Cocktail Hour is Upon Us

Thiago Santos - Western Expression

Ingredients
60ml Tanqueray No. TEN
30ml Elderflower syrup
15ml Lemon
Strawberry and Campari puree
Cucumber puree
Grapefruit and blue curacao puree
Sparkling camomile iced tea top up

Method
Add Tanqueray No. TEN, elderflower syrup and lemon into the jar and fill it with crushed ice. Guest to add the desired amount of each purees. Top up with iced tea.

Garnish
Grapefruit wedge and mint

Cocktail Hour is Upon Us

The World Class Bartender of the Year competition is back for its third exhilarating year in Australia. Celebrating cocktail culture and the art of bartending across almost 40 countries, the competition this year is challenging Australia's finest mixologists to push the boundaries of their imagination to create incredible drinking experiences inspired through two new exciting heats.

The search commences with a round that represents the summer season. Bartenders will be tasked to create beverages that embody one of three categories - Summer Cocktail, Punch and Gentleman's Cocktail. Inspired by the three key cocktail trends, the best entries must use the finest ingredients mixed with luxury spirits including either Ketel One vodka, Tanqueray No. Ten gin or The Singleton of Glen Ord Single Malt Scotch Whisky to produce amazing cocktail creations.

The second round of the competition is dedicated to winter, asking bartenders to create rich and warming drinks inspired by three categories - Gentleman's Cocktail, Hot Drink and Dessert Serve. Each cocktail will need to incorporate Ron Zacapa 23 rum, Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky or Don Julio Reposado tequila.

Two semi final carnivals will follow each round where consumers will be invited to experience the best three cocktail creations in each category and vote for their favourite cocktail or bartender to make it to the national final. The summer round semi final will take place in Sydney on Sunday 22nd January 2012. The winter round semi final will take place in Melbourne on Sunday 20th May 2012.

Each cocktail creation entered will be available through the bartender's venue and in an exciting new twist, this year the competition asks consumers to get involved and vote for their favourite cocktail and bartender by visiting the World Class facebook page. By doing so, they also have the chance of winning a $500 bar tab in the venue they voted for!

The finalists announced will then compete in a grueling national final to take place in 2012 for the chance to be crowned Australia's best bartender so be sure to head along to one of the city's top World Class bars to experience what the masters of mixology are serving up as they go head to head for the coveted title.

To learn more about World Class and to vote for your favourite cocktail or bartender, visit www.Facebook.com/WorldClassAustralia