Italy’s number one premium amaro, Amaro Montenegro, has relaunched its annual cocktail competition – The Vero Bartender – with creative bartenders around the world invited to showcase their talents.
The competition is returning for its third run after a two-year hiatus, and given the tough two years we’ve all endured The Vero Bartender is back with a concept that elevates the joy of coming together – and don’t we all need that?
The brand explained this year’s concept: “The Italian word ‘vero’ in The Vero Bartender translates to ‘true’ in English. It stands for the brand’s authentic heritage and the genuine human connections it generates when served.
“With this in mind, the theme for 2022’s edition is Sharing the Essence; calling for bartenders to create a large-format sharing cocktail that tells the story of a metaphorical or physical journey or adventure that has inspired them.
“After endless months apart, the winning cocktail will capture a bartender’s unique skill in the art of creating moments of meaningful togetherness.”
Amaro Montenegro’s Global Brand Ambassador, Rudi Carraro adds: “It is with great gratitude that we announce the third edition of our bartending competition, with a theme that celebrates the very meaning of our beloved industry.
“Through this unique contest, we are giving bartenders a spotlight to showcase their craft and refine what our profession is all about: real hospitality. Every true bartender is dedicated to personal development and we’re overjoyed that this year’s prize will allow the winner to progress in their career in a way we can witness for years to come.”
This year 10 finalists will be selected to make their cocktail creation in front of a live panel, with judges including Amaro Montenegro’s master herbalist, a spirits journalist and one of the competition’s previous winners. From there, one winner will be selected to compete in The Vero Bartender’sglobal final in Italy.
This year’s prizes will see Amaro Montenegro invest in career progression and education for the winning talent as the brand’s way to support the future of bartending after such a challenging time for the industry. The winner will be named The Vero Bartender 2022 and awarded a gift card for €6000 – to be used to enrich their career journey via masterclasses, courses, educational trips, events, and professional bartending tools, etc.
The winner of the national final will receive a week-long Amaro Montenegro residency trip to Italy to take part in brand experiences and seminars as well as a tour of the best cocktail bars across the country. The winners will also have the opportunity to meet and spend time with some of the most influential bartenders in the world; previous years have been judged by the likes of Erik Lorincz, Salvatore Calabrese, Alex Kratena, and the legendary Peter Dorelli.
All submissions should be made via the dedicated website, The Vero Bartender where full requirements can be found. To learn more about Amaro Montenegro and The Vero Bartender, please visit www.amaromontenegro.com and follow #AmaroMontenegro and #TheVeroBartender on Instagram @amaromontenegro_ww.
