Photo of
Jonathan Trew
October 15, 2014
[O.V.D. mixes well with a wide range of ingredients.][1]
O.V.D. mixes well with a wide range of ingredients.

Apart from a fraught expedition to the back of the fridge in a particularly dingy student flat which we don’t like to remember, the 5pm Dining blog has not been the most intrepid of explorers.

However, on Wednesday 22 October, we are looking forward to discovering the dark side of rum with O.V.D.

Journey of discovery

For the second year, Scotland’s best selling dark rum has launched its O.V.D. Discover the Dark Side of Rum cocktail competition for Scottish bartenders.

Next Wednesday, your blogger will be one of the panel judging the Edinburgh heat at 99 Hanover Street.

There is a Glasgow round taking place the next day in the Tiki Bar and Kitsch Inn while a third judging round is being held in the Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown, on 30 October.

The top three entrants from each heat will earn a place in the Grand Final and vie for the £1000 top prize.

Old Vatted Demerara

Named because it is old, vatted and from distilleries by the Demerara river, O.V.D. is made in Guyana from fine Demerara rums and oak-aged for up to seven years. First imported into Scotland in 1838, it has been this country’s favourite dark rum for decades.

[O.V.D. works as a refreshing long drink.][7]
O.V.D. works as a refreshing long drink.

The competition entrants have been asked to devise O.V.D. cocktails which are likely to appeal to customers during the autumn and winter months.

There is nothing quite like a clever rum cocktail to warm the cockles on a cold winter night.

Win an O.V.D. Cocktail Cabinet Starter Collection

To celebrate the O.V.D. Discover the Dark Side of Rum cocktail competition, the 5pm Dining blog and O.V.D. have teamed up to offer readers a tasty competition.

You’ve got two chances to win. Simply comment on this blog with the answer to this question:

In what year was O.V.D first imported into Scotland?

…and for a second entry click through to our Facebook page from the post below and like the post.

Post by 5pm.co.uk.

The lucky winner will be sent an O.V.D Cocktail Cabinet Starter Collection containing a 70cl bottle of O.V.D; a 50cl bottle of Benedictine and two 70cl bottles of De Kuyper liqueurs plus some booklets suggesting great tasting cocktails you can start mixing at home.

The competition is open to over 18s only.

We will announce the winner and give you the recipe for the winning cocktail after the grand final takes place on 10 November.