Open now to bartenders across the UK, Highland single malt Glenfarclas has launched the second edition of its 105 Cask Strength Cocktail Competition.
The competition opened for entries on an auspicious date for the brand – April 15th – representing the 105th day of the calendar year.
Bartenders are asked to submit their ideas for a signature cocktail serve using Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength. All submissions are invited to be in keeping with the theme of ‘family, community and independently sourced ingredients’. A maximum of only six ingredients may be used.
Applicants will be invited to submit a video of themselves making their proposed cocktail, which will be judged by an expert panel of professionals. Judging will be based on knowledge, presentation skills, cocktail-making techniques, ingredients and appearance.
Heats are planned for Glasgow, Manchester and London. Finalists will be invited to travel to Edinburgh for the final on 5 July, where the winner will be announced by George Grant, sales director and sixth generation family member to own and run Glenfarclas.
The winner will receive a two-day experience at Glenfarclas Distillery and a limited edition bottle of Glenfarclas.
Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength dates back to 1968 when George S Grant, fourth generation of the owning family, bottled a single cask straight from the warehouse and sent the bottles to family and friends as Christmas gifts.
The strength of the cask was ‘105’ British proof, and this information, along with the name of the distillery, was the only information detailed on the hand-written label.
Therefore, Glenfarclas 105 was the first commercially available cask-strength whisky of modern times. The name refers to the strength in the British proof system, equal to 60% ABV.
For more information and to enter, check out the official submissions guidelines.
Glasgow-based bartender Kevin Carr was named the winner of Glenfarclas’ inaugural cocktail competition in 2019, after impressing a panel of judges with his summery pea-based serve, pictured above. The competition was unable to go ahead in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.