Auchentoshan Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Presents Auchentoshan Switch - 15th April 2013

Auchentoshan® Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Presents AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH
A Trans-Continental Bartender Swap

Two Lucky Bartenders “SWITCH” Continents For A Working Stint At A Top Bar in London and New York City 

It’s Europe vs. North America in this second AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH, a bartender talent search presented by ® Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland’s only triple distilled single malt whisky. The Auchentoshan Switch is a trans-continental bartender swap like no other that will name two outstanding mixologists as winners who will literally “switch” continents for two weeks to work in the top bars in the world – one bar in London and one in New York City.

The London host bar is confirmed as highly acclaimed ‘The Nightjar’ in Old Street, London which was recently voted one of the best bars in the world by Drinks International.  Over in the States, the host bar has been confirmed as The Dead Rabbit in New York City which was named as one of the Top American Nightspots 2013 by Forbes Magazine and the Best Everyman’s Bar 2013 by New York Magazine.

Open to all licensed bartenders in the UK, Germany and Sweden in Europe and on the other side of the pond, the US and Canada, Auchentoshan Switch spans the globe to create the opportunity of a lifetime for two talented bartenders.  

HOW AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH WORKS

Initial Entry. To enter, bartenders are asked to create their best Auchentoshan Three Wood cocktail and upload the recipe and an image of their creation at (Sorry website now not available). Online entries will be accepted from March 2013 until 12 July, 2013. New for this Auchentoshan Switch is the chance for the general public to go to vote for their favorite bartender/Auchentoshan Three Wood cocktail on the Auchentoshan Switch site.

Auchentoshan Switch site Heats and Final

Regional Heats. Once the official entry period ends on July 12, 2013, a panel of judges will vote to name the semi-finalists. These successful candidates will then be invited to attend regional heats in July and August 2013, within their respective countries, where multiple finalists will be named.

Grand Finals. The finalists from each of the regional heats will then battle it out in the European and North American Grand Finals to be held in October 2013 – one final held in London and one held in the US.  

The Actual Switch. Auchentoshan has partnered with outstanding bars in each country to act as the host venues for the final two bartenders. The actual Switch for the winning bartenders will take place in 2014 when the winning North American bartender will spend two weeks at the famed London bar Nightjar, while the winning European barkeep will get to spend his or her two weeks at The Dead Rabbit in New York City.  The winners will undertake shiftwork, learning the bars’ signature drinks and house techniques and much more. And yes, there will also be some time for sightseeing as well.

“Our initial Auchentoshan Switch was very well-received and drew a huge number of entries – and fabulously creative cocktails – from bartenders on both sides of the pond,” says Jennifer Meenan, brand manager for Auchentoshan. “We decided to bring Auchentoshan Switch back bigger and better this year, opening it up to bartenders in more countries and hosting regional heats. We’re excited to see this year’s entries and proud to bring this once in a lifetime experience to our supportive bartending community once again.”

Winners of the inaugural Auchentoshan Switch in 2011 were Charles Joly from Chicago, IL and Martin Ball from Manchester UK. In 2012, Joly ‘switched’ to UK host bar 69 Colebrooke Row in London and Ball ‘switched’ to US host bar Apotheke in New York City.

Award winning Auchentoshan Three Wood is the chosen expression for all Auchentoshan Switch entries as its complex flavours add tremendous dimension to whisky cocktails. As with all Auchentoshan whisky, Three Wood is triple distilled, which produces an immensely smooth spirit. It is matured in three different types of casks – first in North American Bourbon casks, then in Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks and finally in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, a wood famed for drama and darkness. This triple cask maturation produces a rich whisky with deep toffee and sherry oak influences, a touch of hazelnut with hints of cinnamon and lemon and a butterscotch sweetness that adds to the overall complexity. It is produced at the Auchentoshan Distillery which was established in 1823 and has produced triple distilled whisky since this time. It is located in the Lowland region of Scotland, on the outskirts of Glasgow and is the city’s only distillery. Its name, pronounced “ock-un-tosh-un”, means “corner of the field” which is evident to visitors as the distillery sits near farmland on the banks of the River Clyde, in the shadow of the Old Kilpatrick hills between Glasgow and Loch Lomond.

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