Madeleine Tate Named NZ’s Beefeater MIXLDN Champion

All Roads Lead to London as Madeleine Tate Named New Zealand’s Beefeater MIXLDN Champion

Beefeater, the world’s most awarded gin has today announced Madeleine Tate from Auckland as the national champion of the New Zealand 2016 Beefeater MIXLDN Cocktail Competition. Madeleine has won the coveted spot to compete in the Global Finals in London representing New Zealand.

With MIXLDN entering its sixth year, the world’s largest and most prestigious gin cocktail competition is set to be the most hotly contested yet with entries in excess of 600 from 32 countries across the world.

Having impressed the panel of judges, including Beefeater Master Distiller Desmond Payne, with ‘The Chimney Sweeper’ cocktail, Madeleine from Kindred in Wynyard Quarter (ex Revelry, Ponsonby), provided a masterclass in creating the perfect gin serve. Although competition was fierce, Madeleine was deemed to have best echoed this year’s theme of iconic London cinema, with a recipe usingBeefeater as the spirit base and perfectly encapsulating the city’s rich history on the silver-screen.

As part of an unforgettable four-day trip to London, Madeleine will undertake a series of specially designed challenges as she represents New Zealand whilst testing her skills as part of the Global Finals in February 2017.

“I'm so honoured that my drink and the story behind it struck a chord with the judges. Being able to take my cocktail on to compete in London is so exciting. I can't wait to meet the other competitors and learn from some of the best in the world”, says Madeleine.

The winner of the title of Beefeater MIXLDN 2016 Global Bartender Champion will be mentored by experts as part of the Global Brand Ambassador Programme. After in-depth one-to-one training at Beefeater: The Home of Gin in London, the Global Champion will represent Beefeater at exclusive events and travel to some of the world’s most prestigious bartender events, like the Moscow Bar Show and the Berlin Bar Convent.

What’s more, for the first time ever, the winner of this year’s global competition will not only be crowned Beefeater MIXLDN Global Bartender Champion, but will also craft their very own limited edition Beefeater gin with Master Distiller Desmond Payne at the distillery.

Desmond Payne, Master Distiller said: “Having the opportunity to collaborate with this year’s Global Winner is something we have wanted to do for quite some time, giving us the opportunity to work with a bartender at the top of their game in distilling a gin specifically aimed at the cocktail community. As a brand that is constantly looking to innovate, we are always looking for fresh ideas and relish the chance to invest time with people that can help us push the boundaries and take a fresh approach – as we continue in our mission to create the ultimate premium product”.

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