On Monday, bartenders from around the country gathered in Sydney to contest the Australian final of the Diplomatico World Tournament.
The finals saw each competitor make two drinks for the competition’s judges: Ben Baranow of Baranows Emporium, the Australian distributors of Diplomatico; Sam Bygrave, Australian Bartender editor; and Dave Withers of Archie Rose. First up, each competitor made the drink which saw them through their state finals to the national final, which were made with the Diplomatico traditional range: Diplomatico Blanco, Diplomatico Reserva, and Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva.
The second cocktail was one of their own creation using the newly released Diplomatico Mantuano rum, which was to be the hero ingredient of the drink.
There were solid performances all round from a talented cohort of cocktail bartenders, but on the day there would be only one winner who’d go on to compete against New Zealand to have a crack at the global final. At the competition after party at PS40, the winner was announced: Cameron Pirret from Seymour’s Cocktails & Oysters.
Take a look the finalists below and stay tuned for more.
The Australian Finalists
Andrew Macleod, Grain Bar, Sydney
Silas Otto, Hippo Co, Canberra
Andrea Marseglia, Boilermaker House
Giovanni Moschen, Eataliano by Pino, Melbourne
Cameron Pirret, Seymour’s Cocktail & Oyster Bar, Brisbane
Jack Stacey, The Gresham Bar, Brisbane