UK entries are
now open for Diageo Reserve World Class
Bartender of the Year 2019.

Diageo Reserve’s prestigious
bartender competition, World Class, is
now open for entries in the UK. This
year, the competition returns with a
more streamlined entry process,
promising to be easier than ever for
bartenders to get involved.
Now in its eleventh year, World Class
kicks off with a digital submission of
one or two serves, giving entrants the
opportunity to double their chance of
making it through to the top 100. The
successful 100 applicants will go
through to the in-bar judging stage.
From there, the top 100 will be whittled
down to 20, who will then come together
to compete to be crowned GB World Class
Bartender of the Year 2019, before
representing GB in the World Class
global final hosted in Glasgow later
this year.
‘Science of Smoke’ and ‘Tech Tonics’,
both of which featured as modules on the
World Class studios UK-wide tour, are
the two key elements of the online entry
challenge in the UK and competitors can
choose to submit a recipe for one or
both.
‘Science of Smoke’, centred around
Johnnie Walker whisky, requires
bartenders to demonstrate mastery of
flavour understanding and execution.
Competitors are required to create a
unique highball that is representative
of their bar or geographical location,
using Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky
as the base and integrating a pre-smoked
ingredient, homemade or otherwise. ‘Tech
Tonics’ draws on inspiration from the
unique production and distillation
process for Tanqueray No. TEN gin and
asks bartenders to experiment with
botanical combinations and unique
flavours to produce a highball serve
using Tanqueray No. TEN and soda.
Between 14th March and 7th April,
bartenders across the UK are invited to
digitally submit one cocktail to one or
both of the entry challenges, giving the
opportunity to increase the chances of
one of the drinks being noticed and
recognised as worthy of the next stage.
Each cocktail of choice must be in the
form of a highball and include at least
30ml of Johnnie Walker Black Label
whisky or Tanqueray No. TEN gin.
Bartenders must submit recipes for
Science of Smoke and/or Tech Tonics
online at www.TheWorldClassClub.com and
post a picture of the drink to social
media using #WorldClassGB2019.
The top 100 digital entries will be
announced on 9th April. Those
competitors who are chosen as part of
the top 100 will then be invited to
submit their next entry online for the
in-bar judging process, where judges
will visit the top 100 bartenders across
the UK to taste-test entry drinks. This
will be a ‘Tartan Tiki’ serve,
integrating Talisker into a tiki-style
serve, whilst showcasing British
flavours and inspiration.
The judges will then choose the UK’s top
20, who will compete in the GB final,
taking place in London in June 2019.
This year’s overall GB winner will be
awarded with an exclusive prize package
which includes the opportunity to tour
with the World Class team hosting events
and workshops, a tour of a selection of
Diageo-owned distilleries covering the
four corners of Scotland, Cocktail
Kingdom bar tools and equipment, a guest
bartending shift at one of Europe’s best
bars, as well as nationwide exposure and
dedicated PR throughout the year. This
year’s winner will also be crowned with
the coveted title of GB World Class
Bartender of the Year 2019 and will
represent GB in the Diageo Reserve World
Class Global Final hosted in Glasgow
later this year.
Rich Larkin, Head of Diageo Reserve GB,
comments: "Since its launch, World Class
has been instrumental in transforming
fine drinking and cocktail culture and
brings together the best bartending
talent from around the globe. We’ve
already seen some fantastic
demonstration of skill during our World
Class studios GB-wide tour this year and
I’m extremely excited to see the team
reveal GB’s top bartending talent and
crown the GB World Class Bartender of
the Year 2019.
"It was an extremely close call for GB
at the Global Finals last year with GB
representative Daniel Warren coming in
second. With this year’s global final
taking place in Scotland – home to all
of Diageo’s iconic scotch including
Johnnie Walker, Talisker, The Singleton
and Mortlach - the competition really is
on to see if a GB bartender can take the
crown of the World Class Bartender of
the Year 2019 in their own country."
In October 2018, Australia’s Orlando
Marzo clinched the 2018 World Class
Bartender of the Year trophy in Berlin.
As part of his victory, Orlando is
currently travelling the world as a
Diageo representative and is due to
arrive in London in June 2019 for the
World Class GB final where he will
provide advice and guidance to this
year’s finalists. He also joins a roll
call of the industry’s finest, becoming
the 10th member of the World Class Hall
of Fame.
Entries for Diageo Reserve GB World
Class Bartender of the Year 2019 open
from 14th March until 7th April. To
enter, visit www.TheWorldClassClub.com
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