Aperitif founder reaches final of cocktail competition

Mr Le Gallez, who founded Aperitif in 2013, placed fifth out of the final 12 contestants in the Spirits Business Edgerton Pink Gin Masters, with his rose petal-infused black tea cocktail.

The finals were held at the Club Bar at The Ivy in London's West End, where Mr Le Gallez was up against bartenders from some of the UK's most critically-acclaimed bars.

The cocktail, named Rose Garden Tea, was a hit with the judges. 'I could not fault his drink, it was very well presented in a bone-china tea cup, the flavour was as he described it, a very nice taste of smoked tea…quite nicely balanced,' said Mike Sweetman, national vice-president of the UK Bartenders' Guild.

Mr Le Gallez and the other finalists will have their cocktails featured in a promotional recipe book which will be published by Edgerton Pink Gin later this year.

'It's a great opportunity for me to establish my name as an accomplished bartender and everyone I spoke to at the finals was intrigued by the island of Guernsey.

'I've got a taste for competing now and I'll be continuing to represent Guernsey on the national and hopefully global stage throughout this year and the next,' said Mr Le Gallez.