The House of Angostura is celebrating their 200 year Anniversary and delighted to relaunch the Angostura® Global Cocktail Challenge (AGCC). This marks the beginning of a new dialogue with the bartending community and they’re putting out a call for the very best bartenders in Australia and New Zealand to enter the ANZ regional final of the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge. Click here to enter.

The top six entrants from ANZ (3 from Australia, 3 from New Zealand) will be flown to Sydney to compete in the AGCC regional finals on Sunday 23 February during the T25 Awards Week and includes accommodation over the event period. The winner of the ANZ regional final will receive AUD/NZD $5,000 and be flown to Trinidad on an all expenses paid trip in May 2025 to compete against some of the world’s best bartenders in the global finals.

Rohan Masssie the 2020 AGCC winner spoke highly of the competition, saying, “The Angostura cocktail comp is one of the most hotly contested cocktail competitions in the world because of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that it offers. Unlike some other competitions that are all about social media hype, this isn’t an Instagram comp. It’s not about who can post the most or promote the brand best. It’s about you as a bartender, the drinks you create, and whether you’ve got what it takes to truly represent the brand.”

The global winner not only takes out the title of Angostura Global Cocktail Champion but will also receive a further USD $10,000 and and a global ambassadorial role for the House of Angostura.

Renowned as one of the most prestigious competitions out there, each entrant will need to create their version of the iconic Queen’s Park Swizzle, traditionally made using Angostura rum, simple syrup, lime, mint and Angostura aromatic bitters. Entrants need to submit their Cocktail Name, Recipe & Method, menu description and supporting paragraph, plus 1 x cocktail image. For more details head to www.angosturaglobalcocktailchallenge.com/rules-guidelines/

Entries open on 14 October and will close on 8 December, 2024. The top six entrants to compete in the AGCC regional finals in Sydney will be announced by 20 December. Bartenders can take up the challenge by entering at https://angosturaglobalcocktailchallenge.com/how-to-enter/

Loy Catada, Proximo Spirits specialist urges Bartenders to apply as the brand celebrates their 200- year anniversary, he says “This competition isn’t just about making incredible cocktails—it’s about joining a legacy of creativity, craftsmanship, and passion. With this year’s theme, ‘A journey through time… a celebration of 200 years of Angostura, bartending, and classic cocktails,’ we’re inviting bartenders to showcase their talent and be part of something truly special. The journey to Trinidad starts now, and I can’t wait to see Australia’s finest bartenders step up to the challenge.”

Rohan Massie the 2020 AGCC winner spoke highly of the competition, saying, “The Angostura cocktail comp is one of the most hotly contested cocktail competitions in the world because of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that it offers. Unlike some other competitions that are all about social media hype, this isn’t an Instagram comp. It’s not about who can post the most or promote the brand best. It’s about you as a bartender, the drinks you create, and whether you’ve got what it takes to truly represent the brand.”

In past years, the challenge has seen some of the most influential bartenders in the industry compete for the title. Previous Australian winners include well-known bartenders such as Rohan Massie who came 2^nd place in the Global Finals in 2020. Marco Nunes, Zdenek Kastanek, Andy Griffiths, Joe Sinagra, Mike Tomasic, James Irvine and Dan Gregory. Marco, Andy and Mike have all won the global title too. From NZ, Ray Letoa won the Global Finals in 2018.

Key Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge dates:

• • Entries open – 14 October
  • Entries close – 8 December
  • Top Six ANZ finalists announced – By 20 December
  • ANZ regional final – Sunday 23 February (T25 Awards Week)
  • Global final in Trinidad – May 2025

For more information, please contact Loy Catada – Proximo Spirits Specialist
lcatada@proximospirits.com