Cheers!

Issued: 27 March 2008

After days of mixing, testing and tasting alcohol-free cocktails, The Tartan Mocktail Competition judges have finally chosen the mocktail that will toast Tartan Day in Angus, across Scotland and all over the world!

And the winner is… Buddies Nightclub in Kirriemuir, which has come up with the delicious Tart an Fizz – a mouth-watering combination of a coulis of locally-grown raspberries and blackberries, lime cordial, blackcurrant cordial and our other national drink, Irn Bru, garnished with a strawberry. "We wanted to come up with something fruity, quick and tasty," revealed Tracy Douglas from Buddies Nightclub. "So we looked at our shelves and came up with the appropriately-named Tart an Fizz – Tart for the berries and Fizz for the Irn Bru.

"Buddies is the current holder of the Angus Best Bar None Award and it's wonderful to be the winners of this Angus competition, too!"

The Tartan Day Mocktail Competition was run by Focus on Alcohol Angus and Angus Ahead. "The Tartan Day Mocktail competition highlights how easy it is toast a special occasion such as Tartan Day while still promoting the safe, responsible drinking message," said Iain Turnbull of Focus on Alcohol Angus.

The competition judges were looking for a mocktail, which truly reflected the flavours and colours of Angus. Iain Turnbull explained that, after considerable and careful deliberation, Carnoustie Golf Hotel's Armstrong (cranberry juice, Irn Bru, local raspberries and lime juice) and Webster's Secondary School's 'Websters Passion ' were selected as runners-up. "Buddies' Tart an Fizz was named the winner as the judges felt this was a fun, refreshing mocktail which would appeal to all ages and all tastes," Iain said.

As well as giving Tartan Day Angus its own alcohol-free cocktail, The Mocktail Competition also presented a fantastic opportunity for publicans and local berry, fruit and dairy producers to work together. "Hopefully, this teamwork between local publicans and local producers will continue," said Angus Council's Infrastructure Vice Services Convener, David Fairweather. "Perhaps Angus will soon be just as well known for its berry-based mocktails as it is for its berries!"

Buddies' Tart an Fizz was the toast with a difference at the launch of Tartan Day Scotland at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, March 27. It will also be served to over 200 top Scottish guests at the prestigious Tartan Day Scotland Gala Dinner, which is taking place on Friday, April 4 at Carnoustie Golf Hotel.

"At Buddies, we'll be serving Tart an Fizz right through the week of special events leading up to Tartan Day on April 6, when we'll certainly be toasting Scotland and all things Scottish with a glass or two of our winning mocktail," said Tracy Douglas from Buddies."And, as the recipe is available on www.tartandayscotland.com, we'd love Tart an Fizz to be served at everyone's Tartan Day celebrations – no matter where in the world they are."

An IRN-BRU spokesperson commented:

"Tartan Day represents a crucial date in Scotland's history and it is only right that such an important day is celebrated with the nation's favourite soft drink, IRN-BRU. We are sure that Buddies Nightclub's Tart an Fizz, will be a huge success and a refreshing alternative to alcoholic drinks, well done to Buddies for their winning efforts."