Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year returns in 2021, with entries to the Australian competition open from 1 January. The Australian winner will compete in the Global Finals, where a new World Class Global Bartender of the Year will be crowned in a unique multi-format event hosted in Madrid, Spain from 5-8th July 2021.
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For the first time there were ‘back to back winners’ in the category Best Bartender including Hampus Thunholm (Sweden) and Harry Bell (Denmark). The best cocktail bars in the Nordics went to A Bar Called Gemma (Sweden), Pier 42 (Norway), Gensyn (Denmark), Chihuahua Julep (Finland) and Jungle Cocktail Bar (Iceland).
Amongst the flurry of new whisky releases from distilleries across the country, one that is attracting a fair amount of interest is the Ascension release from Lawrenny Estate Distillery
Little Prince Wine opened quietly onto Melbourne’s hospitality scene on the first day of Lockdown 2.0, and has been moonlighting as a neighbourhood coffee haunt, bottle shop and gourmet grocer ever since. But now it will operate as it was always intended; a chic European inspired wine bar.
“The main rule is to watch the door at all times and make sure every single person is greeted, and also every single person once they leave they say goodbye and thanks.”
Procera gin was founded with a dream to bring the very best of Africa to the world. Proudly distilled in Nairobi, Kenya, at 1638 metres above sea level, it’s the world’s first gin to use Juniperus Procera, which is harvested just 70 kilometres from the distillery.
This one is a new Sydney restaurant, tequila and mezcal bar and taqueria that launched in the heart of the CBD in October. It’s from the team behind Paddington’s Tequila Mockingbird, and most recently, pop-up venue Tequila on York.
Regardless of where the whiskey is made, or which family generation is in charge, the family motto remains the same as when Pappy first started the business. “At a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon.”
“The last build I did from scratch was Penny Young Beer Hall in Moonee Ponds. It was here I realised I had had enough of making rich people richer and wanted to try my hand at being my own boss.”
“People solicit and compete for awards and do what they can to get noticed and people get nasty about winners and complain a lot.” – Simon Ford, 86 Spirits Company & former Chair of Tales Awards
“We are positive that come September 2021 the industry will be well overdue for the country’s biggest annual trade event. I can’t wait to get back to Bar Week and reconnect with all our industry friends from around the country after the hell of 2020!” – David Spanton, Sydney Bar Week founder
This week, The West Winds Gin will release just 1400 bottles of a one-off gin made on Chardonnay lees. The West Winds Sur Lie Gin (French for ‘on lees’) is a limited-edition gin aged for 12 months in used Chardonnay barrels as well as incorporating the use of Chardonnay lees into the mix; a first for a gin anywhere in the world.