Reuben Beasley-Palmer from Melbourne’s Botswana Butchery came first place at the NikkaPerfect Serve cocktail competition last night at Sydney’s Burrow Bar.
It was the talent, dexterity, and creative flair that impressed the judges as Beasley-Palmer whipped up three outstanding cocktails while effortlessly responding to the whims and wishes of the panel.
Unlike other cocktail competitions, Nikka Perfect Serve puts the guest experience at the heart of the competition, placing emphasis on the entire exchange rather than just the drinks served.
Ten of Australia’s top bartenders had fifteen minutes to showcase their expert whisky pairings and cocktails, with the competition being run ‘Omakase Style’ which means ‘I leave it to you’. The judges including owner and head chef at Bancho Bar, Chad Choulai, owner of Burrow Bar, Chau Tran, and last years’ Nikka Perfect Serve Australian winner, Aiden Rodriguez, delivered scenarios to create challenges for the bartenders in what was a gripping contest.
All judges noted Reuben’s impressive ability to immediately connect and engage with them, accommodating their whims and offering expert pairings and cocktails that satisfied their palette meant he was the deserved winner.
“Reuben took all the chaos on the chin and he really embraced it. It’s an amazing competition where everyone is on an equal playing ground, no matter your experience. It was very much about what would normal service feel like and how they react to that – they could either power through or crumble under pressure, said Judge Chau Tran from Burrow Bar.
“Reuben’s performance was two-fold, the drink was delicious, and was the service impeccable which in turn delivered the perfect serve.”
Reuben Beasley-Palmer will represent Australia at the Nikka Perfect Serve Global Final in San Francisco later this year, competing against the world’s leading bartenders for the ultimate title.
The global winner and runner-up will be awarded an ultimate trip to Japan to visit Nikka’s distilleries and experience Tokyo’s vibrant bar scene.
Reuben Beasley-Palmer’s winning cocktails:
Godfather: 45ml Nikka from the Barrel, 30ml of Amaretto, 4 dashes of Angostura Bitter, stirred down into a Nick & Nora glass with an orange twist.
The Lady Finger: 40ml Nikka Coffey Malt, 10ml of yuzu juice, 25ml of lime juice, 20ml of banana liqueur, 10ml of vanilla syrup, one egg white, dry shake then wet shake served with a ‘Beasley’ garnish.
The Other Half: Yoichi Single Malt paired with a homemade super mandarin soda served with an ice spear in a highball glass and garnished with a wasabi leaf.
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