Registrations for the Australian leg of the 4th international Cointreau Margarita Challenge 2024 are currently open. Professional bartenders are encouraged to register their cocktail prior to the end of the submission window on March 31.
For 2024, the competition will focus on recipes that speak of provenance. Every Margarita entered must strive to capture the essence and vibrancy of the bartender’s home town.
“The judging criteria will be comprised of four key elements,” said Cristobal de la Rubia, Cointreau Brand Manager.
“Skills that demonstrate expertise in experimenting with local ingredients and traditional or innovative methods, ingredients that represent flavours of their city’s culture plus a minimum of 25 ml Cointreau and salt, storytelling that offers insight into the cocktail’s inspirations and the visual quality that complements the cocktail’s personality.
“This not only keeps the brand fresh and exciting but also demonstrates its versatility in cocktail creation, showcasing Cointreau as a must-have ingredient for mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts.”
Eight entrants will be chosen to compete in person at the Australian competition, which will be held at Sydney’s Now & Then bar on Monday 15 April between 6pm and 10pm. Judging will be handled by an expert panel including last year’s winner Lola Liu, and will divide its scores into skills (40%), ingredients (30%), storytelling (20%), and presentation (10%).
The chosen winner will represent Australia at the International Cointreau Margarita Challenge in France to be held from 10 to 12 June.
“The Australian winner will then embark on an unforgettable journey to Angers, France, the home of Cointreau,” said Cristobal de la Rubia.
“During the three-day immersive experience, they will participate in mixology challenges and vie for the title of International Cointreau Margarita Challenge 2024 winner.”
For a recipe to be eligible, it must:
- Use at least 25ml of Cointreau l’Unique
- Salt
- Focus on the use of local ingredients where possible
- The look of your drink must reflect the city it refers to.
More information can be found on the competition’s website.
“Competing in the Margarita Challenge encourages participants to innovate and experiment with new cocktail recipes and variations,” said Cristobal de la Rubia.
