'Auchentoshan Switch' competition announces finalists

Published: 12 October, 2011

The Auchentoshan Switch competition has selected 40 mixologists to go through to the finals in London and Las Vegas.

The competition is a first for Auchentoshan and offers the chance to win a 14 day switch across the Atlantic to work in one of New York City's and London's prestigious bars.

Of the 64 UK and 60 US entries, the judging panel selected 20 from each country to go through to the finals.

The UK ultimate round will take place on October 24 at a Shoreditch venue where the bartenders will be put through a series of challenging mixology tasks.

The judging panel includes: Tony Conigliaro, co-owner of, 69 Colebrooke Row, Giles Looker - owner of Soulshakers Bar Consultancy and Imbibe's Neil Ridley, who is also co-founder of whisky blog CaskStrength.

The named UK winner of the first ever Switch will cross the Atlantic to NYC to work in underground scene cocktail bar, Apotheke.

The US finalists will attend the final in Las Vegas on October 26, where the crowned winner will travel to London to work at the award-winning drinking den, 69 Colebrooke Row.

Hannah Fisher, Auchentoshan brand manager, said: "Despite only accepting video entries, we received a high number of entries and the quality of each has been exceptional.

"We can't wait to see what these talented bartenders will show us at the final."

Finalists from the UK in alphabetical order by last name are:

- Martin Ball - Corridor, Manchester

- Divyesh Chauhan - Match Bar, London

- Matthew Dakers - Whistling Shop, London

- Dav Eames - Saf, London

- Kevin Griffin - The Raconteur, Edinburgh

- Andrew Harrod - Wabi, London

- Richard Hunt - Hawksmore, London

- Scott Ingram - Blythswood Square, Glasgow

- Alex Kratena - Artesian, London

- Simon La Moon - Zetter Townhouse, London

- Bruce Lerman - Epernay Champagne Bar, Leeds

- Antonino Lo Iacono - The Dukes Hotel, London

- Giuseppe Miggiano - The Bar at Chancery Court, London

- Khalil Moh'd Lahham - Donovan's Bar/Brown's Hotel, London

- Martyn Nicol - Blythswood Square, Glasgow

- Matt Roberts - Quo Vardis, London

- Andreas Tsanos - Lonsdale, London

- Tom Walker - Bramble, Edinburgh

- Sam Watson - Purl, London

- Faye Woodcock - The Bling Pig, Glasgow

Videos entries of the bartenders making an Old Fashioned using Auchentoshan Three Wood and a lemonade from scratch. can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/AuchentoshanWhisky

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