Diageo Reserve World Class UK final in pictures

The UK leg of the Diageo Reserve World Class final kicked off with cocktails on the lawn at Jacobean manor house Fanhams Hall in Hertfordshire.

The 11 bartenders from around Britain competing in the final were presented with a selection of ingredients, including pink peppercorn and vetiver, which could be used in the cocktails they had to create to try and win. Each of the ingredients were numbered, and the numbers hidden within wisteria trees in the grounds.

When given the green light, the bartenders made a mad dash to find the ingredient they most wanted to use in their cocktail.

Later that day their multi-sensory creations came to life. One even required imbibers to don fake moustaches and drink from tea cups.

Dry ice was a popular plaything during the event. One challenge, entitled The Art of Umami, tasked bartenders to create a long and short serve that showcased and highlighted the often elusive fifth taste.

…a few toys even made an appearance

Running the gamut from savoury to sweet, one of the cocktails, made with Don Julio Tequila, featured a rim rammed with hundreds & thousands.

Quirky glassware was a theme this year, as bartenders worked hard to push the boundaries of what a contemporary cocktail could be.

One of the most off the wall cocktails included a menacing bird mask, which must have made it tricky to drink.

Not only were the cocktails bright and colourful, the outfits were too…

Among the judges in the competition was Bulleit Bourbon brand ambassador Andrea Montague, formerly a bartender at Callooh Callay.

The following day the 11 finalists headed to Woodside in Herfordshire, Diegeo’s innovation centre, where they made their own bitters.

The bartenders were given a series of botanicals such as basil and cardamom, from which to blend their own bespoke bitters.

Before they settled on their final blends, a lot of sniffing and tasting took place.

Their next challenge was to create a final showpiece cocktail that included their bespoke bitters.

On the morning of the final, the final 11 were taken to Spitalfields market to shop for quirky receptacles to house their show-stopping cocktails.

So long as it could hold liquid, bartenders were encouraged to think outside of the box and get creative with their vessels on their £100 budget.

Gordon Purnell of Panda & Sons in Edinburgh used a teddy bear and a leather jacket as props in his cocktail presentation to illustrate the human desire for both comfort and excitement and the difficulties in trying to find and enjoy both at the same time.

Aiden Bowie of Dandelyan’s signature serve was the Vetiver Woodland Martini made with Tanqueray No. 10 and served in a plant pot.

The dry ice popped up again during the final…

After three days of competing, Aided Bowie of Dandelyan was crowned the UK winner, with the judges praising his incredible understanding of flavour, coupled with innovative and pioneering ideas. Founded by cocktail maestro Ryan Chetiyawardana, Dandelyan, within the Mondrian hotel on the Southbank, was gifted a £10,000 marketing fund by Diageo to create its own World Class drink to celebrate Aidan’s success.