About The “Cruising Commodore”

Michael the “Cocktail Commodore” grew up in the hospitality and marine world, working from a young age in his family’s businesses. Those early years taught him the basics of bartending, good service, hospitality and how to make people feel welcome — skills that have stayed with him ever since.

While studying Product Design at the University of Dundee, he worked in several Dundee and St Andrews venues to earn extra money.. There, he developed a real interest in cocktails and the craft behind them, attending many mixology courses alongside. As part of his degree, he designed and built a working, functional, user friendly, funky cocktail bar — a project that was later sold to a Scottish cocktail venue and earned him the Salterns Prize for Creativity and Academic Excellence in 2026 from UoD.

For the past two seasons, Michael has been running The Flybridge Bar at Knockninny, www.knockninny.com, which has become a genuine highlight for visitors. Guests regularly comment on how impressed they are with his cocktails and mixology— the balance, the creativity, and the relaxed way he brings it all together.

Out of season, Michael now offers his mobile cocktail service; The Cruising Commodore for private parties, corporate events, and small gatherings. After being asked many times to recreate the Flybridge experience in people’s homes, he began taking on private bookings — and the response has been so positive that he’s now offering it as a part‑time business.

Michael brings design thinking, hands‑on cocktail shaking, hospitality experience, and a calm, friendly style to every event, creating cocktails that feel thoughtful, well‑made, and enjoy.

Shaking things up!

The finished product

Knockninny - Location of The Flybridge Bar

The mobile cocktail bar university project