Say hello to the new Chivas Master!

【This post is sponsored by Chivas. 】

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=v0665oshvck&width=500&height=375&auto=0
After two days of bartending brilliance, The Chivas Masters 2018 climaxed at the Andaz Xintiandi Shanghai on May 22 with Michael Chen from The Cannery, Shanghai, crowned as the winner. In July, he will fly to London to compete against bartenders from 23 other countries at the global final. 

This year’s nine finalists showcased their creativity, technique and understanding of the Chivas spirit to the judging panel made up of Chivas Regal China Ambassador Craig Swindell, the Chivas Masters 2017 global champion Atsushi Suzuki and the Chivas Masters 2015 global champion Joshua Reynolds.

*Competitiors of the Chivas Masters 2018

*Michael Chen 

*The judges (from left): Joshua Reynolds, Craig Swindell and Atsushi Suzuki

Each competitor had to make three Chivas drinks across three different themes: one inspired by this year’s lead theme of Community (featuring Chivas 12), one inspired by Japan (featuring Chivas Mizunara), and one inspired by the United Kingdom (featuring Chivas 18). According to judge Joshua Reynolds, the standards set by all the bartenders were very high: “The understanding of the flavours and of Chivas was really, really good. And it was nice to see the Chinese influence come through in the cocktails.”

*Chivas drinks made at the competition

Almost 400 guests congregated at the award ceremony for the announcement of the winner. But before that, they applauded for Jimmy Deng from Mr Q in Chengdu, who won the most popular bartender award with 6,327 out of 18,312 public votes, and Frederick Ma from The Cirque in Xi’an, who took the runner-up position for the second time in a row.

*Frederick Ma (right)

*Jimmy Deng

When Michael Chen was announced as winner, he was carried aloft on the stage by his fellow Chivas Masters in the tradition of the competition. “Michael is a really understated guy,” said Craig Swindell, explaining why Michael won. “He’s not the flamboyant showman, like some ofthe bartenders we saw, but for every single drink, he thought about of the flavour notes within the Chivas and brought them to life with other ingredients.”

Michael was still a bit shocked when he talked to DRiNK about his win. “I guess it hasn’t really sunk in yet. For me, this competition is about the whisky. So any alteration I did, had to be flavours that complemented or accentuated the flavours that are already present in the whisky.”  

The new winner has already got his mind set on the global final in London. “I was lucky enough to see the global final of the Chivas Masters two years ago in Shanghai, so I know I’ve got a great amount of work to do beforehand.”

COMMUNITY

JAPAN

UNITED KINGDOM

---

 In case you missed it: