Tasmania’s Rohan Massie has won Best Amaro Cocktail at the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge (AGCC) 2020 finals.
Massie, co-owner of Rude Boy in Hobart, triumped over eight bartenders from across the world in Trinidad & Tobago on February 22, 2020.
The Hobartian picked up the Best Amaro Cocktail Award for ‘Hidden Perfection’ and placed second in the competition overall.
Marv Cunningham (above) was crowned the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge Champion 2020 and picked up the prize for Best Rum Cocktail, while Agung Satria, from Vietnam was awarded third place.
Massie had already won the Oceania heat of the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge winning a cash prize of $10,000 and two-year contract as the Angostura Oceania Brand Ambassador.
Massie navigated the rigorous competition, which included an interview and creating two cocktails in seven minutes, entertaining the competition’s judges including James Beard Award-winning beverage professional, Maxwell Britten, Christopher ‘Jillionaire’ Leacock, , Eryn Reece, Bar Director at Banzarbar, Angostura Chief Brand Educator, Raymond Edwards, and the 2018 Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge winner, Raymond Letoa.
Massie’s winning Amaro cocktail (above) combined Amaro di Angostura with banana wine, beetroot soda, a parsley tincture and ANGOSTURA orange bitters.
Massie said: “What an amazing trip and opportunity. Being able to bring this back to Tassie is everything.
“It has never happened before and I’m so proud to draw more attention to the Tasmanian bar scene. You always hope to win, but second in the world overall and also, Best Amaro Cocktail in the world is a dream come true.”
Massie continued: “As part of the Oceania finals of the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge, I am now Oceania Brand Ambassador for the House of Angostura, which gives me a chance to stay close to family while still having an important role working with the brand that I have so much heart for.
“This trip to Trinidad has helped me understand the soul and flavours of the brand’s heritage more than ever before.”
Commenting on Massie’s performance, head judge Maxwell Britten said: “Rohan is an extremely talented, innovative drinks maker from the fermentation he was working with to the garnish he was using. His presentation was sophisticated, elegant and simple all at once.
“I have a lot of respect for Rohan. I’m excited to follow the work he does with Angostura in Oceania. The bar community in the region will learn a lot from his imaginative approach and deep brand knowledge.”
Peter Sandström, CEO of Angostura, added: “Rohan is very much part of the Angostura family now. He’ll have plenty of work ahead as our ambassador, as we look to roll out new flavour innovations and premiumize the rum category.”
The AGCC took place ahead of the greatest show on earth, Trinidad & Tobago Carnival. The eight finalists competing alongside Agung were Shana Rajahram (Trinidad & Tobago), Marv Cunningham (The Bahamas), Chad Lawrence (Canada), Gustavo Costa (Brazil), Mike Jordhoy (France), Simon Dacey (United Kingdom), Vasile Dorofeev (Dubai) and Rohan Massie (Australia).
Below are some snaps of Massie’s trip:
