Leaving Tradition Behind - Amaro Montenegro Cocktail Comp
Named after Princess Elena of Montenegro who married the King of Italy, Amaro Montenegro began its story in 1885 in Bologna being distilled by founder Stanislao Cobianchi. It was traditionally designed as a digestif made from over 40 botanicals and is known as Italy's top selling amaro. It is a contradiction of flavours being both sweet and bitter and while it has long been enjoyed after a meal simply over ice or combined with soda, the winds of change have swept through Australia with bartenders embracing this complex yet humble spirit as a mixer for some very inventive cocktails. Together with the boys from Menace To Sobriety, a cocktail competition was held at Rochester Hotel aptly named Leaving Tradition Behind in which six top bartenders from some of Melbourne's best bars created beverages which maximised Montenegro's potential and pushed the boundaries of how an amaro can be experienced.
Moderated by Menace to Sobriety's James Burchett and judged by the brand's Australian ambassador Jackson Thornton together with Huw Griffiths, owner of Union Electric Bar and Adam Bothwell, the other half of Menace to Sobriety, the finalists were Dean Jarvis (Berlin Bar,) Ethan Hertz(Garden State Hotel), Sylvia Mead (The Woods of Windsor), Victor Aeberli(Feast of Merit), Asher Spitz (Cookie) and Alex Hart from Eau de Vie Melbourne who won the event with his drink Royal Encounter. Blending the Amaro Montenegro with rye whiskey, it combined sweet and savoury elements together with sour and bitter flavours and the herbal addition of thyme, ultimately showing the judges how opposing elements can result in true balance. It also proved the point that just because the spirit was designed to be used in one way, we can enjoy it completely differently and leave tradition behind while still respecting this well loved amaro and being true to its heart.