Entries are now open for the 2018 Diageo Reserve GB World Class Bartender Competition. For ambitious career bartenders World Class offers an unparalleled opportunity to prove their bartending skills and quickly progress their career. And as they say, “You’ve got to be in it to win it.” So, what does entering entail?
This, the 11th World Class Competition, starts with potential competitors uploading a digital submission of one cocktail recipe and serve complying with this years’ theme of Closed Loop Cocktails. This comprises two key elements:
1. The Resourceful Bartender – “focusing on the significance of sustainability and resourcefulness, enabling bartenders to create a better bar, serve and working environment.”
2. Heat of the Moment – explores “flavour and experimentation, delving into culinary influences”.
Bartenders are invited to submit one cocktail to TheWorldClassClub.com, complying with both the above elements so demonstrating sustainability and culinary technique before 30th March 2018.
Cocktails submitted must include at least 30ml of any Diageo Reserve spirit from the World Class portfolio (listed below) and this should form the foundation of the serve.
During the competition contestants will be invited to showcase their skills in a series of Challenges designed to test their ability, knowledge and originality, whilst demonstrating proficiency and telling their own story. The competition will comprise three Challenge stages.
Judges will visit selected bartenders who have submitted their cocktail to TheWorldClassClub.com to sample and evaluate their entry drinks. The judges will then choose the UK’s top 30 to participate in the semi-finals.
To be held in May 2018, this stage of the competition will identify the UK’s top ten bartenders to progress to the GB final.
One of the most important competition finals in the industry will see ten of the UK’s most ambitious bartenders going head to head for one to be crowned GB World Class Bartender of the Year 2018.
This year’s overall winner will win coveted title of GB World Class Bartender of the Year 2018 and be awarded with a prize package valued at over £15,000 including:
Ketel One Vodka
Ketel One Vodka
Ketel One Vodka
Cîroc (any variant)
Tanqueray No. TEN Gin
Jinzu Gin
Don Julio Tequila (any variant)
Ron Zacapa 23
Zacapa XO
Bulleit Bourbon whiskey
Bulleit Rye whiskey
Talisker single malt whisky
Cardhu single malt whisky
Singleton single malt whisky
Haig Club Scotch grain whisky
Roe & Co Irish whiskey
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve
Johnnie Walker Blender’s Batch