Entries for the 2021 Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition will close on Monday, 31 May.
With a new format for this year’s competition, Australia’s bartenders are encouraged to showcase their knowledge and creativity, and be chosen as one of those who will represent Australia’s top 10 mixologists.
Online entries are now open for this year’s new format, which will see bartenders compete in their homes. Contestants will need to present a cocktail using up to eight ingredients to encourage consumers following the competition to recreate cocktail recipes at home.
Consumers will then be called to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of 30 Australia cocktails at the Difford’s Guide website from June this year, with the top 10 taking in part in virtual finals with global judges to be held in September 2021.
Last year’s event took a slightly different turn, with the Patrón Perfectionists Sculpting Ideas encouraging mixologists to get creative during the pandemic, which ultimately saw Matt Bodycote from Baxter Supper Club in Perth crowned Australian champion.
Bacardi-Martini Australia Brand Ambassador and 2017 and 2018 Patrón Perfectionist finalist, Joseph Chisholm, encourages fellow Australian mixologists to enter this year’s competition.
He said: “The Patrón Perfectionists competition is all about the strive for excellence and innovation. It was an excellent opportunity for me to showcase what I love doing, which is experimenting with flavours and ingredients to find something that excites the senses.
“The competition helped to build momentum in my career and take it to the next level. We’ve got unbelievable talent down under, so I encourage anyone who loves to push the boundaries like me, to enter and showcase the world-class creativity coming out of Australia.”
The judging criteria for the ultimate cocktail will look to flavour, appearance, inspiration and engagement, and originality to decide on the winning selection. The ethos of the competition builds on Patrón Tequila’s core values of creativity, quality, and versatility.
The Australian champion will be flown to Mexico in January 2022 (travel restrictions pending) to compete against the other national finalists in the global final at Hacienda Patrón.
Matthew Sykes, Senior Director, Global Marketing for Patrón and founder of the Perfectionists Cocktail Competition added: “For 2022, we have envisioned a new format that will enable bartenders to express their talent and share it with the public globally.
“Over the past year, digital platforms have become more important than ever, having allowed the trade to keep their work forefront of consumers’ minds and inspire drinkers to raise their cocktail game at home.”
Patrón Perfectionists entries are now open and will close on 31 May.
