A smoky triumph for The Tailor

Samuel Stok is the winner of the first-ever Smokehead Cocktail Competition, held during the Perfect Serve Barshow 2025 in Amsterdam. A very proud moment for The Tailor Bar at the Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam!

On 9 September 2025, fourteen of the Netherlands’ most talented bartenders competed to create the ultimate Smokehead cocktail, each incorporating at least 15 ml of Smokehead Original Islay Single Malt and a distinctly Dutch ingredient.

Out of 41 national entries, fourteen finalists were selected to present their creations live before an expert jury, including Misja Vorstermans (ISAAC Academy), Albert van Beeck Calkoen (The Art of Drinks), and Michael Brown, Global Brand Ambassador of Smokehead.

Samuel impressed the jury with his original cocktail “Is it Cake?”, a bold and imaginative drink that perfectly embodied the Smokehead spirit. His victory earned him an exclusive trip to Islay, where he will visit the new Laggan Bay Distillery.