Rick Stein’s bartender releases whisky
After claiming the top spot in the annual Nc’nean Creations cocktail competition, Norbert Drozdowski, bartender at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Cornwall, England, has released a single cask whisky.
Drozdowski won the annual cocktail competition run by female-founded organic whisky distillery Nc’nean, and its blender and brand ambassador Matthew Hastings. This year, entries were open to bartenders from across Europe and the UK, with regional heats held in Paris, Berlin, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Leeds and London. In each heat, contestants showcased cocktails created using all elements of a chosen hero ingredient to reduce waste, alongside Nc’nean’s organic single malt Scotch whisky. The eight finalists were invited to Scotland for a three-day trip to Nc’nean’s west coast distillery and the surrounding Highlands. The final showdown took place at The Gate in Glasgow, where Drozdowski’s cocktail, Triple Bananas, earned him the championship title. His drink combined three different banana-based ingredients and a banana jelly garnish. “It was my coastal home, admiration of nature’s true beauty, and my cocktail-making skills that encouraged me to enter the competition,” said Drozdowski. “When considering a hero ingredient, I aimed not only for a 'root to fruit' approach but also to minimise waste in the restaurant where I work behind the bar. "Bananas stood out as the perfect choice, as they are often surplus in our kitchen. It’s vital to me as a bartender to be environmentally conscious and reduce waste wherever possible. Living in Cornwall inspires me every day to take steps toward a more sustainable lifestyle.” Hastings said: “The ingenuity, ability, and sheer talent on display every year during Nc’nean Creations is incredible. Watching Europe's best bartenders compete for the crown is a rare and delightful privilege and getting to taste all of their wonderful creations is the best part of my job. This year's champion Norbert exemplifies what we look for at Nc’nean: innovation, adaptability, and consideration.” Drozdowski’s prize was to release his own single cask of single malt whisky, which will launch on Wednesday (22 January). The whisky is Nc’nean’s first ex-white Port-finished whisky to come from the distillery. When first sampling the cask, Drozdowski said he immediately knew it was the perfect choice. Being released under Drozdowski’s name, the single malt, known as Aon 20-189, forms part of Nc’nean’s Aon series, which means ‘one’ in Gaelic and represents its collection of single cask bottlings. Drozdowski’s 52.2% ABV selection boasts chocolate notes, with flavours of spiced orange, chocolate hazelnut, and cedar wood. Hastings noted that the single cask selection “is a real treat. The perfect balance of bright, sweet complexity." Only 258 bottles of Drozdowski’s single cask whisky will be available to purchase exclusively on ncnean.com for £89.95 (US$109.45).
