Queenstown cocktail maestro Dan Miles, head barman at exclusive Eichardt’s Private Hotel, is consolidating his reputation as one of the best barmen in the country.
Hot from winning a coveted place last week on a New Zealand team to compete in the fifth annual 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup, he flew to Auckland this week to compete as a finalist in one of Australia’s most respected bartender competitions, ‘The Glenfiddich Untouchables’, taking place in New Zealand for the first time.
The Glenfiddich Untouchables competition is in its third year and the finals featured eight of Australasia’s best, most talented barman – Dan created a cocktail for the event called ‘Ra’s Chariot’ named after the ancient Egyptian sun god.
While he did not place in the Untouchables competition, 34-year-old Dan is also being promoted as one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ – one of the seven great hopes in New Zealand bartending – at this week’s Auckland International BarShow where he will give a presentation about working with rum.
“It’s been a bit of a dream run,” he said with a degree of understatement as he prepared for the Auckland trip.
“It was a six-month campaign to get to the finals of the 42Below Cocktail World Cup, and for a bartender it’s like getting into the Olympics to be named as one of six people to make the two New Zealand teams, whittled down from the 1,000-plus bartenders who entered,” he said.
“You have to prove from the very beginning that you can create an absolutely killer world class drink with a great style, content, flavour and concept, something that will really grab people’s imagination,” said Dan.
Dan’s cocktail in a mountaineer’s cup – honouring Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary – proved to be a winner, earning him a place on a New Zealand team that will be one of 21 from all around the world competing for the ultimate title in Queenstown from September 9 to 13.
He and fellow team members Jason Clarke from Queenstown bar Debajo and a female bartender from Wellington’s Matterhorn, will create a brand new drink and theme for the Cocktail World Cup.
“A New Zealand team has never won, although we’ve come second the last two years in a row,” he said.
“The competition’s going to be absolutely exceptional tough but I think this is our strongest-ever team and this is our year. For serious bartenders, this is the one, the pinnacle of what you can do,” he said.
His cocktail-making experience is ever increasing. Earlier this year Dan was one of three co-creators of a $1,000 cocktail for Appleton Estate Jamaica rum, containing 100-year-old brandy, 40-year-old rum, Thai saffron and garnished with real gold.
He’s no stranger to the art of cocktail making, having worked behind bars “on and off” for most of his life. He has been in Queenstown for four years and has really enjoyed the past year at Eichardt’s.
The secret of good bartending, he said, is easy.
“You’ve got to have a good palate, a sense of humour, and be able to cope with people at their best and their worst. It’s one of those things that anyone can do, but not anybody can do it well.”
Eichardt’s General Manager Victoria Shaw said patrons and guests at the exclusive lakefront hotel had always known Dan was a star.
“He’s the perfect bartender, always there with a welcoming smile and an utterly professional, friendly and knowledgeable manner,” she said.
“We’ll be there cheering him on for the Cocktail World Cup, confident he’ll help the Kiwi team finally take out that top spot.”
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