Sinclair named Glenfiddich malt mastermind

David Sinclair of The Bar at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland was last week named winner of the 2011 Glenfiddich Malt Mastermind.

The final, held at The Savoy in London, saw eight finalists shaking and stirring in an effort to be crowned the trade’s most passionate malt enthusiast.

Using Glenfiddich 18 Year Old, Sinclair’s “Equilibrium” cocktail impressed judges more than any other entry, winning him £1,000, a trophy and a VIP trip to the Glenfiddich distillery in Speyside, Scotland.

The judging panel consisted of Glenfiddich brand ambassador Jamie Milne, Chris Moore, head bartender of The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy, The Spirits Business editor Dominic Roskrow and Scotch whisky expert Mark Thomson.

Milne said: “We had more than double the entries than last year and the calibre of candidates has been truly impressive.

“The ideas and level of originality and creativity demonstrated at the final was inspiring and all concerned put a huge amount of hard work and effort in to making it a thrilling final.

“David managed to combine classic sophistication with a modern twist, producing an elegant and beautifully constructed serve which really enhanced the flavours of the whisky.”

The eight bartenders shortlisted in the final were:

Andrew Miller – Elbow Bar, Edinburgh
Colin McMillan – The Three Judges, Glasgow
David Sinclair – The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire
Lorenzo Miglietta – The Library Bar at the Lanesborough Hotel, London
Michael Allan – Raconteur, Edinburgh
Paul Mortensen – Gordon’s Bar in Selfridges, London
Ross Painter – Second Floor Bar in Harvey Nichols, Bristol
Ryan Chetiyawardana – The Worship Street Whistling Shop, London