News & Events

The Smokehead Cocktail Competition Final was held at Bramble, Edinburgh on Monday 10th September.

Entries came from across Scotland and the UK. Judges were Alec Dyson (Booly Mardies) who represented all things cocktail and Neil Berrie from Royal Mile Whisky who brought his knowledge to the table as well as Danielle Murphy, Business Development Manager at Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd.
Competition Results - Top 3 Places:

WINNING ENTRY

"The All Day Sucker"
Iain Griffiths - Brambles Bar, Edinburgh

50ml Smokehead
25ml Profanity Stout
25ml Ribenna
3 dashes Fernet Branca
Whole egg

Dry shake, shake on block ice, fine strain into a half pint and sprinkle with dark chocolate.

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RUNNER UP

"Be Lively"
Robin Honhold - The Last Word,Edinburgh

25 ml smokehead
25 ml green charteuse
15 ml lemon juice
15 ml egg white
Top cream soda

Shaken and strained over block.ice. Sage leaf garnish.

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THIRD PLACE

"Through the Smoke"
Dominic Wright - Hotel du Vin,Edinburgh

Smokehead 40ml
Grand Marnier 10ml
PX sherry 5ml
Honey Water 10 ml
Peychauds 2 dash

Glass: Rocks

Glass Garnish: Fresh Raspberries, Dry tea and fruits to smell

Method: Cocktail is presented on a slate, then Smokehead Haar is poured into smaller pot containing dry ice creating a haar. Smokehead Haar:  300ml tea blend

(Lapshang, Citrus, sea salt, samphire) Possibly even a piece of something to nibble on too.
 This cocktail has derived from the strong and eclectic prescence of flavors and aromas in Smokehead

Single Malt Islay Whisky, as well as the inspiration of the the island of Islay itself and its mystery.

The Islay Haar

It's a world unscarred by modernity's claws, an island of fog, smoke, brine and mystery, where ancient distilleries rely on the air as an ingredient, you have to stick your nose in a glass of Islay single malt. Along with all the other components, a savory whiff of salty sea breeze is unmistakable.

The sense of mystery in the Island is palpable as you explore you can see how it compresses its secrets into tight parcels: dune-fringed beaches, remote hills, cliffs, caves, peat bogs, standing stones, lost parliaments, abandoned townships and Celtic memories, and as the Haar rolls over over from the sea, shrouding these mysteries, the mystery of Smokehead fogs over the Island with it to.