Yesterday the Bartender Journal Australian Bartender of the Yr, proudly sponsored by Monkey Shoulder & Hendrick’s Gin, kicked off over one epic day at The Abercrombie in Sydney.
It was an enormous day of competitors that began with a 73-question written examination, with a packed home of opponents turning up at 10am to take the check at Lil Sis (The Abercrombie’s wonderful wine bar).
An enormous turnout and an enormous problem for all those that confirmed up. The highest 9 opponents from the written check all achieved scores of fifty factors or extra so it goes to indicate that finding out is crucial.
The High 9, pictured right here included some veterans of the competitors, together with a previous winner, Mr Dan Gregory, from The Gresham in Brisbane, James Irvine and naturally, final yr’s quantity two Mr Liam Shephard.
These 9 opponents had been tasked with a difficult afternoon. The pace spherical concerned making a cocktail from thriller field on the fly and a Tom Collins, in two minutes. The time proved a problem with two of our prime 9 not getting their drinks within the glass, which was gutting for them. Following this was a blind tasting of 4 merchandise, which at all times proves an enormous problem and it’s an achievement to find out and Irish whiskey from a Scotch.
Scores had been tallied, and the highest three had been revealed. James Irvine from Merivale, Liam Shephard from Brisbane’s Ghanem Group and Shirley Yeung from Perth’s Foxtrot Unicorn had been the fortunate three to make it by. They usually needed to hustle. They solely had a few hours earlier than they needed to be able to roll for the finals reside on stage at The Abercrombie, kicking off at 7pm making a Monkey Shoulder and a Hendrick’s Gin cocktail.
Consummate skilled, James Irvine, a legend of the business, took out prime honors together with his two beautiful drinks – ‘Goes Na-nana-nana’ and ‘Crust off’. “What an superior expertise and one other very, very enjoyable occasion,” stated James after the win.
The judges on the evening had been: The legendary Ivy Combine, American bar proprietor of Leyenda and founding father of Velocity Rack; David Spanton, Founding father of Australian Bartender journal, Sydney Bar Week and bar proprietor; Ross Blainey, Model Ambassador for Glenfiddich & The Balvenie; Priscilla Leong, Bartender of the Yr 2022 and; Cara Devine, Drinks skilled, author and acclaimed creator.
All three wowed the judges with their technical prowess and displays. On the finish of all of it, after the total day’s scores had been tallied there have been simply decimal factors, separating the winner and second place.
Consummate skilled, James Irvine, a legend of the business, took out prime honors together with his two beautiful drinks – ‘Goes Na-nana-nana’ and ‘Crust off’. “What an superior expertise and one other very, very enjoyable occasion,” stated James after the win.
Coming in second for the second yr in a row, was Liam Shephard, with Shirley taking out third place. We hope to see each of them throw their hat within the ring once more in 2024.
James will now head over to Scotland in 2024, hosted by Wee James Macrae, Hendrick’s Gin Model Ambassador, visiting the properties of Monkey Shoulder and Hendrick’s Gin. In fact, he additionally has the honour of being the Australian Bartender Journal Bartender of the Yr for 2023 and he shall be again to guage the comp subsequent yr.
Large because of each Jono Carr and Cara Devine for writing the examination, to Jono for facilitating the pace spherical and for internet hosting the finals and to Sam Benetatos for barbacking (and manning the door for the finals!). And naturally, to James Macrae, Ross Blainey and Monkey Shoulder’s new ambassador, Rachael Bartlett for supporting the occasion and bringing it to life below one roof, on in the future.
The finals had been adopted by a completely jam-packed Home of William Grant Social gathering which kicked off following the winner announcement with bagpipers making their manner down Broadway.
Sydney Bar Week is effectively underway, simply head to our socials @australianbartender and @sydneybarweek for all of the updates.
