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Australian to break world’s most expensive cocktail record

A Melbourne bartender will attempt to create the world’s most expensive cocktail tomorrow (7 February), with a drink worth AUS$12,500 (£8,200).

Joel Heffernan creates The Winston, a contender for the title of World’s Most Expensive Cocktail

Joel Heffernan, bartender at Crown Casino’s Club 23, in Melbourne, will try to strip Salvatore Calabrese’s title as creator of the world’s most expensive cocktail, with The Winston.

The drink includes 60ml of Cognac Croizet 1858 Cuvee Leonie – a bottle of which recently sold at auction for AUS$151,000 – Grand Marnier Quintessence, Chartreuse Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolonge, and a dash of Angostura Bitters.

The garnish of spun sugar and green chartreuse shaped into a vine, with chocolate and nutmeg souffle balls, takes 16 hours to prepare, meaning financially well-off consumers wishing to purchase the drink must order it at least two days in advance.

The current world-record holder – Salvatore’s Legacy – sold for £5,500 (AUS$8,630) a glass at Salvatore’s at The Playboy Club in London in October 2012.  It contained 40ml of 1788 Clos de Griffier Vieux Cognac, 20ml of 1770 Kummel Liqueur, 20ml of 1860 Dubb Orange Curacao and two dashes of Angostura Bitters from the 1900s.

Heffernan said it was an “honour” to be attempting the world record, overseen by Guinness World Records officials.

“The previous record holder is one of the world’s most famous bartenders,” he said. “To be regarded in the same ilk as someone like that is incredible.”

The cocktail will be purchased by New Zealand businessman James Manning.

It was named The Winston in honour of Sir Winston Churchill and former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who drank a similar bottle when planning D-Day,

To watch a video of a practice version of the cocktail being made, click here.

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