The competition final featured two bar teams of six people working together to recreate two saloon bars which were once owned by Jack Daniel called Red Dog and White Rabbit over a two-night period.
The winning team consisted of Joe Brooke from Hedonist; Anna Gaglione of The Racketeer; Benji Davies of Little Mercies; Ryan Twigger from Kenilworth Hotel; Adam Hussein of Artesian and Kesia McHardy from Kelvingrove Café.
The teams were based in London bars Mint Gun Club and Original Sin and were individually mentored by bar owners Rich Hunt and Tom Loosli. Hunt’s team represented the White Rabbit saloon at Mint Gun Club and will now be taken on a trip to experience the home of Jack Daniel’s in Lynchburg, Tennessee.
Frank McGivern, UK advocacy manager for Jack Daniel’s said: “Mentorship, entrepreneurialism, creativity, quality and consistency have always been at the heart of the Tennessee Calling competition series. It has been incredible to see this realised in an all new format with a two-day live event, seeing the resurrection of these two saloons and showcasing the diversity of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.”
Tennessee Calling IV began at Imbibe Live in July with a seminar led byLoosli and Hunt around ‘Fine Establishments and Questionable Joints’ – to explain how Jack Daniel’s is present in high-end cocktail bars and dive bars simultaneously.
Loosli’s Original Sin was turned into a Tennessee dive bar representing Red Dog while Mint Gun Club acted as the ‘fine establishment’ White Rabbit.
“From start to finish it has been an incredible experience to be a part of resurrecting the iconic White Rabbit Saloon for Tennessee Calling IV,” said Hunt. “I am incredibly proud and inspired to have seen such a disparate group of finalists come together as a rock solid team to take this year’s title.”
