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Newcastle cocktail maker voted best in the UK for his new gin recipe A cocktail maker from Tyneside has been voted the best in the UK for his new gin recipe Ping's Obsession - Thanks to a secret ingredient and a charity shop bargain. Joseph Miller, 23, enrolled himself into Brockmans gin-making competition only for fun. He was aware that almost 300 mixologists from over 30 countries had sent in their entries. I thought that I had no hope of making it to the final round, forget being one of the winners. He took two days to come up with his new cocktail recipe. I kept experimenting with different ingredients in varied proportions and asked my friends to try it for me, he explained.

Finally, he was happy after adding his handmade blackberry and sage syrup which is the top-secret ingredient. All my friends loved it. I tried about 50 different combinations before coming up with the final mix. The next task was to select the container. Actually, it was the most important decision,`` Joseph said. The recipe was unusual serving it in a normal cocktail glass would not do it justice.

That's when he remembered coming across a fancy duck-shaped chinaware in one of the charity shops in town. Upon enquiry, he discovered that it originated from a 1933 children's book about a domesticated duck named Ping getting lost in a river only to learn a valuable life lesson.

It was perfect, Joseph said. The colour combination was distinctive and the size was tailormade.

He added: I could picture myself enjoying the drink in this container. It sounded pretty cool and obviously, I had to call it Ping's Obsession. The voting went on for a week before he found out that he had got the highest votes in the UK and second biggest numbers in the world. I am glad that I could represent Newcastle and help the city make its mark globally.

It`s high time that we are recognised for our quality of drinks. Cocktail making is an art, we are all artists, he said. Joseph, who has been making cocktails for the last five years, has just returned from his prize-winner's trip to New Orleans where got to attend the famous Tales of the Cocktail spirit festival. I was living my dream, he said. It was huge and I have got so many new ideas now, can't wait to try them.

Joseph aims to own a bar in the future which would be a perfect mix of culture and modern style. But for now, he is looking forward to Ping's Obsession being out on sale for the first time in the city's upcoming Restaurant Week event. He said: I'm super excited but slightly nervous too. I hope my drink becomes our best-seller. So, is Ping's Obsession Joseph own favourite drink? It's funny but I`m not a gin and tonic guy, he said. I'd rather have whisky or rum.