The second day of the GCP started out with our group of new-found friends mingling over croissants, cheeses and café around 8 am in the hotel lobby. Despite the rigorous schedule of the first day, everyone had smiles and were reviewing the cocktail recipes to prepare for the day’s first challenge behind the distillery’s in-house bar.
Efficiency / Speed: Contestants drew numbers to see who would go first. They were allotted 4 ½ minutes to make 5 drinks, and had points deducted for going over time. They were judged on recipe accuracy, presentation and execution. Although banging out drinks is something these folks do on a regular basis, it is nerve-wracking to be behind an unfamiliar bar, with Philip Duff overseeing your every move and making notes, while being filmed and photographed, and people watching in the room next door where the film was broadcast on a large screen. It would be safe to say that every hand shook at least a little. The group, however, cheered for one another and offered kind words to each other when they were done. This challenge sounds easier than it was.
- G’Vine Floraison with Fever Tree tonic, Collins glass, green grapes garnish
- G’Vine Nouaison gin with Fentiman’s tonic, Collins glass, green grapes garnish
- Floral Martini with Floraison, vermouth, June liqueur and Bitter Truth orange bitters, Coupe glass, orange zest garnish
- Jasmine with Floraison, Campari, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice, Cocktail (Martini) glass, lemon zest garnish
- Negroni with choice of G’Vine gin, Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Rocks glass, orange zest garnish
Once the finalists were finished, they were treated to watching Dale DeGroff and Gary Regan get behind the bar and participate in the same challenge. Everyone was excited to watch their heros sweat it out, and as the glasses were passed around, they could finally say “I sipped a drink made by King Cocktail or Gaz, himself.”
Boat Ride down the Charentes River: There is no mistaking that the GCP takes place in one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, the heart of Cognac. The EuroWineGate French team made sure that the finalists had a chance to soak it in. (And, I don’t just mean soak in the pesky drizzling rain!)The group was greeted with June liqueur and tonics as we floated along on a large wooden boat while serenaded by a local musical duo with a Julie Delpy look-alike singing everything from reggae to Adele.
Even better than that, Dale DeGroff pulled out a guitar and sang a couple of songs from his show On The Town. Gary Regan recited a cheeky British sing-along, and Australian finalist Gorge Camorra re-wrote the lyrics to Billy Joel’s Piano Man, belting out “Make Us A Drink You’re the Bartender,” which gave everyone a hearty chuckle.What the finalists did not know when they boarded the boat is that there were a LOT of surprises in store for the night ahead…