Bartenders and mixologists were invited to create a new cocktail using Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin and share it on social media. The cocktail had to be a twist on a classic, using at least 35ml Opihr Gin with no more than five ingredients.
In line with the brand's mission to take consumers on a 'Journey of Discovery' and to tie flavour to place, the cocktail also had to include at least one ingredient local to the country of entry.
Opihr Gin is a London Dry Gin infused with hand-picked botanicals, spices and herbs from along the Spice Route. To echo the botanicals in Opihr Gin and the journey from the Spice Route, the South African finale started with a spice lunch experience and cocktail tasting at Babylonstoren, Cape Town on Monday, 19 August 2019.
The six South African finalists from around the country, along with the competition judges and selected media and influencers were educated about the botanicals in Opihr Gin using the same botanicals grown in Babylonstoren's gardens and experienced a food, gin and spice pairing in Babylonstoren's new Spice Room.
The Opihr Gin Global Cocktail Competition Finale for South Africa took place at Gorgeous George Hotel on Tuesday, 20 August 2019. The six finalists showcased their talents by preparing and serving their gin cocktail creation to the three judges – Aaron Pollack from Chicago, winner of the Opihr Global Cocktail Competition 2017; Julian Short, South African winner of the Opihr Global Cocktail Competition 2018; and Rael Lasarow, MD of Thirst Bar Services JHB – who ultimately selected a winner to attend the global final.
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© Tegan Smith Photography
