Naked Malt announces the ‘Live Naked Bar Swap’ cocktail making competition winners

30th January 2024: Naked Malt, the award-winning* and top-trending** blended malt today unveils the champions of its renowned 2023 bartender engagement programme, the ‘Live Naked Bar Swap’. Five bars have been crowned national winners from France, Denmark, Taiwan, the Netherlands and South Korea, following a rigorous three-stage competition, focused on the brands signature serve, a reinterpretation of the classic whisky sour, a ‘Naked Sour’.

Recipients of this year’s prestigious industry award are Cuckoo Bar, Tainan, Taiwan; The Cambridge Public House, Paris, France; Zest, Seoul, South Korea; Ruby, Copenhagen, Denmark and Fitz’s Bar, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

As part of the prize, the winners will go on to take part in a global bar exchange this year, to inspire them and offer a fresh perspective, living out Naked Malt’s ethos. The ‘swap’, which will see two bartenders from winning accounts switch countries with their peers, will be a culturally immersive experience and help participating bartenders expand their knowledge, learn new skills and build relationships across the global bartending community.

The bar swaps will take place in the first quarter of the year, and will see the Taiwanese and French winners swap, champion bartenders from Denmark will visit Korea, the Korean victors will visit the Netherlands and the Netherlands winners will visit Denmark. As part of their prize, the international champions have also been automatically appointed to the judging panel of the 2024 competition in their visiting country.

Isac Melander, Global Brand Ambassador at Naked Malt, said: “This year’s ‘Live Naked Bar Swap’ was a spectacular celebration of the very best industry talent working across the globe. After an incredibly challenging period for the hospitality industry, we wanted to reunite our Naked community over a Naked Sour serve. We aimed to inspire a new generation of bartenders and consumers to explore the very best of Scotch whisky and challenge conventional thinking. Through liberating, inspirational, and educational experiences bartenders were able to reconnect, share their creativity, their skills and most importantly experience what it means to ‘Live Naked’.”

During the ‘Live Naked Bar Swap’ competition two bartenders from each participating bar were tasked with designing their perfect, stripped back Naked Sour serve and asked to share the story of their creation through a series of engaging social media posts. Competition participants were then invited to attend a national finale event where they presented their Naked Sour in front of an expert panel. They were finally challenged on the spot to serve up a bespoke cocktail, using only a selection of mystery ingredients.

Competition finale events in each country were underpinned with interactive and immersive activities, designed to embody the brand’s ‘Live Naked’ ethos – freedom from conventional thinking – and provide a memorable out-of-bar experience, this included various creative and outdoor activities such as yoga classes, sand surfing, painting workshops. The aim was to take entrants away from the pressures of everyday life behind the bar to enjoy the spirit of freedom the brand represents.

Produced in Scotland by ultra-premium spirits company, Edrington, Naked Malt, launched a new bottle design with 100% recyclable packaging in 2021. The launch saw no change to the liquid which is comprised of the world’s finest single malts, extra matured in first-fill (or naked) Oloroso sherry casks for 6 months. The brand seeks to inspire a new generation of whisky drinkers by offering a great quality, yet accessible whisky that’s versatile for any preferred whisky serve.

Venues interested in entering the next ‘Live Naked Bar Swap’ competition should get in touch with their Naked Malt account manager or representative to find out more.

Notes

For more information about Naked Malt or the ‘Live Naked Bar Swap’ please contact: bronte.stephens@havas.com Naked Malt is available in 70cl at 40% ABV In the US & South Africa its available in 75cl at 43% ABV In Global travel retail Naked Malt is available in 1L at 40% ABV

About Naked Malt

Naked Malt is a blended malt whisky produced in Scotland by ultra-premium spirits company Edrington.  It initially launched as a blended Scotch under the name Naked Grouse in 2011 before relaunching as a blended malt in 2017, in line with the increasing popularity of contemporary whiskies. In 2021, a new brand name of Naked Malt was revealed to cement the brand’s place as the drink of independent and freedom-seeking consumers with a revised bottle design including a portrait of the first-fill casks against a sleek, modern glass bottle.

Naked Malt is comprised of a selection of Scotland’s finest single malts – a unique blend of the world’s finest single malts. The blended malt is matured in first-fill Oloroso sherry oak casks, and it is from these “naked” casks that have never held whisky before, that Naked Malt takes its name and its distinctive flavour. The ageing process, along with the blend of single malts, results in a rich and fruity whisky with a soft spice finish.

Naked Malt has become the fastest growing contemporary whisky with consecutive years of double-digit growth and is currently distributed in 63 markets globally. (IWSR 2022).

Naked Malt tasting notes:

Nose: Buttery toffee, apples, sweet spice

Taste: Vanilla custard, stewed fruit, raisins and sultanas

Finish: Rich sherried spice

*Naked Malt award wins

2024

**Drinks International, Top Trending Scotch Whisky #6 Drinks International, Top Ten Best Selling Scotch Whisky #10

2023

Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Excellent (94 points) Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Finalist Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Great Value World Spirits Competition, Double Gold Drinks International, Top Trending Scotch Whisky #4 Drinks International, Top 50 World’s Most Admired Whiskies #43

2022

Drinks International, Top Trending Scotch Whisky #10 International Spirits Challenge, Silver (Taste) World Spirits Competition, Best of Class World Spirits Competition, Double Gold Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Excellent (94 points) Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Finalist Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Great Value IWSR, Silver

2020

International Spirits Challenge, Gold

2019

World Spirits Competition, Double Gold