Nick Widley and Swanny Monthuit from Kismet Cocktail & Whisky Bar in Nelson have both claimed awards at The Perfect Blend Cocktail Competition, hosted by Beam Suntory.
This is the first time in the competition’s history that two awards have been won by bartenders from the same bar.
The competition, held from April 15-16 in Auckland, included a mixture of theory and blind-tastings, and
culminated in the creation of a cocktail using a range of Beam Suntory beverages.
Entrants were also tasked with generating social media engagement in the build up to the competition.
Swanny Monthuit, who joined the Kismet team just eight months ago, won the the Apprentice Award. And Kismet owner Nick Widley took home the Professional Award.
Both will now take part in the grand final, held in Queenstown from June 2-6.
This stage of the event promises fierce competition from right across New Zealand and Australia, with the overall winners taking away a once-in-a-lifetime trip to a selection of Beam Suntory’s distilleries.
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