Above: World Class GB 2018 finalists
So, you’ve been to one of the recent World Class studios held in Glasgow, Manchester and London or tuned in to the satellite sessions in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham. More than a great opportunity to meet up with your peers and have a chat with the super-sharp Diageo Reserve Ambassador team, these informative sessions were where you’ll have got the lowdown for this year’s competition. The next, most vital step in the Diageo Reserve World Class 2019 journey is the entry process. Hey, you’ve got to be in it to win it, right?
There are two routes to take, Science of Smoke centred around Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky and Tech Tonics where the focus is on Tanqueray No. TEN (check the brief for each below).
Can’t choose which one to go for? Don’t fret. This year you can enter both categories, doubling your chances of making it through to the top 100. Better still, the process is super-simple, so there’s no excuse for giving it a go. Just follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Choose your challenge
Take your pick from…
SCIENCE OF SMOKE
Starring Johnnie Walker Black Label
The key word here is smoke, but what type of smoke, that’s the question? It could be a big, bold bonfire smoke; the heady, almost tarry smoke emitted from creosote or something more subtle like brine – the choice is yours. How you integrate said smoke into your cocktail is where the skill comes in… The mission is to create a unique, single serve Highball that tells the story of your bar or geographical location, incorporating a pre-smoked ingredient into the glass.
OR
TECH TONICS
Starring Tanqueray No. TEN
There are many reasons why Tanqueray No. TEN is the cocktail lovers gin of choice. Primarily that’s because of the unique distillation and production process which allows the distinct citrus heart to shine through. This challenge calls on you to add to that by creating your own concentrated heart, made however and from whatever botanicals, sweeteners, acids and salts tickles your fancy. The main thing is it must be added to Tanqueray No. TEN and soda to produce a one-of-a-kind Highball.
For each category, your recipe must contain a minimum of 30ml of the specified spirit as the base.
THEN
Step 2: Submit your entry
Mark 7th April down in your diary, that’s the last day you have to submit your entry or entries to TheWorldClassClub.com. Next, post a photo of your drink on social media with the hash tag #WorldClassGB2019. Why not? You’ve done the hard work, so show it off! Remember you can have a go at both categories. Why wouldn’t you want to double your chances of winning?
What’s next?
Smart question. If you make it through to the top 100, you’ll hear the good news on the 9th April. After that, there’s another digital entry process before the judges visit the bartenders in their respective bars to taste the submitted drinks. Then there’s the really tough job of whittling down 100 to the top 20 in the UK who will compete in the GB final.
And what’s at stake?
First of all there’s the most important bit, the money can’t buy prize of bagging yourself the title of World Class GB 2019 winner – huzzah!
Plus:
– A trip to Glasgow to represent your country in the World Class Global Finals 2019
– A tour of a selection of key Diageo owned distilleries covering the four corners of Scotland
– A guest bartending shift at a European city Cocktail Kingdom bar tools and equipment
– Offers for paid event work with Diageo GB leading up until next year’s competition
– Nationwide exposure and dedicated PR for the World Class GB Winner and their bar throughout the year
– Professional signature serve and profile photo shoot with top industry photographer.
But before all that, you’ve got to take the first step. Upload your entries to TheWorldClassClub.com and post a photo of your drink using the hash tag #WorldClassGB2019.
Good luck!
