Aberdeen drinks expert Adrian Gomes is celebrating after bagging Campari Mixologist of the Year at the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards in Glasgow earlier this week.

Formerly known as the Dram Awards, the ceremony took place on Monday (August 29) at The Doubletree Hilton Glasgow Central.

Adrian was one of six talents from the Granite City, as well as several businesses including Bartenders Lounge and The Ivy Lodge, to name a few, up for awards.

The Tippling House founder, from Aboyne, took home first place for his drink the Champari – a play on the words Champagne and Campari.

Top marks for Aberdeen industry expert Adrian Gomes

Adrian has worked in hospitality since the age of 18.

Speaking on the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards, he entered himself after spotting a post on the Aberdeen Bartenders Club Facebook page in June.

“They [the awards’ organisers] were taking drinks entries for the Campari – a red Italian liqueur – Mixologist of the Year,” says Adrian.

“I had to fire up a recipe and send a photo of the drink, so I thought I’ll see how it goes.

“This was back in June and I’d forgotten about it.

“Then they phoned up towards the end of July and were quite keen for me to be there [the heats].”

The Aberdeen heats took place at The Tippling House on Belmont Street, and the top three mixologists were revealed – one, of course, being Adrian.

Three judges, including event organiser Susan Young, were in attendance.

Adrian adds: “The judges had their own scoring sheets.

“I guess they would have marked it based on taste, aroma, garnish, innovation, presentation, and Campari-based knowledge as well.”

What was in Adrian’s award-winning cocktail, the Champari?

The award-winning drink was “a play on strawberries and Champari going so well together,” Adrian went on to say.

“It was called the Champari and I used a Negroni framework for it.

“It was made with strawberry-infused Campari, Rosé vermouth, Provence (dry) Rosé, a little bit of Crème a la Fraise de Bois – a wild strawberry liqueur from France – and a touch of acid blend.

“Then I mixed up orange and lemon bitters to get a more rounded, citrus and bitter kind of feel. This was all stirred down.

“The drink was served up and garnished with some Champagne bubbles.”

‘I was really honoured and happy,’ says Adrian reflecting on the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards win

The drinks expert revealed the concoction “came together fairly quickly” – “not like all drinks”, he added.

“These things go either way because everyone has a different opinion on what they drink.

“They’re dependent on the opinions of the judges and how they perceive it.

“I’m not really the excitable type, but I was honoured really, and happy.”

Competitions allow opportunity for creativity

The Scottish Bar and Pub Awards celebrated its 28th year, making them Scotland’s longest-established hospitality awards.

More than 600 people were in attendance at this year’s ceremony, including Adrian and his two sisters.

The mixologist said: “I’ve been in this game a long time now.

“In the early days of The Tippling House, I had my competition era in terms of personal development.

“Over the last couple of years I’ve been doing a lot more work for drinks brands and companies, creating drinks strategies or doing one off drinks for trade shows and takeovers, so that’s got me back into that creative mindset.

“For me, it’s nice to balance the creative aspect of the job with the fact that sometimes I have to spend hours in front of the laptop.”

Proud to be part of city’s impressive bartending community

He went on to say: “In the bartending community in Aberdeen, it punches above it’s weight in a way that I think no other city does.

“Everybody would be hard pushed to argue that they deliver the level of talent that Aberdeen has (and has had in the past 15 years).

“And now it feels like there’s a new crop coming through.

The team are ready for a fun night at the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards! Wish them luck! pic.twitter.com/bnNTXSTXVz

— Siberia Bar & Hotel (@SiberiaAberdeen) August 29, 2023

“When you look at some of the best bars in the UK as voted by peers and industry personalities from around the world, there’s a lot of Aberdonians at the heart of it.”

Looking ahead, Adrian will be working alongside Cuttie Sark blended Scotch whisky.

He also has other plans in the pipeline that will be revealed in due course.

In terms of other local winners, Malones on Shiprow secured Pub of the Year, Scott Anderson – Siberia’s business development manager – won Digital Innovator of the Year, while Bryony Baxter of Revolution was named Best Apprentice.