THIS WEEK SAW the inaugural Buckfast Cocktail Competition take place in Galway.

This featured eight bars across Galway competing to be named the King or Queen of Buckfast.

Entry was open to all licenced premises in the Galway area and contestants were subject to two rules to be able to compete.

Firstly, whatever cocktail they made was required to contain the tonic wine. Secondly, their concoction should be “easily reproduced and available to purchase in the entrant’s bar.”

The company say that all of the entrants to the competition were of “very high quality” and that the prize on offer to the winners was “pride”.

Winners

The first place went to Fionn Doyle from The Skeff in Galway. His winning cocktail, “Buckfast Lives Forever”, contained cucumber, lime, strawberry, gin and a range of other ingredients to give the wine a “fresh citrus take”.

Second place was taken by a seasonal variation cocktail called “Christmas Pudding” – which contained real cherries as well as cream and nutmeg.

Third place was taken by a Snoop Dog inspired effort. Buckfast based egg nog “Buck Noggy Nog” was made by Colm from Bierhaus.

The drink

Buckfast is a tonic wine manufactured by Benedictine monks in Buckfast Abbey in the English county of Devon.

It has previously faced criticism over its association with violent crime – with much of this focus being on its consumption in Scotland.

The drink is available to buy on Amazon, where some users are rather emphatic in their praise for it.

Source: amazon.co.uk