The reputation of a Nelson cocktail bar isn’t on the rocks after a duo with a spirit for spirits recently tasted national success.
Kismet Cocktail and Whisky Bar co-owner Nick Widley and bartender Swanny Monthuit took home awards in The Perfect Blend Cocktail Competition in Auckland, which was held on 15 and 16 April.
The competition was hosted by spirits behemoth Beam Suntory which produces spirits such as Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark.
Nick won the Professional Award and Swanny came away with the Apprentice Award for their inventive cocktails which had to represent either the maker’s own tradition or personality, product knowledge, research, and blind tasting of raw spirits produced by Beam Suntory.
Nick says he missed his winning announcement over his delight for Swanny’s win.
“I was a little bit shocked really, and it’s really cool because for the first time in the competition’s history two awards have been won by bartenders from the same bar,” Nick says. “What I’m really happy about is the fact that you don’t need to be in a big city to be an amazing bar.”
Entrants were also tasked with social media engagement before the competition.
Swanny is in New Zealand on a working holiday from France. She says that entering the competition and to be served an award after just eight months behind the Kismet bar, was a “great experience”.
“I’m not a competitive person, but Nick really insisted for me to enter this competition with him to learn so much and discover so much,” she says.
“In Auckland, there were so many amazing people and amazing bartenders with a lot of experience.
“I just wanted to do my best and try not to stress too much as it was my first competition.
“I was even more happy when Nick won [an award], I didn’t want to do the rest of the adventure without him. If I win he had to win as well.”
Swanny says her winning cocktail was called ‘Spring in Tokyo’, which was stirred up by her upcoming travels to Japan.
The drink combines Roku Japanese Gin, cherry blossom liqueur, yuzu, sake and soy.
“The way that we presented our drinks in new and creative ways really got us there. I was very pleased to hear that when they were judging the cocktails,” Nick says.
“One of the judges said there was no way of making my drink any better.”
His winning cocktail was called the ‘Islay Hold Up’ which blends his affinity with the white sandy beaches on the Isle of Islay off the west coast of Scotland.
The drink combines Laphroaig 10-year-old single malt whisky, Italian bitters, apéritif, malic, citric, passionfruit and pineapple.
Nick and Swanny will shake and stir in the grand final in Queenstown in June against mixologists from New Zealand and Australia.
