Mixologists show their talent at North American Whiskey Cocktail Championship

New Delhi, April 21 :  Providing a credible platform to talented mixologists to experiment and create unique recipes using American Whiskies and showcasing them to a wider audience, the first edition of the North American Whiskey Cocktail Championship was organised here on Friday.

And with his innovatively crafted recipe "The Amazing Grace", Vikram KU from Blue Bar, Taj Palace Hotel, Delhi, defeated his 14 competitors to emerge as the winner.

His recipe was made with walnut and fig infused Woodford Reserve, spice syrup, homemade spice bitters and homemade lemon bitter.

As the grand prize winner, Vikram will now be going on a guided tour to the iconic Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. 

The event saw participation from over 230 bartenders across the country. Eighty-nine entries were shortlisted for the second round, which were then judged on the basis of creativity, balance, presentation and consumer acceptance to arrive at the final 15.

"I have really worked hard and put in a lot of effort in creating my recipe, which is inspired from the inherent flavors of Woodford Reserve complemented by local Indian spices," Vikram KU said.

"While having whiskey straight up is certainly one of the most traditional ways to consume it, whiskey cocktails have also been a part of popular culture for a very long time. The talent showcased promises a great future for the cocktail culture in India," said Vineet Agrawal, Head of Marketing, India Subcontinent and Maldives, Brown-Forman Worldwide LLC.