By Stefanie Collins, editor bars&clubs
Entries are open for the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge, with island2island, distributor of Angostura aromatic bitters and rum in Australia, looking for entrants to carry on from current global winner, Australian Mike Tomasic.
Mike Tomasic won the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge in 2014.
Tomasic is not the first Australian to take out the title, Marco Nunes won the inaugural event in 2006, making Australia one to watch according to Allan Shearer, CEO of island2island.
“Australia has some of the most talented bartenders in the world,” he says. “We are now the country to beat at the finals in Trinidad.”
Entries for the Australian heats close on June 15, with bartenders given just one month to sort their submissions. Up for grabs is AU$10,000 in prize money plus a 12 month contract as the Australian Angostura Brand Ambassador. The winner of the Australian final will also travel to Trinidad, during Carnivale, to compete for the global title. The winner of the global competition will take home US$10,000 and a two year contract to travel the globe as Global Angostura Brand Ambassador.
Current Australian and Global Angostura Brand Ambassador, Tomasic believes that the competition is up there with best, and not just for the prizes.
“It encourages classically oriented cocktails without all the fanfare and fuss,” he says. “And that means your cocktails have nowhere to hide. You have to think hard about the drinks you put forward.”
Bartenders can enter through the island2island Facebook page, with heats will be held in each state throughout July and August this year.
“At this stage of the competition, we are looking for creativity and a good understanding of balancing flavours,” says Shearer.