Martin Vogeltanz wins Czech Finlandia: Road to Rome bartending competition

Martin Vogeltanz, a bartender from Plzeň, has won the Czech round of the international bartending competition ‘Finlandia: Road to Rome’. His victory secures him a place in the semifinals held in Rome.

Vogeltanz impressed the judges with a cocktail designed to connect Finland, Italy, and the Czech Republic through both narrative and ingredients. The drink utilized Finlandia vodka, Italian myrtle, and tansy, alongside a bergamot and herb cordial. He spent approximately two weeks refining the balance of the ingredients.

The competition, which took place in Brno, included a secret discipline where contestants had to identify six different flavors of Finlandia vodka using only their sense of smell. Vogeltanz, a veteran with over 20 years of experience and a former European champion, now prepares for the next stage of the competition in Italy.