Nobody likes to talk about booze at the beginning of the week. Mention any alcohol by name on a Monday and you’ll get a look like you’ve just crawled out of a cheese. Guaranteed.
Tuesday you will get away with a suggestion of a glass of wine and by Wednesday you’re licking salt off your hand and sucking lemons whilst you down tequilas. Well, not quite, but you get the idea.
So now that it’s Phuza Thursday and 1 week away from Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year 2013, the world’s biggest and most credible mixology competition, I feel it’s time to introduce you to Nick Koumbarakis… and talk cocktails.
Nick is officially the best bartender in South Africa. After winning the regional finals to take the title of SA Champion, he will represent South Africa at the WORLD CLASS Bartender of the Year 2013 competition next week.
5 days. 5 cities. 1 ship.
The event takes place on board a luxury cruise ship where the 50 bartenders from all over the world will go head to head in exciting challenges starting in Monte Carlo, St Tropez and Nice, via Ibiza and ending in Barcelona. Sound unreal? It’s a whole new world, and we have been lucky enough to be invited to join the party. Literally.
I will be accompanying Nick as he takes on the World’s best in these incredible locations. So follow us on Twitter for real time updates from the competition. Check out our Facebook page for pictures and galleries from the trip. Keep an eye on our Cocktails section for interviews, flavour trends, cocktail recipes and party vibes. And check out this interview with Nick, so you can get to know the guy you’ll be rooting for next week.
You can party vicariously with us from the beaches of St Tropez to the nightclubs of Ibiza. (Watch this short video if you want to get warmed up).
So please join us on the trip and shout for our guy. He really is amazing and deserves all the support we can give him. He can do this! (No pressure Nick).
And since we are talking about cocktails, last night I had the best drink I’ve had since Espresso Martinis were invented… the Vanilla and Passion Fruit Martini with a shot of champagne at Asoka in Cape Town is totally insane. I recommend you have one soon.
Yours in Schengen visas and Mediterranean chic,