Angostura celebrates 200th b’day with return of Global Cocktail Challenge

As part of its 200 year anniversary celebrations, the House of Angostura has announced that it will be relaunching the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge (AGCC) after a four year hiatus. For this year’s competition, entrants have been asked to create their version of the Queen’s Park Swizzle, a cocktail traditionally made using Angostura rum, simple syrup, lime, mint and Angostura aromatic bitters.

"This competition isn’t just about making incredible cocktails—it’s about joining a legacy of creativity, craftsmanship, and passion,” said Loy Catada, Proximo Spirits specialist.

“With this year's theme A journey through time… a celebration of 200 years of Angostura, bartending, and classic cocktails, we’re inviting bartenders to showcase their talent and be part of something truly special.”

Entries to the ANZ regional final are open now up until 8 December, with the final to be held in Sydney on 23 February 2025 during the T25 Awards Week. Three New Zealand and three Australian finalists will be chosen for the regional final, with the winner receiving AUD/NZD $5,000 and an all expenses paid trip to compete in the global final in May 2025.

The global winner will then take home a further USD $10,000 and a global ambassadorial role for the House of Angostura.

According to Rohan Masssie, 2020 Oceania winner and bartender at Rude Boy, Hobart, "the Angostura cocktail comp is one of the most hotly contested cocktail competitions in the world because of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that it offers. Unlike some other competitions that are all about social media hype, this isn't an Instagram comp. It’s not about who can post the most or promote the brand best. It’s about you as a bartender, the drinks you create, and whether you’ve got what it takes to truly represent the brand."

To enter, bartenders are required to submit their Cocktail Name, Recipe & Method, menu description and supporting paragraph, and a cocktail image here. All six finalists will have their flights to Sydney and accommodation over the event period covered.

“The journey to Trinidad starts now, and I can’t wait to see Australia’s finest bartenders step up to the challenge," said Loy Catada.