Mixology moves win Antonio Lai a trip to world cocktail-making finals
Since its establishment in 2009, Diageo's World Class has become arguably the world's most prestigious cocktail competition. Not that there is any shortage of these. Inviting bartenders to contend in creating drinks featuring a particular product has become an essential element in the marketing strategy of many leading spirit and liqueur brands. Diageo, the world's largest spirits consortium, has products in virtually all spirit categories, which creates a relatively level playing field between them. In this year's Hong Kong competition, Antonio Lai won with a grape vodka-based creation he calls The Sound of Ciroc.
Since its establishment in 2009, Diageo's World Class has become arguably the world's most prestigious cocktail competition.
Not that there is any shortage of these. Inviting bartenders to contend in creating drinks featuring a particular product has become an essential element in the marketing strategy of many leading spirit and liqueur brands.
Diageo, the world's largest spirits consortium, has products in virtually all spirit categories, which creates a relatively level playing field between them. In this year's Hong Kong competition, Antonio Lai won with a grape vodka-based creation he calls The Sound of Ciroc.
Lai is perhaps the most internationally recognisable of Hong Kong's star bartenders, so the result of the Hong Kong and Macau final on June 9 at Zuma was not entirely surprising.
But according to Moët Hennessy Diageo's brand manager for the spirit range, Martin Newell, it was very close.
Lai was up against contenders Joao Balzani from aqua, Paul Chi Lun Chan from Brick Lane, Match Chan from the Flint Grill & Bar at the JW Marriott, Charles Chiang from The Pawn, Wallace Lau from the Butler Bar Shelter, Frederick Ma from The Woods, and Ryan Nightingale from Ham & Sherry, who had won the penultimate round.