Global Final 2019

Now in its 22nd year, over 800 bartenders entered the competition, representing 25 countries with national finals resulting in 17 global finalists competing for the chance to win a week of guest shifts in some of the most vibrant cocktail cities in the world.

Two rounds of competition

Round 1 - Less is More
As the name suggests, all contestants were required to submit a cocktail using only two main ingredients, one of which being a Giffard Liqueur (along with fruit, bitters and tonic or soda). The challenge was to deliver a simplistic yet delicious cocktail whilst demonstrating the Art of Mixing.

Round 1 - Born to Refresh
The competitors were challenged to make a long drink including at least 20ml of Giffard Menthe Pastille.

The Winners & their drinks

1st - Sam Treadway, USA
2nd - Matteo Mosetti, UK
3rd - Sebastian Bauer, Germany

Samuel Treadway

Representing: Backbar Union, Boston, USA

Less is More: B2

Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Lime zest twist
Method: Briefly stir ingredients with ice and strain into glass over large ice cube.
30ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
60ml Avuà Prata cachaça
1 spoon Lime juice
1 spoon Angostura Aromatic Bitters

Born to Refresh: Sailor's Apothecary

Glass: Rocks glass
Garnish: Mint sprig, lime wheel & cinnamon
Method: Shake first 8 ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass. Top with soda.
20ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
60ml Clément Select Barrel
40ml Sherry
20ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
20ml Fresh lime juice
10ml Giffard Orgeat syrup
1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters
1 pinch Sea salt
40ml Soda water

Matteo Mosetti

Representing: Nocturnal Animals, Birmingham, England

Less is More: Brasilian Highball

Glass: Hurricane-shaped Collins glass
Garnish: No garnish
Method: Stir and strain over ice block.
40 ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
1 spoon Espresso coffee
2 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Top with Coconut water

Born to Refresh: 1885 Breeze

Glass: Highball
Garnish: Menthe Pastille, milk and matcha macaroon
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.
35ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
10ml Giffard Matcha syrup
10ml Agricole Rum Clément 50
100ml Milk
3 dash Vanilla essence

Sebastian Bauer

Representing: Gelbes Haus, Nürnberg, Germany

Less is More: Apartment No.74

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Rosemary sprig & raspberries
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.
40ml Giffard Framboise de Ronce liqueur
20ml Lusteau Almacenista Palo Cortado Vides Sherry
5 drops Citric solution
1 dash Mediterranean Rosemary Bitter
Top with Sparking water

Born to Refresh: Once Upon A Time

Glass: Tumbler
Garnish: Thyme sprig & Lemon zest
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.
30ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
20ml Thyme syrup
10ml Bigallet Thyme liqueur
20ml Lemon juice
Top with Tonic water

The other finalists & their recipes

Chirine Cabaret

Representing: Kouto, Paris, France

Less is More: Poire

Glass: Water glass
Garnish: Dehydrated pear slice
Method: Stir with ice.
30ml Giffard Poire William
40ml Pisco Demonio Acholado
Drops Sesame oil
Grated tonka bean

Born to Refresh: Born in Anjou

Glass: Wine glass
Garnish: Brandy cherry
Method: Stir with ice and then carbonate in siphon.
30ml Giffard Menteh Pastille
45ml Giffard Guignolet d'Angers
45ml Anjou dry white wine
3ml Acid solution
5 dashes Cloves Bitter

Marco Baricchi

Representing: Twelve Bar, Brussels, Belgium

Less is More: Made in Belgium

Glass: Tasting glass
Garnish: Citrus, cinnamon
Method: Stir with ice
30ml Giffard Cacao liqueur
30ml Cabo May reposado tequila
3 drops Fee Brothers Aztec chocolate bitters
½ slice Orange
2 Coffee beans
1 cinnamon stick

Born to Refresh: Cocomeme

Glass: Tiki mug
Garnish: Pineapple leaves, white melon, cardamom powder
Method: Blend all ingredients with ice.
30ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
40ml Pisco Demonio De Los Andes
50ml Aloe si Caraibos juice
2 spoon Caraibos cocoa cream
¼ fresh White melon
1 Cardamom pod

Christopher Day

Representing: Tartine Manufactory, Oakland, USA

Less is More: The H.B.C. – Harry Belefonte Cocktail

Glass: Double old-fashioned
Garnish: Mint sprigs & 3 coffee beans
Method: Muddle coffee beans in base of mixing glass. Add other ingredients and syrain into glass filled with crushed ice.
3 Coffee beans
30ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
60ml Lusteau Oloroso Don Nuno Sherry
3 dashes Bitterman's Orange Cream bitters
1 spoon Honey syrup

Born to Refresh: Pastille Punch

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Mint sprig & lime wheel
Method: Whip all but soda with a few chips of ice until ice is gone. Pour into a Collins glass with cracked ice (or ice spear). Top with soda.
30ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
30ml Clément Canne Bleue
15ml Fresh lime juice
15ml Giffard Cane Syrup
Top with Soda water

Wilmer Achata

Representing: Hotel Tayko, Bilbao, Spain

Less is More: Old Spicy Roots

Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Candied ginger
Method: Muddle orange in base glass. Add other ingredients and build in glass.
1 Orange zest twist
45ml Giffard Ginger of The Indies
25ml Pisco Quebranta
1 spoon Giffard Cinnamon syrup
1 spoon Simple syrup
3 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters

Born to Refresh: El Jardin

Glass: Highball
Garnish: Apple slice
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.
30ml Giffard 20ml Jamaican Rum of the Nation
25ml Lemon juice
20ml Giffard Peach Syrup
2 slices Cucumber
100ml Appletiser apple juice

Shirmy Chan

Representing: 61 Monarchy, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Less is More: Better Me

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Grapefruit zest twist
Method: Stir all ingredients and strain into chilled glass with one ice cube.
20ml Giffard Elderflower liqueur
60ml Gin infused with bittermelon
3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
3 dashes Rhubarb bitters

Born to Refresh: French Rewire

Glass: Highball
Garnish: Shiso leaf & dehydrated lemon wheel
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into soda siphon. Charge with Co2, carbonate and then serve.
30ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
90ml White wine
30ml China China
2 pieces Shiso leaf

Olivia Povarchook

Representing: Juke Fried Chicken, Vancouver, Canada

Less is More: Wanderlust

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Dehydrated pineapple
Method: Muddle orange peel in base of mixing glass. Add other ingredients, stir with ice and strain into chilled glass.
1 orange peel
20ml Giffard Caribbean Pineapple liqueur
45ml Vanilla infused dark rum
6 dashes Hibiscus bitter
2 dashes Lime bitters

Born to Refresh: Slow Burn

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Lemon wheel & mint sprig
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.
20ml Menthe Pastille
45ml Reposado tequila
30ml Giffard honey syrup
45ml Lemon juice
2 dashes Firewater bitters
1 pinch Salt

Petr Novotny

Representing: Hemmigway Bar Praha, Prague, Czech Republic

Less is More: Ring The Bell

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Bellflower
Method: SHAKE first 2 ingredients and strain into chilled glass. Top with champagne.
20ml Giffard Abricot du Roussillon liqueur
6 fresh Mint leaves
50ml Perrier-Jouët champagne

Born to Refresh: Midnight Shower

Glass: Wine glass
Garnish: Hawai orchid
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
20ml Menthe Pastille
25ml Belvoir Ginger Cordial
10ml Fresh lemon juice
150ml Lemongrass kombucha

Dimitrios Filippou

Representing: The Garden, Heraklion, Greece

Less is More: Simplistic

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Nasturtium leaf
Method: Build in glass.
25ml Giffard Abricot du Roussillon liqueur
40ml Citadelle Reserve gin
5 dashes Kilchoman Machir Bay
Top with Tonic water

Born to Refresh: Echo

Glass: Highball
Garnish: Edible flowers
Method: Throw all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.
20ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
30ml Rum Clément Canne Bleue
5 drops Bitterman's Winter Melon Bitters
80ml Homemade green apple soda

Mirco Guizzardi

Representing: Freccia Bar, Modena, Italy

Less is More: Pinaprofusion

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Orange zest twist (discarded)
Method: Roll all ingredients in shaker with ice and strain into chilled glass.
40ml Giffard Caribbean Pineapple
60ml Cachaça Praianinha
2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters

Born to Refresh: Murmuroa

Glass: Glass Tiki mug
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled mug.
20ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
20ml Giffard Blue Curacao
40ml Praianinha Cachaça
30ml White overproof Jamaican rum
15ml Giffard Orgeat syrup
30ml Fresh lime juice

Sharam Mohebbi

Representing: Brasseries Lipp, Gothenburg, Sweden

Less is More: Bramley

Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Apricot slices
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into glass over chunk of block ice.
30ml Giffard Abricot du Roussillon
20ml Clement Blanc Rum Agricole
10ml Apple marmalade

Born to Refresh: Mariane

Glass: Highball
Method: Swizzle in glass with crushed ice.
20ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
20ml Giffard Crème de Cacao Brun
10ml Fresh lemon juice
25ml Cold brew coffee

Adam Fernandez

Representing: Blume, Copenhagen, Denmark

Less is More: Marion's Secret

Glass: Wine glass
Garnish: Rose petals
Method: Shake first 4 ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass. Top with tonic water.
20ml Giffard Abricot du Roussillon
40ml Coconut infused gin
5ml Sugar syrup
10ml Lemon juice
30ml Tonic water

Piotr Sawlan

Representing: Cocktail Bar Max, Warsaw, Poland

Less is More: Banana Song In France

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Orange & lime peels pegged to rim
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass.
30ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
50ml Rum Clément VSOP
20ml Fresh lime juice
2 dash Bitter Truth Creole Bitters
Top with Tonic water

Born to Refresh: Wake Up To Life

Glass: Highball
Garnish: Fresh mint & coffee beans
Method: Shake first 4 ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass. Top with tonic water.
20ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
40ml Ciroc vodka
15ml Giffard Chocolate syrup
1 Espresso coffee
Top with Tonic water

Francis Gerard Carag

Representing: Cé La Vi, Singapore, Singapore

Less is More: Le Tour de France

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Edible flowers & napkin tied around rim
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
20ml Giffard Elderflower liqueur
45ml Christian Drouin VSOP calvados
4 dashes Mozart Chocolate bitters
4 dashes Bigallet Bellambre Bitter
1 splash Giffard Menthe Pastille

Born to Refresh: Ooh La La

Glass: Edible cookie highball coated with white chocolate
Garnish: Merengue. Glaze with Giffard Litchi Li liqueur. Edible flowers
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into cookie highball.
20mlGiffard Menthe Pastille
30ml Le Cin Christian Drouin
20ml The Beautiful Lady Gewurztraminer
20ml Giffard Litchi Li liqueur
15ml Sudachi puree
60ml Green apple juice

Tien Duc Duong

Representing: Basta Hiro, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Less is More: Apartment No.74

Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Orange peel
Method: Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled glass.
20ml Giffard Banane du Brésil
20ml Pisco Demonio de Los Andes
1 dash Bigallet China-China
3 dashes French vermouth
2 dashes Aromaatic bitters
1 splash Sparkling water

Born to Refresh: Pas Trop Tard

Glass: Ceramic vessel
Method: Throw ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled vessel.
20ml Giffard Menthe Pastille
10ml Giffard Abricot du Roussillon
40ml Pineapple skin infused Agricole rum
30ml Fresh pineapple juice
3 dashes Aromatic bitters

Jury & MC

The competition was judged by Bruno Giffard and Edith Giffard (joint CEOs of Giffard), Jen Riley (General Manager The Red House, Paris), David Hans (2017 GWC winner), Yana Volfson (Beverage Director, Cosme and Atla, USA), and yours truly. Christophe Jumentier was the able MC who entertained all while keeping the competition on track.