Estonian non-alcoholic cocktail wins New York competition

Kristo Tomingas won the international competition Battle of the Modern Bartender at the New York Restoran Show on March 8 with an alcohol-free cocktail based on the Flâneur, an alcohol-free distilled spirit from Lahhentagge.

Estonia’s first non-alcoholic distilled beverage, Lahhentagge Flâneur, is distilled in Kuressaare from the juniper berries of Saaremaa.

“Since Flâneur’s taste is the closest to the taste of gin, I used it in the competition for a new type of cocktail, something suitable for those who can’t or don’t want to drink alcohol,” said Kristo Tomingas of Cocktail Catering OÜ.

“Everybody was mesmerized - you are really competing with a non-alcoholic cocktail? They all wanted to get a glimpse of alco-free gin, and they really liked it,” added Tomingas.

Given the global trend and the market potential of non-alcoholic beverages in, for example, Islamic countries, Lahhentagge is also crowdfunding on Fundwise to expand its production and exports. The minimum target of 100,000 euros was reached within two days, and it lasts until March 24 if the maximum goal 200,000 euros is not reached earlier.

“Non-alcoholic cocktails are gaining popularity around the world. Hence we decided to create a gin-like non-alcoholic drink,” said Lahhentagge founder Maarit Pöör.

“We occasionally hear from the older people - often men - who wonder for what do you need alcohol-free gin for? However, such issues do not arise with younger clients, especially in foreign markets. Young people all over the world are increasingly looking for exciting taste experiences, rather than just booze,” said Pöör.

Kristo Tomingas, winning cocktail competition in new york with Flâneur

10 Things You Didn't Know About Gin

Commonly known as spring’s power spirit, gin is one of the most consumed spirits in the world. An integral part of the iconic duo; gin and tonic, it is also mixed with a lot of classic cocktails. Gin has a very intriguing history, and below are ten things you probably did not know about this popular spirit.

1. Gin Originates From Holland: Even though gin is mostly identified with Britain, it actually originated from Holland. Its predecessor was known as genever, and was discovered by the Brits while fighting the Dutch in the Anglo-Dutch war of the 17th century. It can therefore be said that gin had its roots in war.

2. Dutch Courage: The term “Dutch Courage” was first used by the Brits. It was used to describe the consumption of gin by Dutch soldiers during this war. These soldiers consumed genever as a morale-booster before going on the battlefield to face the Brits. This prompted the Brits to adapt this drink as theirs.

Roots of gin are in pharmacy’s, photo from Barcelona

3. Gin Had Its Roots In Pharmacy: In the 17th century, gin was sold as an herbal medicine in Holland. It was prescribed for gallstones, gout as well as stomach and kidney diseases.

4. The Godfather of Gin: Franciscus Sylvius is regarded as the godfather of gin. He is a Dutch physician who invented genever in the 16th century. He created genever as a medicine to cure several ailments as listed above. It was then given to soldiers during the Dutch Independence War.

5. Gin Can Be Dry Or Sweet: Gin has variants; it is either sweet or dry, as in lacking sweetness. London gin, the most popular type is dry while other variants such as Plymouth gin are sweet.

6. Gin And Tonic: An interesting fact about this iconic cocktail is that it was invented as a cure for malaria. Tonic contains quinine, and as such was prescribed as a cure for malaria. The taste was however awful, and gin was added to make it taste better. This is how this amazing cocktail came to be.

7. London Gin Is Rarely Made In London: Gin unlike other spirits like tequila, cognac and scotch does not have geographical restrictions. The variant of the gin and not the place of production is what gave it its name.

8. The Philippines Consume The Most Gin: Even though Britain is the adoptive motherland of gin, they are not its highest consumers. The Filipinos consume more gin than the Brits. As a matter of fact, they account for close to half of the world’s total consumption of gin.

9. Made For Cocktails: Asides gin and tonic; gin is an important ingredient for several classic cocktails. They include Negroni, Tom Collins, Vesper, Singapore Sling, Silver Bronx, Gimlet, French 75, Hanky Panky, and Clover Club.

10. You Can Make Your Own Gin: Gin is almost like a flavoured vodka; therefore you can experiment at home. You simply need to infuse the vodka with juniper berries as well as suitable botanicals and spices of your choice.