DIAGEO RESERVE- WORLD CLASS Bartender Competition - Singapore Challenge #2

DIAGEO RESERVE- WORLD CLASS Bartender Competition – Singapore Challenge #2 Hollywood / Bollywood

This year Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS in Singapore has conducted an intensive six month long series of training sessions, and three subsequent Challenges for bartenders from leading cocktail bars in Singapore will be held. Recently the second challenge was held on the premises of the Diageo Bar Academy in Singapore, where thirty bartenders from many of Singapore’s leading bars participated in the Hollywood/Bollywood themed event. Tasked with creating extravagant concoctions that represented the glamour and allure of Western and Asian showbiz, the thirty bartenders were transported into a world of cocktails in movies – from the dawn of cinema to 21st century Bollywood. Contestants used classic spirits such as Tanqueray No. Ten, Johnnie Walker, Don Julio and Cîroc, which have been, and are continually, showcased in movies.

Bannie Kang of Swissotel emerged on top with her rendition of The Lord of the Rings with a concoction consisting of homemade Guinness cordial and Ron Zacapa. She was followed closely by Adrian Battle of Catalunya with his chocolate interpretation of Willy Wonka’s Secret Recipe which used chocolate bitters, fruit puree and Ron Zacapa as well. Byron from W Hotels made it to third place with his tribute to Bruce Lee with a Ginseng infused Oolong tea and Johnnie Walker Gold Label RESERVE.

1st Place
Bannie Kang, City Space, Swissotel

Cocktail: The Lord of the Rings
Recipe: Ron Zacapa, kumquat, basil leaves, Guinness cordial, Topped up tea espuma.
Inspiration: “I chose to make my drink based on the movie, The Lord of the Rings, as it is a very vibrant movie with a slew of interesting characters – there was a lot for me to play with. I made my own Guinness cordial and paired it with premium rum (Ron Zacapa) to reflect the rustic feel of the movie. The Cigar holder was used as a reflection of Bilbo Baggins character and of course, we had to add in a gold ring, some twigs and a wooden board symbolic of the movies’ backdrop .”

2nd place
Adrian Battle, Catalunya

Cocktail: Willy Wonka’s Secret Recipe

Recipe: Chocolate Bitters, Chocolate Spirit, Red Fruit Puree (Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry), Spiced Syrup (Green tea, Ginger, Sheshuan Pepper, Cinnamon), Ron Zacapa 23 years. Shake and double strain over a nice tea pot set. Garnish with a nice blackberry deep in to chocolate and edible gold.

Inspiration: “I was working for a month on a recipe inspired by the movie “A Clockwork Orange” but the final recipe didn’t work as well as I wanted it too. Frustrated, I took a break and went to 7-eleven to get a snack. I bought a chocolate bar and to my surprise found a golden ticket inside which read “Willy Wonka’s Secret Recipe”. I immediately ran home and read the recipe on the back only to realise that it was the pefect recipe to base my cocktail on! I decided to use that recipe as inspiration to create a chocolate based drink and I changed it up by making my handmade fruit puree and spiced syrup. I think it was an excellent choice because now I’ve placed second in the challenge.”

3rd place
Byron Tan, W Hotels

Cocktail: One Inch Philosophy

Recipe: Johnnie Walker Gold Label, Dom Benedictine, Home Made Monkfruit and Longan Syrup, Ginseng Infused Oolong Tea, Lemon Juice

Inspiration: “I have been a great fan of Bruce Lee since I was a kid and I jumped at the chance to emulate his personality and essence in a drink the moment I heard about the Hollywood/Bollywood challenge. To me, Bruce Lee is the epitome of Asian cinema and I’ve always admired him as a martial artist and actor. For my drink, the One Inch Philosophy, I incorporated many Asian elements like Oolong tea and Ginseng – two items that Bruce Lee was a huge fan of. My homemade syrup was made from items which I loved growing up. Monkfruit has an amazing taste and nutritional properties and taught to me by my grandmother”.

The WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year is a global undertaking by Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks company and owner of an impressive assemblage of brands including Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Cuervo, and many others. At the pinnacle of the brand collection are the premium DIAGEO RESERVE brands- Johnnie Walker Gold Label Blended Scotch Whisky, Ketel One vodka, Zacapa rum, Don Julio tequila, Cîroc vodka and Tanqueray No. Ten gin.

The DIAGEO RESERVE WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year concept has been operating globally for the past five years and encompasses a program of both training and national competitions, with over 10,000 bartenders from 40 countries participating this year. The national champions from each country will compete at the Global Finals event to be held on-board a luxury cruise liner sailing from the French Riveria to Barcelona in July.