Mount Gay is launching one of the UK’s biggest cocktail competitions.
BarLifeUK was lucky enough to head to Barbados last year with some of the most influential bartenders in the UK, to take part in the Mount Gay Black Barrel Origin of Craft Program.It was a spectacular trip which you can read all about here. We have never visited a country where rum is so ingrained in the culture and now you can experience it for yourself.
Mount Gay Black Barrel is the latest rum to come from the first registered rum distillery in the world. Mount Gay Black Barrel benefits from a blend of column and pot still distillates expertly blended before undergoing a secondary maturation in heavily charred ex bourbon oak barrels.
Mount Gay is challenging bartenders to come up with a signature cocktail featuring Mount Gay Black Barrel. To enter, follow our guidelines set out below, complete the Mount Gay entry form and submit it, along with your presentation, below.
All submissions should include a presentation or story about your signature cocktail including these three key phrases: “Original Spirit”, “Hand Crafted” and “Bold”. This concept was first trialled in Barbados last year and was great fun so we look forward to hearing what you crazy lot come up with.
Sounds pretty good right? Great rum, an opportunity to go to Barbados and a chance to mix with the great and the good of the bar tending community. Well, Mount Gay Black Barrel isn’t finished with you yet…
All entrants will be invited to take part in one of our 6 heats where each presentation will be presented to our judging panel. This year’s judging panel includes a representative from BarLifeUK, Mount Gay International Brand Ambassador Miguel Smith, and one of the Mount Gay 2014 Apprentices.
From the heats, 12 finalists will be selected to take part in the final… in Barbados! The finalists must be free to travel to Barbados between the 7th – 11th (inclusive) of September 2015. There, the finalists will compete in our final, where the winner will receive a trip for two to Barbados! (Please see below for full terms and conditions of the prize)
So you want to know how to enter right?
Entry Guidelines
Create a tasty signature cocktail, full of character, including a minimum of 30ml Mount Gay Black Barrel and no other rum. Make sure your cocktail contains no more than 6 ingredients. Wow the judges with a creative and witty presentation. Finally, be free to travel between the 7th – 11th (inclusive) of September 2015.
The only kicker is that your bar must stock Mount Gay Black Barrel, which isn’t exactly a hardship. It’s a beautiful product, with real character, bold and balanced at the same time, and if you don’t stock it yet, just email us at matt.oconnor@remy-cointreau.com.
The heats will be held all around the UK so every one of you has an opportunity to get involved. The heats look like this:
- London*: 15 June 2015 (entry deadline 23:59 on 5th June 2015)
- Belfast*: 22 June 2015 (entry deadline 23:59 on 12th June 2015)
- Bristol*: 29 June 2015 (entry deadline 23:59 on 19th June 2015)
- Leeds*: 6 July 2015 (entry deadline 23:59 on 26th June 2015)
- Manchester*: 13 July 2015 (entry deadline 23:59 on 3rd July 2015)
- Glasgow*: 20 July 2015 (entry deadline 23:59 on 10th July 2015)
*The venues in each location will be announced shortly
So, if you fancy going to Barbados, have a quick look at the rules below, come up with a delicious, spirit forward drink and enter away. We will hopefully see you at the heats and maybe somewhere sunny soon after!
Entry Criteria
- Your recipe must contain a minimum of 30ml Mount Gay Black Barrel and must not contain any other rum.
- Your recipes must not consist of more than 6 ingredients.
- Entrants are expected to bring their own ingredients and tools to the heats and, if they make it through the heats, to the final in Barbados (Mount Gay will provide a basic bar set up).
- Your cocktail presentation should not be longer than 4 minutes.
- Your presentation must contain these 3 key phrases: “Original Spirit”, “Hand Crafted” and “Bold”.
- Your cocktail should be enough for two servings.
- You may only enter on behalf of a bar where you are employed on a full-time basis.
- Your cocktail must be promoted in your bar in the lead up to the heats (and, if successful, the final).
- Your bar must stock Mount Gay Black Barrel (if you don’t currently stock it, contact matt.oconnor@remy-cointreau.com).
- You must be able to travel between 7th – 11th (inclusive) of September 2015 with a minimum of 6 months validity on your passport and all visa requirements (if necessary).
- You must consent to the use of your recipe by Mount Gay during and after the competition and to the best of your knowledge the cocktail must be your original recipe.
- You must consent for publication of all images connected to the competition, including the cocktail and recipes.
- The competition is only open to UK residents aged 18 or over who are employed as a full time bartender.
- The winners of the heats will be announced on the day of the respective heats.
The chosen finalists will be flown to Barbados for a 5 day trip to take part in the final. The finalists will be put up in an all-inclusive hotel and we will arrange and pay for the finalists’ hotel, hotel transfers and flights (but not any subsistence costs). Finalists from the regional heats will be required to re-create their winning cocktail at the final in Barbados.
By entering the competition, you agree that we may use your name and county, in the event that you win, to publicise that you have won the competition. Mount Gay reserves the right to suspend and/or withdraw the competition, change the dates of the heats and/or the final, or otherwise amend the competition or these terms and conditions without prior notice to you. Any changes will be posted either within the competition information or in these terms and conditions.
The prize
The winner will receive a 3 night holiday for two to Barbados with accommodation at the Hilton Hotel or a hotel within the Elegant Hotel Group, including flights (subject always to availability). Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be included. The holiday must be taken between the 16th – 24th January 2016 (exact dates will be confirmed in due course).
All prizes are subject to availability and Mount Gay reserves the right, at its discretion, to substitute prizes of equal or greater value at any time. The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable and no cash alternative is available.