Since 2016 with Roots Craft Liqueurs and later on with Roots Divino 0% NA vermouths, we ran various Back to the Roots Cocktail Competitions.
“Back to the Roots” is a mobile competition, moving from place to place every year. The first competition took place in 2016 in Milan Italy and in 2017 moved on to the UK and London at Cahoots bar. 2018 was was is time to be on the US east coast and the final taking place in NYC. During the years we have had the honour to receive entries and finalists from some of the best bars in the world, such as Oriole, the Connaught bar, the American bar at the Savoy, the Aviary, Scarfes among others and finalists were judged by personalities such as the likes of Ben Reed, Simone Caporale, Mattia Pastori etc.
The focus is always on simplicity, balance and an inspiration going back to the roots & heritage of each competitor. The motto of the competition is:
“Truly great drinks are easy to make, you just need the elements, unique ingredients & a story to tell.”
See the highlights of the competitions below!
No & Low Alcohol - ROOTS GREEK APERITIVO COMPETITION 2022- The final
The Roots No-Low Greek Aperitivo competition final !
The first No and Low alcohol cocktail competition took place in Athens, by Roots Spirits.
ROOTS take us “back to the Roots” of No & Low alc. Spirits: simple, easy to understand and enjoy, natural, with a rich heritage and unique in the
world ingredients.
ROOTS Liqueurs are handcrafted, based on age-old herbal remedies, a family legacy of distilling dating back to 1850, and the 100% natural, native ingredients of Greece.
ROOTS DIVINO are non-alcoholic aperitifs based on wine (di vino). The halo shape on the label symbolizes the “divine” effect of enjoying a drinking occasion without the alcohol.
0% alc/vol craft aperitifs, with a story to tell
Going back to the roots of ancient herbal remedies, we rediscover bitter orange, gentian, wormwood & thyme in a bittersweet “rosso” aperitif and a contemporary “bianco” aperitif from Greece.
The venue:
Couleur Locale Athens
Normanou str. 3
Monastiraki Athens
The three judges were Vasilis Kyritsis (Co Owner of the Clumsies &, Line Athens), Giannis Bakos (Beverage Manager Tribeca Bar Thessaloniki, Bar Manager Jackie O Mykonos) and chef Nikos Thomas (Chef-patron Simul Restaurant, F’n’B manager Master Chef Gr)
— FINALISTS —
0% ALCOHOL ROOTS GREEK APERITIVO
w/ Roots Divino 0% alc vermouths
Alessandro Denise – Nymfes Bar – Crete
Nikos Kostakis – Barley – Larisa
Georgios Moudiotis – Catalaya Milos – Thessaloniki
Stelios Vlachos – Funky Monkey – Kozani
George Gianniotis – Forget about it – Athens
Enea Gkini – Rattan – Rhodes
Nikos Kostopoulos – Naked Ath – Athens
Panos Spyreas – Aigis Suites – Kea
Ioannis Politis – Kochlias – Mesolongi
Giannis Chondrogiannis – Zen Garden – Thessaloniki
Thanos Kapetanios – TGI Fridays – Athens
LOW ALCOHOL ROOTS GREEK APERITIVO
w/ Roots Craft Liqueurs
Konstantinos Vasilopoulos – Canaves Oia – Santorini
Dimitris Vasilakis – Ali Vafi Garden- Crete
Christos Stavrou – Piazza Duomo – Athens
Grigoris Mountanos – The Underdog Project – Athens
Miltos Vafeiadis – Baccara – Ptolemaida
Konstantinos Dormparakis – Yukatan Project – Patra
Alexandros Bourntenis – Grooove Bar – Volos
Solon Liakos – Grappa Vino – Volos
Pavlos Chondros – Rou Leisure Gatherings – Thessaloniki
Thanos Sideris – Elements Santorini- Santorini
Filippos Loukas – Luminous – Athens
Konstantinos Kostimpas – Blossom Bar – Volos
Back to the ROOTS 2019 - UK final
BACK TO THE ROOTS 2019
A low-abv long drink or a classic twist:
”Simplicity with a story to tell”
UK Final – Novikov Restaurant & Bar at London – Tuesday June 11th
Juan Jose Orellano from Beaufort Bar at the Savoy see you in Athens and the Athens Bar Show !
🇬🇧 UK:
Filip Stříbrný – Novikov Restaurant & Bar
Alessandro Geraci – Chiltern Firehouse
Jason Can – American Bar At the Savoy
Cheers
🙏🙏Our judges Tony Pescatori Evan Prousaefs
🙏🙏The venue Novikov Restaurant & Bar with Konstantinos Kotsis
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
All finalists (CHECK OUT THOSE AWESOME PEOPLE AND BARS!)
💪Alessandro Vella – Bar 45 at 45 Park Lane – London
💪Andrey Schmalbach – The Langham, London – London
💪Davide Leanza – Punch Room at the London Edition – London
💪Fabio Fanni – Do Not Disturb – London
💪Jacopo Correnti – Oriole Bar – London
💪Jim Whitmore – Toto bar newcastle – Newcastle
💪Juan Jose Orellano – Beaufort Bar , Savoy Hotel – London
💪Massimiliano Bosio – The Den | D&D London – London
💪Samuele Schittulli – The Alchemist St Martin’s Lane – London
💪Tasos Boskos – The Churchill Bar & Terrace – London
💪Theodoros Konstantopoulos – Sky Pod & City Garden – London
💪Claudio Furio – The London Edition – London
Back to the ROOTS 2019 - Italian final
BACK TO THE ROOTS 2019
A low-abv long drink or a classic twist:
”Simplicity with a story to tell”
Italian Final – Octavius Bar at The Stage Milano – Monday June 10th
Corey Squarzoni from Luca & Andrea – Milano see you in Athens and the Athens Bar Show !
Congrats to the top 3 !
🇮🇹 Italy:
Leonardo Todisco – Rita & Cocktails – Milano
Alessandro SAx Di Fabrizio – La Nuova Lavanderia – C.&C. Cocktail Bar – Pescara
Stefano Zuliani – MORcocktail – Trieste
Our judges:
Mihai Ostafi from Oriole Bar &
Benjamin F. Cavagna from 1930 Cocktail Bar
and all finalists !
💪Alessandro Governatori – Corso Garibaldi 59, Bar Torino Ancona – Ancona
💪Eddy Reinche – Garage Nardini Osteria e Cocktail – Bassano del grappa
💪Gabriele Tammaro – Octavius Bar @ The Stage Milano – Milano
💪Gabriele Zambelli – Free Style Scandiano – Scandiano (Reggio Emilia)
💪Ilia Gorshkov – MAD – Souls & Spirits – Florence
💪Leonardo Todisco – Rita & Cocktails – Milano
💪Manuel Monetti – Voia – Art, Food & Cocktail Bar – Art, Food & Cocktail Bar – Rome
💪Marco Carcatella – Le Malve – Parma
💪Mattia Lotti – Jigger – spiriti e cucinacina – Reggio Emilia
💪Mirko Salvagno – Il Gallone – cocktail & wine bar – Mantova
💪Nicoló Rossi – Barrier – Bergamo
💪Suraya Canton – Officine Riunite Milanesi – Milano
And last but not least our very own people !
Rossi & Rossi
Marina Del Puppo
Maurizio Andriani
Riccardo Caliano
Back to the ROOTS 2018 - UK final
Back to the Roots UK competition final
Cahoots – London
Judges: Simone Caporale, Ben Reed
It was a simple, yet tough competition, as most finalists confirmed. The philosophy of Roots brings us back to the four basic elements of nature, where everything is elemental, natural and true. This was also the logic of back to the Roots UK competition:
Truly great drinks are easy to make, you just need the elements, the unique ingredients & a story to tell.
With a maximum of 4 ingredients and no homemade infusions or hard to find materials, it is not easy to find the perfect balance, therefore you need a good idea, amazing products & an interesting yet balanced flavour.
We were hosted by Cahoots bar in London, having alongside two bar legends as judges, Ben Reed and Simone Caporale.
