By Rebecca Harris
World Cocktail Week officially kicks off tomorrow, with events around the globe scheduled to celebrate mixology’s 200-year history.
World Cocktail Week is promoted and organised by the not-for-profit Museum of the American Cocktail. The final day, 13 May, honours the first time that the word cocktail was defined in print in 1806.
Sydney’s Hugos lounge will host an exclusive event on May 13 to celebrate the cocktail, while Melbourne’s 1806 bar will launch a weeklong program tomorrow focusing on all things cocktail.
1806 bartender and cocktail historian, Sebastian Reaburn, who will present an exposition of five iconic cocktails, said the cocktail has a special place in today’s turbulent environment.
“With the current national pressure on liquor laws and licensing, I think it’s important to celebrate cocktails and say good things about the industry and recognise that cocktails are not a problem drink,” Reaburn said.
1806 will be running a special World Cocktail Week menu throughout the week.