (with cinnamon, cardamom, cove and lemon)
30 ml Yogurt drink
2 dashes Foamee cocktail foamer

Goncalo Braganca
From: Coimbra, Portugal

Clarity cocktail: Claro
Glass: Highball
Garnish: Lime zest twist
Method: Stir first 5 ingredients with and strain into chilled glasses filled with ice balls. Top with tonic water and stir.
40 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
30 ml White port
3 dash Orange bitters
25 ml Lime juice
10 ml Giffard Honey syrup
Top with Tonic water

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Skugge
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Spray outside of glass with kumquat parfum and use a dredger to coat with kumquat dust
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass over ice ball.
30 ml Giffard Abricot du Roussillon
30 ml Puff pastry fat-washed vodka
2.5ml Earl Grey tincture
7.5 ml Lime juice
1 spray kumquat parfum

Filip Dosen
From: Biograd na Moru, Croatia

Clarity cocktail: Tear of Happiness
Glass: Highball
Garnish: Mint sprig
Method: Throw all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass filled with ice tower.
30 ml Diplomatico Planas rum
20 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
15 ml Giffard Marasquin liqueur
10 ml Clarified and charcoal-filtered 85% dark chocolate infused with Croatian vinegar matured 7 years in oak

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Nevera
Glass: Crystal wine glass
Garnish: Single mint leaf
Method: Stir first 3 ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass. Float Sea-mint foam.
15 ml Gin Sul
30 ml Giffard Triple Sec
45 ml Clarified white wine cordial (lemon and milk clarification)
2 tablespoons Sea-mint foam (500ml sea water, 4 drops etheric oil and 0.5g lecithin granulat)

Gry Lode
From: The Swan, Oslo, Norway

Clarity cocktail: Utforsk
Glass: Libbey Levias short stem 27cl
Garnish: Edible rose paint on outside of glass
Method: Throw all ingredients with ice and strain into glass over ice ball.
20 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
35 ml Aquavit
20 ml Lemon juice
25 ml Rose tea syrup
28 ml Coconut cream

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Morning Love
Glass: Remy Savage Nude Highball
Garnish: Candied mandarin
Method: Stir first 2 ingredients with ice and strain into glass over three ice balls. Top with milk-washed juice and strawberry n honey tea soda.
20 ml Giffard Mandarin
20 ml Ketel One vodka
50 ml Mandarin juice
50 ml Strawberry 'n' honey tea milk washed with whole milk and citric acid

Rhys Langley
From: Bread Street Kitchen, Edinburgh, UK

Clarity cocktail: The Trident
Glass: Highball
Garnish: Spray of grapefruit infusion
Method: Shake first 3 ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass over an ice tower. Top with soda and briefly stir.
35 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
5 ml Giffard Curacao Triple Sec
20 ml Grapefruit cordial
100 ml Soda water

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Kingston Connection
Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: Lemon zest twist (discarded) and garnish with dehydrated pineapple and allspice fruit leather
Method: Rinse chilled glass with amaro. Stir other ingredients with ice and strain into amaro-rinsed glass.
<5 ml Amaro Montenegro
35 ml Caribbean Pineapple
30 ml Courvoisier VSOP
4 dashes Peychaud's Bitters

Collin Azuvedo
From: Bellhop Bar, Orlando, USA

Clarity cocktail: Water From A Rose
Glass: Flute
Garnish: Edible flower sprig bouquet tied to stem
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
37.5 ml Aquavit
22.5 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
22.5 ml Lemon juice
15 ml Pandan-infused Lillet Blanc
7 ml Lychee saffron syrup
Drop of Rosewater

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Listen to the Flavour
Glass: Hurricane
Garnish: Grapefruit slices, tarragon & blackberry
Method: Swizzle all ingredients in chilled glass filled with crushed ice.
30 ml Giffard Crème de mûre
22.5 ml Reposado tequila
7.5 ml Yellow Chartreuse
30 ml Grapefruit juice
15 ml Lime juice
3 dashes Orange bitters

Daniel Rengel Ramos
From: Madrid, Spain

Clarity cocktail: The Summer Is Green
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Kaffir lime leaf
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass filled with tower ice. Top with roasted pineapple soda.
35 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
20 ml Giffard Caribbean Pineapple
50 ml Shiso leaf cordial (with 20% citric & 15% ascorbic acid)
20 ml Green Chartreuse
Top with Roasted pineapple soda

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Hit The Road Jack
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Obulato leaf with pineapple and apricot purée
Method: Shake first 3 ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass with ice tower, Top with tepache.
60 ml Giffard Abricot du Roussillon liqueur
35 ml Lime and lemon juice
25 ml Rose water ad cherry bitters
Top with Pineapple, cinnamon and cloves tepache

David Richard Coe
From: Waterford, Ireland

Clarity cocktail: Let's Be Clear
Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: Float small mint leaf
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
15 ml Peeling Poitin (52.5% alc./vol.)
25 ml Giffard White Crème de Cacao
25 ml Giffard Manzana Verde
20 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
20 ml Irish copper pot still vodka
4 dashes Irish chocolate bitters

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Minnie The Moocher
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Orange zest twist
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
30 ml Gold light rum
20 ml Giffard Vanille de Madagascar
20 ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
10 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
4 dashes Orange bitters

Yung Shen Koh
From: George Town, Malaysia

Clarity cocktail: The Giffard Menthe-lity
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Lemon zest twist
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
20 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
45 ml Malaysian Rice wine (or sake)
20 ml Dry vermouth
10 ml Giffard Lavender syrup

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Le Paradis
Glass: Highball
Garnish: Kaffir lime leaf
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.
20 ml Giffard Pamplemousse Rose Liqueur
20 ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
20 ml Dark rum
30 ml Mango lassi (made with Giffard Mango Fruit Mix and yoghurt)
20 ml Lime blend (2 parts key lime to 1 part calamansi juice)
1 dash Salt

Dimitris Filippou
From: Athens, Greece

Clarity cocktail: Transparent
Glass: Highball
Garnish: Mint leaf
Method: Stir first 4 ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass with ice tower. Top with tonic water.
20 ml Giffard Menthe-Pastille
25 ml Giffard Crème de cacao
30 ml Vodka
1.25 ml Absinthe verte
50 ml Tonic water

Listen to the Flavour cocktail: Imperfection
Glass: Double old-fashioned
Garnish: Kaffir lime leaf
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
40 ml Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon
15 ml Yuzu-infused sake
15 ml Dry vermouth
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Orange bitters