Emporia Brands Announces Regional Winners of the Gabriel Boudier Wizard Award
Tuesday 1st October 2024 - Emporia Brands is thrilled to reveal the winners of the 2024 Gabriel Boudier Wizard Award Regional Finals. Following an impressive 260 registrations, five talented UK bartenders have earned their places in the prestigious Grand Final, which will be held at the Gabriel Boudier distillery in Dijon, France. Here, these finalists will present their original liqueur recipes and signature serves to the Master Liqueur Wizards. The ultimate winner will receive a £1,000 prize, and their winning recipe will be developed for a 2025 release as part of Gabriel Boudier’s renowned Bartender Liqueur range.
The regional finals, held last week across three key UK cities, showcased the creativity and passion of the bartending community. Competitions took place in Edinburgh at Raging Bull for the Scottish final, The Mavern in Leeds for the North/Midlands final, and at Laki Kane in London for the South final. Each participant delivered compelling presentations of their bespoke liqueur recipes, paired with both signature and simple serves that captivated the judges.
Despite the exceptionally high standard of all the entries, a select few bartenders distinguished themselves, earning the title of regional winners and securing their spots in the Grand Final.
Jack Rackham, Managing Director at Emporia Brands and Gabriel Boudier Wizard Judge commented, "We have been overwhelmed by the incredible interest in this year's competition. The five winners truly distinguished themselves in their heats, demonstrating exceptional innovative liqueur ideas and the expertise to turn those ideas into reality, both in their neat liqueurs and their two serves. I wish them all the best of luck in the Grand Final at Boudier in February, which promises to be a particularly special event as it coincides with Boudier’s 150-year anniversary celebrations."
These five finalists will now prepare to compete at the Gabriel Boudier distillery in Dijon, where the Grand Final will take place in February 2025. Here, they will showcase their liqueurs to the distillery’s Master Wizards in pursuit of the coveted title of Gabriel Boudier Wizard Winner 2024. The winner’s liqueur will be developed for release in 2025, joining the illustrious ranks of Gabriel Boudier’s Bartender Liqueur range.
THE FINALISTS
Ben Jones
Amchoor Liqueur
Bar: Uno Mas, Edinburgh
Cameron Chapman
Porcini Mushroom Liqueur
Bar: Wash House, Manchester
Luca Zani
Mangosteen Liqueur
Bar: Dakota Hotel, Leeds
Ashley Haines
Sweet Woodruff Liqueur
Bar: Ojo Rojo, Bournemouth
Henry Woodgate
Creme de Miso
Bar: Fight Club, Cardiff
For more information on the Gabriel Boudier Wizard Award visti the portal or please contact your local Emporia Account Manager or alternatively email info@emporiabrands.com.
