‘The Taniwha’ named most uniquely NZ cocktail
Auckland bartender Cal Ross has won the inaugural Scapegrace: Uncharted Spirits cocktail competition with his uniquely New Zealand creation, ‘The Taniwha’.
The cocktail was one of more than 60 entries submitted from across the country in the Scapegrace event, which challenged bartenders across New Zealand to craft a cocktail that showcased an aspect of the country’s terroir and natural ingredients.
It aimed to inspire them to explore regional ingredients, with Scapegrace assigning specific areas of New Zealand for each participant to represent. Regional finalists were then flown to Central Otago to compete in the final event.
The Taniwha features Scapegrace Black, complemented by a local Syrah and a signature ‘Bushfire Shrub’, achieving a sophisticated balance of flavours that impressed the judging panel.
Cal Ross’ winning cocktail ‘The Taniwha’
“The Taniwha stood out to a great degree in a field of already exceptional finalists’ drinks,” said Scapegrace Product Development & Advocacy Manager Mikey Ball.
“The drink is a thoughtful and well-executed example of depth of story and research that defined the Fiordland region in liquid. It also showcased a wonderful balance of conventional and local ingredients that painted the perfect picture.”
“This competition encourages bartenders to dive into the culture and natural resources of unfamiliar regions, expanding their understanding and introducing new flavour profiles into their work.”
Cal Ross, who bartends at Panacea in Auckland, won $1,000 and a trip to Central Otago to judge the competition in 2025. He says it was a fantastic experience.
“What a ride. I’m chuffed to not only win but to tick off a few things on my bucket list on the way. The highlight was meeting some amazing people and fantastic competitors.”
Mikey Ball says the Scapegrace team were inspired to create the competition as they explored the local flavours of Central Otago, where the brand is building New Zealand’s largest ever distillery.
