One talented Lake District based bartender is getting noticed in the world of mixology after being announced as a finalist in a prestigious cocktail competition held by Reyka Icelandic Vodka.
Bartender Lee Laskey who works at Mizu-Pan Asian Restaurant at the Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa entered the creative cocktail competition this summer, where he was required to invent a bespoke cocktail recipe inspired by his favourite moment in nature.
The original cocktail creation, aptly titled ‘The Spring Chorus’, is inspired by the cyclic transition of winter into spring. To mimic the changing of the seasons, Lee’s cocktail is designed to develop in flavour as you drink it, and he selected a specific range of ingredients to facilitate this sensation.
“At first, the cocktail showcases the Reyka Vodka front and centre with a nice undertone of herbal and honey sweetness. As the drink begins to develop, a melting rose water ice cube will introduce sweet floral notes into the drink, reminiscent of the first flower blooms of spring. The final few sips provide a sweet, velvety flavour brought on by lavender honey syrup which is designed to invoke memories of warm spring days” Lee explained.
The competition received hundreds of applicants from all over the UK and just 24 finalists were selected. These 24 finalists now get the opportunity to take part in a 2-night excursion to the Lake District this September where they will be split into teams of 6, based on the locations in which they work. Lee is representing ‘the North’.
In their teams, the finalists must join forces and create another unique cocktail using ingredients given to them in a ‘Mystery Box’, combined with raw ingredients they find while foraging in nature. Each drink is then presented to a team of judges and the winning team wins an all-expenses paid trip to Iceland in November.
To celebrate Lee’s achievement, ‘The Spring Chorus’ will be available in Mizu Pan-Asian Restaurant as a one-off special throughout the month of September to allow guests to experience his cocktail creation.
“We are very excited to be able to offer Lee’s creation to our guests for this limited time and really shout about his cocktail making skills. We have bought in the ingredients specially to replicate his recipe” – Marcell Cilliers, General Manager of the Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa in Borrowdale.
Mizu, which serves up a selection of authentic Asian dishes from Japan, Thailand, China, Vietnam & Korea is open 7-days a week from 12pm – 2pm for lunch and 5pm – 9:30pm for evening meals. The exclusive Spring Chorus cocktail will be charged at £9.
To book a table at Mizu Pan-Asian Restaurant, call 017687 77285 or book online by clicking here.
