Capital Bartender Proves He’s Still Untouchable

Capital Bartender Proves He’s Still Untouchable

Wellington bartender Riki Carter has taken out the Glenfiddich Untouchables title for the second year in a row, in a competition that has seen contestants utilise everything from hand-cut blocks of Aberdeen granite to deep-fried ice cream and whisky barrel shavings to produce the ultimate Glenfiddich creation.

The Glenfiddich Untouchables is a one-of-a-kind bartender competition that strives to find the cream of the New Zealand bartending crop and showcase the versatility and distinctive flavours of Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky. It asks New Zealand’s finest bartenders to create ‘signature serves’ using one of the Glenfiddich variants that highlights the complex characteristics of the whisky, which are then subject to the most discerning of all judging panels – their fellow Untouchables finalists.

Matterhorn bartender Riki’s drink, 1886 Blazer, was inspired by the famous ‘Blue Blazer’ drink from the 1850s, where the liquid is set alight and poured between two mugs to extract the gases from the alcohol and bring out the underlying flavours. His 2009 interpretation featured both the Glenfiddich 18 and 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, homemade spiced apple vermouth and ‘Glenfiddich distillery tea’ made from steeped wood shavings from a Glenfiddich 18 Year Old barrel. Appropriately, as 2009 Untouchables champion, Riki wins a trip to the Glenfiddich distillery in Scotland.

Runner-up Benedict Simpson of Motel, Wellington, created a two-part drink, Highland Mist, consisting of a spiced base incorporating the Glenfiddich 12 Year Old and a rosemary-infused foam or ‘mist’ on top. Third placegetter Tim Etherington-Judge’s signature serve, Gregor’s Last Stand, featured a heather and honey-infused Scottish beer imported especially for the competition, and a bespoke Kiwi version of that Scottish delicacy, a ‘deep-fried Mars bar’ – Kohu Rd ice cream in beer batter.

Other highlights included Tony Trafford of Soho in Gisborne, who imported granite from Aberdeen to provide a Scottish alternative to ice, and Tania Smith of Hummingbird in Wellington, who brought her herbologist background to the fore with ingredients ranging from salted Japanese plum to lavender and White Willow tincture.

Susan Browne, Lion Nathan Marketing Manager, says, “The standard of this year’s finalists has been world-class, and the competition particularly hard-fought. All of the finalists displayed incredible skill in bringing out the unique characteristics of their chosen Glenfiddich variant in amazingly creative ways.

“The mind-boggling range of ingredients is testament to the extensive effort our contestants have put into finding the perfect matches for the Glenfiddich range.”

Browne says she hopes the Untouchables competition will help New Zealand whisky lovers to further appreciate the versatility of Scotch whisky. Adding to this, Glenfiddich is also pioneering the concept of whisky and food matching in New Zealand with a series of degustation dinners in September, at Clooney in Auckland, the Crumpet Club in Christchurch and Martin Bosley’s in Wellington (details follow at the end of this release.)

Browne adds, “Premium single malt Scotch whisky is soaring in popularity with Kiwi consumers, reflecting an international global trend that has resulted in a global shortage of aged whiskies as more and more consumers discover the versatility of single malts and trade up to the premium category.

“In New Zealand, Glenfiddich has benefitted from this premiumisation trend, enjoying domestic volume growth of 20% (MAT to June 2009) – despite the Scotch whisky category (including blended Scotch whisky) declining by 5% over the same period.”

NOTES

About Glenfiddich
For more than 120 years, Glenfiddich’s skilled craftsmen have been pioneering the creation of fine single malt whisky, appreciating the philosophy of making every year count. The Glenfiddich Distillery was founded in 1887 by William Grant in Dufftown, Scotland. Grant set out to create the ‘best dram in the valley’ and completed his distillery by hand, in just one year. To this day, Glenfiddich is the only Highland malt to use a single source of pure Scottish spring water throughout the entire whisky-making process.

Glenfiddich translates as ‘valley of the deer’ and is easily recognisable by the stag’s head on its logo. Glenfiddich single malt whiskies are bottled at the ages of 12, 15, 18, 21 and 30 years old. The distillery has also bottled a number of rare whiskies including 40 and 50 Year Olds and even 64 Year Old. Glenfiddich is distributed in New Zealand by Lion Nathan.

About Glenfiddich Untouchables
The Glenfiddich Untouchables is a unique bartending competition that asks bartenders from across the country to create a signature serve showcasing a product from the Glenfiddich range of premium single malt Scotch whisky. Glenfiddich then selects a group of finalists to create their signature serve and battle it out for the Untouchables title. After each competitor creates their signature serve live, the other Untouchables finalists then score each creation on taste, originality, presentation and the ability for the serve to complement the unique flavours and characters of the chosen Glenfiddich.

2009 winner Riki Carter wins a VIP Glenfiddich distillery tour in Scotland, including return flights to Edinburgh and transfers to the distillery, plus five nights accommodation. His bar, Matterhorn, wins the chance to host the Glenfiddich Untouchables final yet again in 2010. The second and third place-getters, Benedict Simpson and Tim Etherington-Judge respectively, each receive a bottle of Glenfiddich 18 Year Old and 21 Year Old, and all finalists receive a bottle of Glenfiddich 15 Year Old.

Riki Carter also won last year’s event with a signature serve called Deer’s Dram, in reference to the translation of Glenfiddich, “valley of the deer”. The creation pulled together five ingredients that complemented the Glenfiddich 15YO, including two of Riki’s own home-made creations, a spicy cinnamon and a cigar liqueur.

2009 Glenfiddich Untouchables finalists and serves (NB: not ranked in order)
• Riki Carter, Matterhorn, Wellington (1st place 2009) – ‘1886 Blazer’
• Benedict Simpson, Motel, Wellington (2nd place 2009) – ‘Highland Mist’
• Tim Etherington-Judge, Cartel, Auckland (3rd place 2009) – ‘Gregor’s Last Stand’
• Chanel Campbell, Carousel, Dunedin – ‘Todian Spring’
• James Goggin, Racket Bar, Auckland – ‘The Rob Dhu’
• Claire Harlick, Matterhorn, Wellington – ‘Scot's Remedy’
• Tim Martin, Mea Culpa, Auckland – ‘Dear Speyside’
• Tania Smith, Hummingbird, Wellington – ‘Tac Of Your Dram’
• Tony Trafford, Soho, Gisborne – ‘Highland Honey on Black Ice’
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The Glenfiddich Degustation Dinner Series is taking place in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch throughout September, in association with Dish magazine.
• Auckland – 7 September at Clooney, phone 09 358 1702 for bookings
• Christchurch – 8 September at Crumpet Club, phone 03 374 9444 for bookings
• Wellington – 9 September at Martin Bosley’s, phone 04 920 8302 for bookings

ENDS

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