Club Suntory are proud to announce the bartender finalists from NSW, QLD, VIC, SA and WA, who will contest State Finals at this year’s Suntory Cup!
Returning in 2014 with great support of a record 633 entries received from bartenders all over Australia, all vying for the chance to compete in one of the country’s longest-running cocktail competitions: the Suntory Cup. After a gruelling blind judging process, in which all eligible cocktail entries were recreated by the Club Suntory team, the following outstanding finalists have been selected from each state:
WA- 21st JULY
ST BRUNO BISCOTTI- Kenny Soetomo
THE NEW REINA’S TWIST- Sebastian Terkildsen
RUM RYE ROUGE- Matt Bodycote
43RD LADY- Ben Greenham
FIRST OF THE ISLE –Tom Kearney
SA- 4th AUGUST
PLAYA BLANCA- Ollie Margan
KAZAN (FIRE MOUNT)- Michael Barendregt
THE MAN FROM MANTUA- Jack Miller
TWISTED TROPICAL SMASH- James Powers
VIC- 11th AUGUST
JALISCO DAZE – Andrew Buntine
CHARSLESTON TIMES- Kari Chambers
SAKURU SOUR- Harley Whittingham
GAMES KEEPER KNOCKOFF- Damien Kos
DAYBREAK HEARTACHE- Rick Marson
QLD- 18th AUGUST
THE WRITERS CURSE- Benjamin Ward
VALENTHYME- Dean Scuderi
MARE-GO- Mitch Mcclintock
DREADLOCK –Jason Hess
LOWLAND’S MARSH –Alissa Gabriel
NSW- 8th SEPT
PIRATE HOOK –Justin Southam
SPANISH INQUISITOR- Evan Brown
REPEAT AFTER ME- Yoshi Onishi
TURNING JAPANESE #3- Jonothan Carr
A JAPANESE ARTISIAN, A CARTHUSIAN MONK, & A SOMMELIAR WALK INTO A BAR… Marco Oshiro Giron
As always, the judging of cocktail entries for the competition was done without knowledge of the entrant’s name or place of work, making for a truly level playing field where the best-tasting drinks are those chosen. These winning finalists will now go on to battle it out at their respective state finals.
Trade judges will be looking for the bartender with the complete package: technical skills, personality, passion, knowledge, cleanliness and consistency . The finalists will also be put through their paces with a series of technical challenges before they step up to the plate and get mixing. Up for grabs at each meet will be not only bragging rights for the state title and prizes, but a spot contesting the national final event in Sydney later this year and a chance to win the top prize of the ultimate bartender’s fantasy trip to Japan visiting cocktail bars and distilleries with $1000 spending money!
With a reputation as some of the best fun to be had on the bartending calendar, Suntory Cup State Finals look sure to live up to their reputation. Get ready for madness, mayhem and mixology as Australia’s best-loved cocktail comp brings the noise in 2014 from July 21st!
Keep your eye on your email inbox for your invitation coming soon!