The GOODS from Bittered Sling

Vancouver, BC | It was Scotland for the win this week, as Justin Taylor of Yew restaurant + bar beat out an all-star cast of Vancouver’s elite bartenders in front of a sold-out crowd at the Season 3 finale of Vancouver’s popular food and cocktail pairing competition, Bittered Sling Bistro.

Sponsored by Charton-Hobbs, the Nov. 24 finale — held at Uva Wine Bar — was billed as the “European Invasion” with each bartender tasked to create a unique cocktail inspired by and using an assigned feature spirit: Hennessy Cognac, Ardbeg and Glenmorangie single-malt Scotch Whiskys and Belvedere vodka.

Taylor went all out, using all of the featured spirits in his winning creation “Blowing Smoke Up Yer Kilt,” an imaginative and balanced blend of Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch Whisky, homemade Glenmorangie-fortified vermouth, homemade Hennessey-fortified ginger liqueur, Campari, homemade Belvedere-fortified Blackberry/Raspberry Liqueur, Bittered Sling Kensington Dry Aromatic bitters, La Fees Absinthe, orange zest and maple smoke. The judges were also wowed by his theatrical presentation that included a smoking gun, ice spheres and bagpipe music.

Competition was fierce, say Bittered Sling proprietors Jonathan Chovancek and Lauren Mote. “We’ve had the pleasure of working with the most creative talent from behind the bar this season at Bittered Sling Bistro,” says Mote. “Almost any of the finalists could have won, but Justin really pulled out all the stops.”

As well as coveted bragging rights, Taylor wins a one-of-a-kind brand of “bartender bitters” to be created in his honour by Bittered Sling. Learn more about the competition after the jump…

Grant Sceney of Fairmont Pacific Rim was the first runner-up for his original creation, the “Wandering Gypsy” comprising Belvedere Vodka, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Homemade Herbal Bee Pollen Liqueur, Bittered Sling Plum & Rootbeer Bitters and a spritz of orange oil. Other competitors included: Jay Jones (The Blackbird Public House and Oyster Bar),Evelyn Chick (Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar), Jean-Sebastian “J.S.” Dupuis (Homer Street Café) and Robyn Gray (PiDGin Restaurant).

This season’s judging panel included: Jonathan Chovancek, Bittered Sling co-proprietor;Steve Edwards, GM and sommelier of host venue Uva Wine Bar; Gerry Jobe, talented bartender and season 1 & 2 winner of Bittered Sling Bistro; and Kellan Thomsen of Charton Hobbs.

Details

Telephone: 604-809-9479
Web: www.bitteredsling.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Email: [email protected]

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The People Who Make It Happen

Co-proprietor, Sommelier/Mixologist: Lauren Mote
Co-proprietor, Chef: Jonathan Chovancek

About Bittered Sling

Bittered Sling celebrates the collaboration of chef Jonathan Chovancek and mixologist and sommelier Lauren Mote, who have contributed a combined 30 years of professional experience, knowledge and innovation to the Canadian food and beverage industry.

In 2010, Mote and Chovancek launched Vancouver-based boutique catering and events company Kale & Nori Culinary Arts — the predecessor to Bittered Sling — and quickly carved out a niche both locally and internationally for their unique products, dynamic and diverse cuisine and specialty cocktail creations. In 2013, Kale & Nori was singled out as Producer/Supplier of the Year at the 24th Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards for its brand of Bittered Sling Extracts.

Bittered Sling Extracts is a retail line of high-quality, small-batch bitters and extracts that provides palate, plate and potion with a subtle-yet-exciting fusion of homegrown ingredients and flavours. With aromatic labels such as Orange and Juniper, Plum and Rootbeer and Clingstone Peach, Bittered Sling underscores a singular and delicious irony that while all of their bitters are extracts, not all of their extracts are bitter. By the dash or the drop, each creation offers an intricate range of complex flavours that perfectly accentuates food, spirits and even sparkling water.

Twice a month over a six-month span, Mote and Chovancek host their popular and perennially sold-out Bittered Sling Bistro events at the Legacy Liquor Store in Olympic Village. A friendly competition between some of the region’s best bartenders now heading into its fourth season, each edition of the Bistro offers guests a feature spirit tasting accented by Bittered Sling Extracts and an indulgent three-course menu inspired by each particular spirit’s wide range of notes and character.