The Bols Master Bar Team 2019 consisted of Grant Sceney, Jeff Savage and Max Curzon-Price and their cocktail, Into the Aether, was made using Bols Genever, homemade vermouth, cold pressed white tea, Bols Maraschino, peated scotch whisky and salt water.
Now in its 11th year, the competition embraced a team format for the first time in 2019 whereby six teams from around the world took over a bar on the Bols Cocktail Street in the centre of Amsterdam.
Locals were then invited to attend the final, held on 19 June, where they could visit all six bars where the international teams were serving their cocktails.
“It’s a unique competition because we like the festival atmosphere where people can come and sample the cocktails at the different bars,” said Sandie van Doorne, exectutive director corporate strategy & genever.
“We wanted to illustrate that teamwork is important within the bartender industry, especially with more than 1,000 people attending the Bols Cocktail Street.
“The beauty of this competition is that past winners were not well known bartenders before entering and it makes anyone believe they can win.”
The team of judges consisted of industry icons Ryan Chetiyawardana and Steve Schneider and the owners of Amsterdam’s Tales & Spirits cocktail bar Boudewijn Mesritz and Lydia Soedadi. For winning the competition, the Botanist Bar team have now been given the opportunity to visit a city of their choice around the world with all expenses paid.
“We were proud just to reach the final let alone win the competition because all over the other teams here are world class,” added Botanist Bar’s Sceney.
“Our cocktail attempted to access everybody’s spiritual nature and the whole thing really emphasises that it takes one person to make a cocktail, but it takes a whole team to create an experience.”
