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Big congrats and a slap on the back to Iain Griffiths after the bar tender at Edinburgh’s Bramble Bar was crowned the winner of Caorunn Gin’s global cocktail competition – Caorunn Storytellers 2012.

The Grand Final, which took place in Edinburgh on Monday, saw four of the world’s best bartenders represent their countries and go head to head in a bid to win the prestigious title.

Create a story

Caorunn Storytellers Global Cocktail Challenge was launched in March 2012 to champion cocktail creativity. Part of the competition was to come up with a new Caorunn cocktail and the story behind the drink.

The judging panel, which comprised cocktail expert and journalist, Simon Difford; Gintime’s Geraldine Coates; Ryan Chetiyawardana, Creative Director of Mr Lyan and Caorunn’s Brand Ambassador Ervin Trykowski, were dazzled by Iain’s exceptional cocktail – ‘The Damson Chamber’.

Misty mornings

The Australian was inspired by the smells of both Balmenach Distillery, where Carounn is made, and early mornings in Edinburgh, which he said were a mixture of breweries and mist and the perfect combination for a walk home after a late shift at Bramble.

To create the drink he used a mixture of ingredients, including an unusual combination of damson berries steamed with juniper and rowan berry.

Iain took home a cash prize of £1,500, as well as being honoured with the esteemed title of Caorunn Global Storyteller 2012, with his winning drink being promoted worldwide as a signature Caorunn cocktail.

Congratulations should also go to Bramble. It sometimes seems as though a month doesn’t go by without at least one of their bar staff scooping a major cocktail prize.

If you want to try to recreate the drink at home then here’s the recipe:

The Damson Chamber Cocktail

50ml Caorunn Gin

25ml Brewdog Never Mind The Anabolics

25ml rotovap apple syrup

2 damson berries steamed with juniper and rowanberry

3 drops of Jade 1901 Absinthe

Method: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and ‘throw’ for 10 seconds.  Pour into a chilled coupette glass.  Serve, sniff and enjoy.