November 11, 2015 · Team HG
Just like last year, three bartenders from the prestigious Groningen cocktail bar Mofongo’s Distillery are once again participating in the world’s most appealing cocktail competition, Diageo World Class. Rogier de Haan, Archie Kasan, and Lennart Deddens will compete during the Dutch leg of this competition for a spot in the world final, which is taking place in Miami this year.
Lennart Deddens
Diageo World Class is an event created by beverage giant Diageo, known for major brands such as Johnnie Walker Whisky, Tanqueray Gin, and Ketel One Vodka. Every year, a cocktail competition takes place in more than 50 countries around the world, in which a total of over 15,000 bartenders participate. The strength of the competition lies in the fact that it involves not only the art of cocktail making, but tests the bartenders' complete package. This includes personality, beverage knowledge, technical bartending aspects such as speed and efficiency, and presentation skills.
Rogier de Haan
The national competition consists of multiple rounds spread throughout the year. During these so-called bursts, the bartenders must aim to qualify among the top 10 in the country. The world final is logically not for everyone; only the winners of the national finals are allowed to cross swords.
Archie Kasan
Incidentally, the bartenders from Mr. Mofongo performed very well last year. Two of them reached the semi-finals, with the absolute highlight being a duel between De Haan and Deddens during the speed round. De Haan ultimately finished third and Deddens second in the Netherlands, a very fine result and a barometer of the level of Mofongo’s Distillery. Tess Posthumus from the well-known Amsterdam cocktail bar Door 74 took home the win and subsequently finished an impressive eighth worldwide. The three men from Groningen are determined to make a big impression again, and who knows, the Netherlands might be represented by one of the Groningers in Miami during the summer of 2016.
