By Sacha Delfosse
Club Suntory is on a drive to recruit a ‘League of Extraordinary Bartenders’ – an army of cocktail superheroes to battle against boring and bland concoctions in the 2011 Suntory Cup Cocktail Competition.
The Suntory Cup has been held for past 23 years, with the trophy having been won by some of the local bartending industry’s best, including Marco Noe, Misty Hoeta, Kristy Robertson and Merlin Jerebine (here seen winning the 2009 Suntory Cup).
The competition officially opens today (April 11) with the entry period running to early May.
Unlike other cocktail contests, the Suntory Cup is judged by Club Suntory members through ‘blind’ voting- where the creator of the cocktail being assessed remains unknown to the judges.
“This was the fairest format I have ever experienced in a cocktail competition. I love how it was accessible to all levels of bartenders,” said Jerebine.
“We all had a blast while we worked as a team prepping everyone’s drink for the group judging. It is an honour for me to be on the long list of Suntory Cup winners.”
There will be five state finals held for this year’s Suntory Cup, with the winner of each then flown to Sydney for the national final to compete for a bar and distillery trip around France with $1,000 spending money.
To enter, click here or visit the Club Suntory website between April 11 and May 3 to submit your best original cocktail recipe.