Ysabel Regina are launching a competition which combines music and cocktails with a hell of a prize up for grabs.
Ysabel Regina, a blend of the finest brandies and cognacs aged in ‘moist’ Pedro Ximenez casks, has always held big ties with the music industry (including sponsoring the Grammy Awards). Their first international competition celebrates these links, and the spirits ability to be used in many different styles of drink.
The competition combines three different types of music with three styles of cocktails with, ultimately, three trips to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans on offer. You will be asked to pick from one of the below three categories, select a tune and create a drink inspired by the song or style of music.
Jazz is the backbone of most modern music and as such is the backbone of the music categories in this competition. Music categories are always open to interpretation so we have got some examples of the type of artists Ysabel Regina associate with each category to help guide you.
Jazz Pop and Long Drink – The long drink category is often neglected and shunned but is a vital part of any good cocktail list. Any style of drink making can be used here but we strongly suggest you stay away from throwing or infusing. The Pop in Jazz Pop is firmly meaning popular as opposed to girl bands i.e. Amy Winehouse, Frank Sinatra, Eric Clapton etc.
Jazz Blues and Throwing – The sultry sounds of Blues Jazz conjures up images of smoke filled lounge bars and surely throwing drinks is Blues Jazz music’s spirit technique. Any style of throwing you like can be used in a drink that is a twist on a classic short serve. Jazz Blues covers artists such as Miles Davis, BB King, Charlie Parker etc.
Jazz Rock and Infusing – Infusing Rock with Jazz created some of the finest musicians of the 20th Century so it is only right that Infusing be the skill of choice for this category. You can to use any infusing technique you wish, and it can be either a hot or cold infusion*. What better excuse to start experimenting? Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin etc.
So to clarify you can enter in one of the following categories:
- Jazz Pop and a long drink using any style of bartending
- Jazz Blues and a twist on a classic short serve using throwing as the main technique
- Jazz Rock and any style of drink as long as infusion is the main technique used
At the UK final there will be 6 finalists in each category who will compete for one spot (in each category) at the Global Final in Jerez. There they will compete with bartenders from 4 other European countries (Switzerland, Spain, Italy & Portugal) for one trip to Tales in each category.
You will pick your track and will be tasked with making your drink as it plays (no selecting a 12 minute extravaganza though, there will be a strict 5 minute time limit no matter how much we are enjoying the song). The judges, dressed appropriately for each music style, will then judge the drink, skill/style of technique/cocktail and the link to the song and music category.
There are, of course, a few little rules for you to consider:
- A minimum of 40ml of Ysabel Regina
- A maximum of 5 ingredients (except the infusion serve which can have up to 10) not including garnish
- 2 serves of the drink will have to be made
- A maximum of 5 minutes to create the two serves
- A desire to want to go and party in Jerez for a few days and New Orleans for a tiny little event (oh and a passport would be handy)
- Drinks need to be replicable
So there you have it. Love Music? Love Cocktails? Love Spain and New Orleans? Of course you do. So get out those thinking caps, dust off your gramophone player and get inspired by Ysabel Regina.
For more information on the competition and to enter visit this website. For more information on Ysabel Regina itself click away here. If you want to get your hands on a sample bottle of Ysabel Regina to play with speak to your local CASK Liquid Marketing person or visit one of those online booze ordering sites.
The entires will initially be paper judged so please ensure you let us know why you picked the song and drink combo in your entry form.
Entry deadline is midnight February 17th and the UK Final will be taking place at the fantastic new venue, Disrepute in London on February 28th.
*If you make it through to the Global Final you will be given an Ysabel Regina Flash Infuser to perfect your technique. At the Global Final the Flash Infuser must be used.