Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/869846
Scotch whisky, like every other the mixology wave from the dark liquids out of soda guns and moved past the cocktails. Now, it's entered the realm of well-crafted carefully-curated ingredients that tell a story about the spirit. bartender? Where do we go from here, at the peak mixology-era ingenuity? hold, but Mitch Bechard, U.S. Brand Ambassador for seek out the innovators and creative cocktail engi- Now in its third year, the World's Most Experimental participants around the world to think beyond the classic serves that offer new ways for bartenders to present the portfolio to their guests. creating a simple cocktail," explains Bechard. "For me, the creative bartenders can be when thinking about how experience for their consumer." bartenders in the world, Glenfiddich and The Tasting Panel see their serves firsthand, selecting only a hand- bartenders to move on to the U.S. finals hosted at the lucky 16 finalists will go head-to-head to claim the the Most Experimental Bartender in the United States, crown, the winner will travel to Scotland in November bartenders from all over the world in a global final. showcase creativity, but we also want bartenders to get on a global level," continues Bechard. "Not to men- will win not just one trip to Scotland, but two!" please see the back panel. Behind the Scenes with Mitch and Charlotte In order to give U.S. bartenders a leg up on the global competition, Mitch Bechard and William Grant & Sons Portfolio Ambassador Charlotte Voisey came together to provide a little virtual inspi- ration. Bechard and Voisey got creative on a NYC set in a series of high-energy videos designed to explain what a serve is, and show how one can find inspiration for their serves anywhere. "We wanted to get the point across that this is a competition, and that we expect people to bring their best," says Bechard, whose starring role in the video finds him frustrated at unsuccessful serves before finding inspiration in his mistakes. He ultimately comes up with a take on a Highball, topped with an atomized spritz of a very special, if unofficial, Glenfiddich. "One of the artists in our Artist in Residence program created a hexag- onal cask, and when he went to fill it with Glenfiddich, the Scotch Whisky Association said, 'No, you can't call that Glenfiddich Whisky,' so we called it Eau de Robbie Dhu, and I put it in a perfume bot- tle and used it as an atomizer," Bechard says with a laugh.