Michael Collovigh of Gucci Giardino in Florence has won the Altamura Distilleries Competition 2026: Italian Edition with The Devil’s Trencadís, a savory twist on the Satan’s Whiskers cocktail. The victory, decided on 9 October at Locale Firenze, earns him a year representing the brand at international bar events throughout 2027.
Collovigh beat four fellow finalists to claim the title.
His winning serve pairs Altamura Distilleries Vodka with dry vermouth, fresh orange juice and a radicchio-based Les Conspiracions cordial, treated with two enzymes to boost flavor extraction and strip out bitterness. Beetroot extract, miso water and soy sauce then push the drink into savory territory.
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READ THE STORY“Michael’s drink is exactly what this competition exists for,” said Lorenzo Di Cola, international head of brand at Altamura Distilleries. “Beetroot, miso and soy have no business sitting this comfortably alongside vodka, but the savoury, peppery character of our durum wheat ties them perfectly together.”
The name nods to trencadís, the Catalan mosaic technique made famous by Gaudí, in which broken fragments are rearranged into new compositions.
In keeping with the original from The Savoy Cocktail Book, the drink can be served two ways: straight up in a Nick & Nora glass, or curled, on the rocks. True to form, there is no garnish.
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Now in its second year, the competition ran four semi-finals across Italy before the final.
The judging panel was drawn from several of the world’s most celebrated bars. It featured Giacomo Giannotti of Paradiso in Barcelona, Stefano Catino of Sydney’s Maybe Group, Frank Maldonado of Employees Only in New York, Tommy Wong of Hope & Sesame in Guangzhou, and 2025 champion Giorgia Fornaciari of the Stravinskij Bar in Rome.
Di Cola added: “Italy is producing some of the most exciting bartenders in the world, and we can’t wait to put Michael in front of an international audience in 2027.”
Collovigh said he approached the serve like a chef. “I wanted to build a drink the way a chef builds a dish, layer by layer, and Altamura gave me the perfect canvas,” he said.
“To win in front of a panel like this, made up of bartenders I’ve looked up to for years, is incredible,” he added.
Altamura Distilleries Vodka is distilled entirely from Altamura durum wheat grown in Puglia, the grain behind the PDO-protected Pane di Altamura. Triple distilled and bottled at 43% ABV, it carries official tasting notes from the brand of aniseed, cracked pepper and lemon zest. The brand is Official Vodka Partner of The World’s 50 Best Hotels.
