Diageo Reserve World Class Entry Deadline: 7th April, 2019
By any measure, World Class is an epic competition. It is global in scope, attracts thousands of entries, and a successful campaign can reward competitors with career-defining and life changing experiences. Past World Class winners have gone on to become some of the industry’s most influential figures, and the opportunity to join this illustrious group has come around again now that entries have opened for World Class 2019.
The World Class entry process has been streamlined this year, with competitors able to submit up to two serves, increasing the chances of making it through to the in-bar judging stage.
The initial entry challenges are ‘Science of Smoke’, and ‘Tech Tonics’, subjects that will be familiar to anyone who attended one of the recent World Class Studios sessions. Science of Smoke is centred around Johnnie Walker whisky, and requires bartenders to create a highball that demonstrates a mastery and understanding of smoke and flavour.
Tech Tonics draws inspiration from Tanqueray No. Ten’s distillation process, and challenges competitors to experiment with flavour combinations and carbonation methods, to create a sparkling Tanqueray serve.
Competitors can enter either or both of these challenges by way of digital submission via the World Class website.
At the close of the entry period, the top 100 submissions will be selected, with the list of successful bartenders announced on April 9th, 2019.
The top 100 bartenders will then be invited to create a Talisker ‘Tartan Tiki’ serve, and the resulting 100 drinks will be judged in-bar by the Diageo Reserve World Class team.
The in-bar judging process will narrow the field to a shortlist of 20, who will compete in the GB final. The ultimate GB winner will receive a prize package that includes the chance to tour with the World Class team hosting events and workshops, a tour of selected Diageo distilleries in Scotland, Cocktail Kingdom bar tools and equipment, a guest bartending shift at one of Europe’s best bars, as well as nationwide exposure throughout the year. And of course, the GB champion will go on to represent Great Britain at the global finals in Glasgow.
Rich Larkin, Head of Diageo Reserve GB, says: “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.”
To Enter World Class 2019
For full details on the Science of Smoke and Tech Tonics challenges, and to submit your entry, visit The World Class Club website.