As we move forward with the Cognac Bartender Contest UK we are happy to introduce to you Mattia Cavola, winner of Week 2 of the competition with his cocktail “Shotgun”.
After his victory in the second week of the second edition of the Cognac Bartender Contest in the United Kingdom, we talked to Mattia Cavola about his career as a bartender, and what prompted him to participate in the Cognac Bartender Contest. Also, to understand his winning recipe, the Shotgun cocktail, a reinterpretation of the classic Sidecar.
– Spirits Hunters: Where do you come from?
Mattia Cavola: I’m from a town close to Rome in Italy.
– How did you become a Bartender and when?
I quitted my university studies in Rome after understanding that it wasn’t suit me. I came in London four years ago and, being fascinated from people working behind the bar, helped me to realize which way to take. Since then, I never stopped studying and improving my knowledge and skills as a bartender, discovering and experimenting something new every day. My attitude brought me to Cahoots London where I’m working since one year and a half.
– Why did you decide to participate in our contest?
I decided to participate in this contest wondering to challenge myself with a spirit like cognac, which is not one of my first choice when I think about creating something, but at the same time it is one of the spirit that intrigue me the most.
– Where did you get the inspiration for your cocktail?
I got the inspiration from the French cuisine for the pairing between peach and tarragon. Then I chose the wine as base of my cordial due to the common link with cognac: grapes. The drink’s name is a word pun with the sidecar cocktail, which is also the cocktail that I chose to twist.
– What do you like the most about cognac?
About cognac, I like the complexity, the fruity notes and the history of the product.
The Shotgun Cocktail
The drink is based on a sidecar structure with our Cognac as a soul of it, an home-made cordial instead of the liquor and the lemon juice.
The cordial is inspired from French Cuisine recipes and made out of:
– sauvignon blanc
– yellow peach
– tarragon
– lemon peel
– orange peel
– caster sugar
– citric acid
– malic acid
– salt
Everything closed in a vacuum bag and cooked with sous vide, then strained with coffee filter. So, the drink is composed of:
– Cognac (VSOP) 45ml
– Cordial 30ml
– Lemon juice 10ml
Stir and strain over chunks, in a speakeasy wine glass. Garnished with peach blossom.
*You can follow Mattia Cavola on Instagram @mattia.c_ to follow his cocktail creations.
Check out Winner Week 1 of the Cognac Bartender Contest UK, Alex Lyonnes here.
About the Cognac Bartender Contest UK
Together with the cognac Appellation, the Cognac Bartender Contest UK has been created for all bartenders in the UK who want to share with us via Instagram their tutorial video on how to create cognac-based cocktails. Our goal is to help the bartender community to stay active and support them during the Covid-19 situation. The contest is also a way to highlight the aromatic richness of cognac in cocktails.
The competition will reward one bartender each week during 6 weeks with a £100 endowment on behalf of Spirits Hunters, and the Big Winner of the competition will notably be invited to #Cognac by the cognac interprofession and will earn a £800 endowment on behalf of Spirits Hunters.
You can read the rules here as well as submit your participation to the contest.
@spiritshunters_mag / @cognac_official | #cognacbartendercontest #cognacbartendercontestuk #cognaccocktails #spiritshunters
Dates: March 15th – May 7th
We’re looking forward to your videos!
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.