It’s a relatively below average Monday morning in South-East suburbia, the sort following a relatively above average weekend of socializing and general hi jinks, when a courier driver knocks at my door. I find my fuzzy self signing for, of all things, a bottle of 42 Below vodka from New Zealand of all places. So now I have a few initial questions for the team at 42 Below, after they so graciously invited me to visit the 5th Annual 42 Below Cocktail World Cup competition (September 9th - 13th) a full twelve thousand miles away in Queenstown, deep down in the South Island of New Zealand. But before I go packing a Winter bag and heading for Heathrow, I need to know what makes this little country, a long way from anywhere else so mystical and regarded on high by so many. Does the water really go down the plughole in the opposite direction? Why is the population is so small? What makes these Kiwis so different from their close cousins the Australians? And most importantly, for one of the youngest countries on earth, how have they managed to produce such a fine tasting vodka?
Speaking on the phone to Anna Robertson, the officially titled Cocktail Strumpet, the details of this outrageous event unfold to sound more like a really decent game show prize of a dream adventure holiday down under with some seriously high class drinking thrown in as a daily obligation. The 45 very willing bartender contestants, comprising fifteen teams of 3 members each, are to be flung off a 100 year old bridge on a bungy cord into a flowing gorge below and squeezed into an impossibly fast jet boat and terrified lifeless through narrow canyons all whilst competing to make the best cocktail for the judges at the same time! They will be required to behave for an hour or so to attend “cocktail summits”, where they will absorb the wise words of some of the worlds present mixology royalty. Also during the week a challenge will be laid down for the participants to recreate selected classic cocktails of the 20th century and additionally create a derisory version of a modern day drink, which shall hereinafter be affectionately referred to as a mocktail!
The contestant teams will also be assigned a local bar in the town for the week and will tend it nightly, all the while perfecting their team signature drink for the final and main event, the Grand Final Shake Off. This prestigious seven minutes of fame sees the contestant teams under the lights on stage to perform their way to the ultimate goal, winning the 42 Below Cocktail World Cup 2008. This 42 Below Cocktail World Cup it seems, is the mixology world’s rock idol if you will; the ultimate quest to seek out the stars from the best bars, elevate them up in front of the punters to deliver their elite alcoholic sensation to the waiting judges. I shall gladly be providing updates throughout the event. Just watch this space…
Martin Smithers
London - August 2008
