Hobart’s Rude Boy is celebrating two of its bartenders winning a place in the Aussie final of the Angostura Cocktail Challenge.
Rohan Massie and Campbell Nicol will both compete in the final of Monday, September 16.
The bar said it was “proud as punch” about the announcement.
“Both Rohan and Campbell have made it to the top six for Angostura Cocktail Challenge National Finals. Two out of six baby! Well done champs, bring it home for Tassie.”
No stranger to the circuit, Massie frequently places in some of the best-known competitions in the region. As venue manager of Rude Boy rum bar in Hobart for the last three years, his knowledge of Angostura Rum will stand him in good stead. Massie is the most experienced finalist, having worked in hospitality for more than 15 years.
Massie has also been announced this week as a finalist in the 2019 Australian and New Zealand Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition.
Nicol (above) has been in the hospitality industry for more than 12 years and has developed an excellent palate through his spirit tasting education work. He is currently bar manager of Rude Boy, where he focuses on balancing classic cocktails and creating boundary pushing drink options.
Held every second year, the Angostura Cocktail Challenge it’s considered to one of the toughest competitions on the circuit. The final six were selected by world famous bartender and spirits expert Philip Duff.
The other four finalists are Jordan Davies (Los Banditos, Wellington), Storm Evans, (Cobbler, Brisbane), Andrea Marseglia (Madame George, Auckland) and Taylor Matthews (Beneath Driver Lane, Melbourne)
They will stand off against each other as they each prepare two drinks that showcase Angostura aromatic bitters, Angostura orange bitters, Angostura Rums and Amaro di Angosturain.
The winner will collect $10,000, as well as a year’s contract as the Oceania Angostura Brand Ambassador. They will then travel to Trinidad to compete in the global final of the Angostura Cocktail Challenge 2020 in Trinidad and Tobago in February 2020.
The ultimate winner of the global final takes home an additional cash prize of $US10,000, the title of “Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge Champion 2020,” and a two-year contract as Angostura’s Global Brand Ambassador, representing the full portfolio.
The judging panel for the Oceania Final will include current Australian winner, Dan Gregory (above); Australia’s Rum Expert, Tom Bulmer; and 2010 Australian/2011 Global winner, Andy Griffiths, who is flying in from Singapore for the night.
Tanya Mah, Angostura Brand Manager, said: “At this stage of the competition, the final six will have to demonstrate their capacity to create well-balanced and creative cocktails to stand out from others.
“Given its high profile, the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge has proven to be an effective means of increasing international exposure for its winners, so the final six will also need to bear in mind we are looking for someone to represent Angostura as an ambassador and we’re looking to send our very best bartender to Trinidad to compete.”
The Oceania final of the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge will be held at Smoke at Barangaroo in Sydney on Monday, September 16.
Picture of Dan Gregory by Gourmantic
