Glenfiddich World’s Most Experimental Bartender: Experimentation and experience at its best

The third season of the Glenfiddich World’s Most Experimental Bartender saw unique collaborations and drinks being brought to life as the shortlisted bartenders competed for the title of the India winner. In line with the competition’s spirit of experimentation, the shortlisted bartenders were paired with collaborators from creative fields such as music, design, fragrance, magic and hospitality to co-create an innovative Glenfiddich serve.

With experimentation in the air, the collaborator and bartender awed the audience with innovative cocktail experiences, one after the other. Bartender Rohan Matmary and his collaborator, singer Sonam Kalra, stood out with their creativity and were selected to represent India in the world finals in Scotland.

The winning cocktail was titled, Zarra, an Urdu word meaning ‘particle’. Zarra revolved around the idea that regardless of its proportion in the recipe, each ingredient is equally important and contributes towards creating the right balance.

Zarra was infused with cranberry, tiny tangerines, egg white and sage infusion, hibiscus, and rhubarb, which resonated well with the fruity and floral notes of the Glenfiddich 12-year-old single malt whisky. Matmary mixed these seemingly disparate elements together, just as Kalra harmoniously blended beautiful melodies with poetry.

The evening was attended by an eclectic mix of designers, artists and creative individuals. The esteemed jury comprised Gaurav Gupta, Jiten Thukral, Sumir Tagra, Nikhil Arora, Mandira Bedi, Zorawar Kalra, James Pennefather and Vikram Aditya.