Hayman's The Original Gin Competition 2024 Winner

The competition aims to find new contemporary classic cocktails which both bartenders and home cocktail enthusiasts worldwide can make. Hence, ingredients must be easily available without the need to pre-combine. Cocktails may be in the form of long or short drinks (not shots) with a minimum of 90ml (3oz) liquid volume.

I reviewed all entries to select 50 cocktails to progress to the semi-final and then made each for a small judging panel that included Miranda Hayman. While seeking to hero the best cocktails submitted, the judges were also mindful of the ease of making them and sought to encompass as many countries as possible. The cocktails and their creators that stood out against the others were selected to progress to the final 15 (see below).

I joined Sandrae Lawrence (The Cocktail Lovers), Giulia Cuccurullo (Head Bartender, the Artesian Bar, London), and James Hayman at Hayman's London Distillery to judge each of the final 15 recipes, ably made to each bartender's specifications by Alexa Farrow (Hayman's Brand Ambassador). We also watched a video of each bartender presenting their cocktail.

Winner & Runners-up

We were all in agreement that the scores we'd awarded to each cocktail pronounced Juanyunes Fuentes from Chile the worthy winner with his cocktail 'The Spaniard' to win a £1,000 and an all-expenses paid trip to the Hayman's Distillery in London, England. The two runners-up, narrowly behind Juanyunes, are Brett Nebauer from Australia with the 'Sloe Scarlet' cocktail and Arran Lin from China with the 'Earl Tom'. Each will receive a £500 prize.

Congratulations to Juanyunes, Brett and Arran, and a huge thank you to all those who entered. We very much appreciate the time and effort all competitors put in, especially the talented finalists whose cocktails we enjoyed.

The 15 Finalists

Emmy Pip Knight
Cocktail: Peerless Street
From: The American Bar, The Savoy, London, England
With: 40 ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 15ml Chartreuse Jaune (Yellow Chartreuse) Liqueur, 10ml Dutch Cacao Liqueur, 15ml Lemon Juice, 15ml Sugar syrup 'rich', 2.5 ml Passion fruit purée

Arran Lin
From: BarDionysus, Jiangmen, Guangdong, China
Cocktail: Earl Tom
With: 60ml Hayman's Old Tom Gin, 22.5ml Amaro Nonino, 15ml Luxardo Bitter Bianco, 7.5ml Giffard Earl Grey Syrup

Michael Vander Horn
From: Queen Jayne's Lounge and Royal Drinkery, Somers Point, New Jersey, USA
Cocktail: Rhuby Sipper
With: 52.5ml Hayman's Old Tom Gin, 15ml Rabarbaro liqueur, 22.5ml Punt E Mes, 3 dash Scrappy's Chocolate Bitter

Harshit Agarwal
From: Beno, Goa, India
Cocktail: Taste of Time
With: 60ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 2 gr Coriander/Cilantro leaves, 15ml Lime juice, 15ml Agave Syrup

Adam Chase
From: The Aviary & The Office, Chicago, USA
Cocktail: Sloepoke
With: 45ml Hayman's Sloe Gin, 15ml Velvet Falernum, 7.5ml Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, 30ml Pineapple juice, 15ml Lime juice, 22.5ml Egg white, 60ml Fever-Tree Pink Grapefruit Soda.

Ray 刘
From: Mocoo bar, ChenDu, China
Cocktail: Rabbit Hole
With: 50ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 15ml Gewurztraminer wine white, 15ml St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, 15ml Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, 3 splash Chartreuse Verte (Green Chartreuse) to coat the glass.

Matthew Galloway
From: Three Sheets Soho, London, England
Cocktail: Olive + Oolong
With: 35 ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 5ml Olive oil, 10ml Oolong tea, 3.75ml Honey, 10ml Sugar syrup 'rich', 20ml Lemon juice, 15ml Egg White.

Lauren McKenna
From: Libre, Pamerston North, New Zealand
Cocktail: Peach Treaty
With: 30ml Hayman's Old Tom Gin, 15ml Peach schnapps liqueur, 10ml Pisco, 20ml Honey syrup (1:1), 60ml Lemon juice, 3 dash Fee Brothers Peach Bitters, 3 drops Cocktail foamer.

Daniel French
From: Ham Yard Bar, London, England
Gold Kissed
With: 50ml Hayman's Old Tom Gin, 10ml Bergamot Liqueur, 15ml Cocchi Americano Bianco, 2 dash Grapefruit Bitters.

Paulina Hoppe
From: Woods, Cologne, Germany
Cocktail: Spice Girl
With: 50ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 15ml Chartreuse Green, 10ml Dry vermouth, 5ml Jalapeño brine from pickled jalapeños.

Brett Nebauer
From: 11e cave, Canberra, Australia
Cocktail: Sloe scarlet
With: -40 ml Hayman's Sloe Gin, 20ml Fino Sherry, 5ml Agave syrup, 1.25ml Peychaud's Bitters, 3 dash Tempus Fugit Crème De Menthe, 27.5 ml Verjuice.

Siang-Cheng Li
From: BarReviver, Hsinchu City, Taiwan
Cocktail: Pharmacist
With: -45 ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 15ml Giffard Wild Elderflower, 20ml Noilly Prat Original, 5ml Benedictine D.O.M., 2 drops Rhubarb bitters

Juanyunes Fuentes
From: La Roneria, Santiago de Chile, Chile
Cocktail: The Spaniard
With: -45 ml Hayman's Sloe Gin, 20ml Hayman's Old Tom Gin, 15 ml Palo Cortado Sherry, 10ml Benedictine D.O.M., 1 dash Orange blossom water, 1 dash Saline solution 4:1

Aldo Chiantella
From: Viajante87, London, England
Cocktail: Mole Old-Fashioned
With: -37.5 ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 2 dash Angostura Cocoa Bitters, 7.5 ml Ancho Reyes Verde, 7.5 ml Cynar, 7.5 ml Nixta Liqueur, 15ml The Lost Explorer Espadín

Yuki Tanaka
From: CKTL & CO, Toronto, Canada
Cocktail: Silent Grove
With: 45 ml Hayman's London Dry Gin, 22.5 ml Lemon Juice, 22.5ml Sugar syrup 'simple', 7.5 ml Bols Peach Liqueur, 15ml Lillet Blanc, 5 gr Rocket/Arugula salad leaves