Australian bartenders are invited to enter the competition held by Japanese whisky brand Nikka.
The first round asks entrants showcase how they would pair a neat serve of their favourite Nikka product alongside a non-alcoholic or mixed drink.
From the first-round entrants, 10 will be selected to compete in the Australian Nikka Perfect Serve regional competition held on 4 July.
The regional competition will be run in a omakase style, where judges will act as guests and entrants will have 15 minutes to show their expert whisky pour and cocktail recommendation.
The round will also be based on the Japanese philosophy ‘ichi-go, ichi-e’ which means ‘one chance, one encounter’ and will see entrants heavily judged on their consumer experience.
The regional winner will then represent Australia at the global final in San Francisco at the end of the year.
Both the regional winner, and runner-up will also be awarded a trip to Nikka’s distilleries in Japan.
“We are so excited to be welcoming Nikka Perfect Serve back to Australia for the second year running,” says Nikka Whisky Brand Ambassador Marcus Parmenter.
“Australia is a hub for talented mixologists, and we encourage all bartenders to apply for a chance to show their skills in front of an expert panel of judges.”
Bartenders can enter via the Nikka website, with entries closing on 11 June 2023.