World Class Global Finals...A rum ambassadors view ! Day 0

One of my missions in life is to make a rum cocktail in every corner of the planet, so when Diageo and Ron Zacapa invited me as a guest to come to India to witness the 3^rd World Class Finals, I was on the plane as quickly as you can say Lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmatosilphioparaomelitokatakechymenokichlepikossyphophattoperisteralektryonoptekephalliokigklopeleiolagoiosiraiobaphetraganopterygon* (yes it is a real word)

In the 2 years that the world class competition has been running, it has quickly become the pinnacle of bartenderdom in regards to cocktail competitions. The sole purpose is to find the ultimate bartender from over 32 countries in world. Previous winners Aristotelis Papadopoulos 2009 (Greece) and Erik Lorincz 2010(London) have gone onto superstar status within the spirits industry. They have written cocktail books, been on TV, used in billboards campaigns, in fact the last billboard I saw at Heathrow airport before I boarded my plane to New Delhi was Erik promoting cocktails in the first class lounge at Terminal 5. I think I also saw Alex Kratena defacing the poster by drawing a moustache on Erik’s face too? Maybe it was someone else?

Erik Lorincz 2010 World Class winner.

The flight to India was a quick 7 ½ hours, so there was no time complain about the lack of rum selection on the plane. The anticipation of stepping foot into a new country was exhilarating. After waving my Rum Ambassador passport to the customs guy, I scuttled to the duty free to pick a bottle of Zacapa XO, knowing full well that one would not be left on my bed in my hotel when I got there and the mini bar prices are as extortionate as the price of cocktails in a London hotel bar. As I looked up at the posters within the Delhi duty free, ERIK was there again! Promoting World Class! But alas no moustache on this poster. After grabbing my suitcase I followed my driver to my awaiting chariot to whisk me to my hotel. As I walked past the hundreds of people at arrivals, waiting in 32 degrees of humid heat for their loved ones I was greeted with a “Mr Rum Ambassador sir”. Who could it be? It was none other than World Class reigning champion and cocktail model ERIK Lorincz. Or was it another life sized poster. But this one could talk. No. This time it was the real Mr Lorincz standing out in the Indian crowd like a bottle of blue curacao on the backbar of Salvatores' new bar at the Playboy club.Wow. Diageo had sent last year’s winner to meet me at the airport for my arrival. I must be important. Well so I thought. He was actually there to meet his girlfriend, who arrived on the same plane as me. Now I know why she kissed the poster in the duty free shop. After exchanging hugs with my fellow cocktail adventurer, we parted to our rides. Erik jumped into an air conditioned car, and I jumped into my taxi…a Tuk Tuk. Apparently someone from the welcoming team loves vodka and thought they’d make me suffer!

A typical Indian TUK TUK . My vodka sponsored taxi to my hotel.

After the 3 hour Tuk Tuk journey (30 minutes in a normal car) and nearly 7 car accidents, I finally arrived at my hotel. The most important thing to do now was find the bar and sip my first rum in India. Once I found it I asked the bartender could he make me a Rum Manhattan. Unfortunately, he was not allowed to alter the cocktails on the menu, and as the Manhattan on his menu was made with whiskey, I couldn’t have one!!!! So I ordered a Mai Tai instead. This turned out to be pineapple juice, orange juice and rum. ? Not even a whim of grenadine? Or even AMARETTO !

Anyway, I couldn’t complain. I was soon going to be sipping cocktails from some of the best bartenders in the world, meeting one of my favourite Rum blenders Lorena Vasquez from Ron Zacapa and well as hosting my first rum master class in India. Bring on day 1 of the World Class Global Finals!