For the first time in the Woodford Reserve Australia Cocktail Competition’s four-year history, Aussie bartenders will be competing for a position at the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience final in New York City.
Woodford Reserve is inviting bartenders across the country to enter the competition, by producing an original Woodford Reserve Rye cocktail recipe. Round one requires entrants to use a minimum of 30ml of the whiskey and a maximum of six ingredients per cocktail.
Bartenders who qualify for the second round are required to create their ideal version of the classic Old Fashioned using Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select, feature the signature drink on their venue’s cocktail menu, and promote the cocktail on the venue’s social media channels.
Brown-Forman representatives will then visit each of the successful venues to judge the Old Fashioned cocktail creations; state heats and the national final (to be held in Melbourne in October) will follow.
Once crowned, the deserving Australian winner will be flown to Kentucky – all expenses paid – for the “ultimate three-day Woodford Reserve experience”, where they’ll also compete in the Manhattan Experience semi-final.
If successful, the Australian contender will then be flown to New York City to contest for the coveted title and prize of Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience Champion.
“The skill we’ve seen throughout the last few years of this competition is second to none, and all of the contestants do a fantastic job of showcasing the versatility and rich flavour profile of Woodford Reserve,” says Dimitra Tassopoulous, Brand Manager for Woodford Reserve.
In 2017, it was Matt Linklater who emerged as the Australian champion – thanks to his ‘Natural Order’ cocktail, which combined Woodford Reserve Rye, pomegranate vinegar, grenadine, white ale umeshu, soap bark extract and limonata.
The Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience final will take place in NYC in May next year. Entries open on 1 July and close midnight 22 July. For more information and to enter, click here.
