Melbourne bartender mixes up the perfect serve. Nikka's international competition plays out in Australia for the first time.

The international whisky competition, Nikka Perfect Serve, was held in Australia for the first time last week at Black Pearl in Melbourne when Aiden Rodriquez from Melbourne’s Eau de Vie was crowned Australia’s best.

The contest is consumer centric, based on the Japanese philosophy ichi-go, ichi-e: “one chance, one encounter”. Scoring is based on the mixologists overall ichi-go, ichi-e, with judges assessing their service and communication as well as the choice and quality of each drink prepared.

Mr Rodriquez was judged by Chef Jo Barrett – Flavour Expert, Hayden Lambert – Bartending Expert and Luke McCarthy – Whisky Expert. He awas named the best in a contest against ten Australian competitors including:

Melbourne’s Pearl Diver Cocktails & Oyster’s: Alex Boon

Sydney’s Maybe Sammy: Wen Yu Wang

Adelaide’s Memphis Slims House of Blues: Grace Rawlins and

Sydney’s The Baxter Inn: Michael Morgan.

Judges said Mr Rodriquez impressed with his ability to immediately and genuinely engage with them, accommodating their whims, their palette and anything else that they threw at him.

Judge Jo Barrett explained that Mr Rodriquez won because he “was so welcoming to us, his drink was incredibly balanced and delicious, he ticked all of the boxes for what today was all about, which ultimately was to create a memorable experience”.

Mr Rodriquez said the moment was “special because Nikka was one of the first whiskies that got me into loving whisky. Not just Japanese whisky but all whisky.”

He will compete in the Nikka Perfect Serve Global Finals in Italy later this year, against thirteen other bartenders from around the world.

His winning cocktails:

Aiden’s Winning Cocktails

Don Lockwood Riff