Beluga intros Europe cocktail competition

Russia-based Beluga Vodka is to launch Beluga Signature, an on-trade educational brand programme and cocktail competition as it seeks to strengthen brand understanding across Europe.

Beluga Vodka has announced the brand’s first ever cocktail competition

Commencing in June and set to take place in nine major cities across the UK, France and Germany, the initiative is open to bartending professionals who work in Beluga-stocked bars.

The “Creative Competition Stage” of the proceedings will launch in July, with bartenders tasked with creating a 1920s-30s Great Gatsby-style Art Deco-inspired cocktail with a “modern Beluga twist”. The serve must be suitable for high gastronomic black tie occasions.

Entrants will then have 15 minutes to present their creation at Creative Stage Events in London (26 July), Manchester (2 August), and Birmingham (3 August).

In total, five entries will be shortlisted and put through to the “Promotional Stage” where participants must promote their serve in their own bars from 8 August to 8 October.

The final winning cocktail will be judged on sales, creativity and visibility of the drink.

First, second and third placed bartenders from each UK city will be announced in October, with the three winners invited on an all-expenses-paid trip to Moscow in November for an “incredible Russian experience”. While in Russia they will take part in the Beluga Signature Grand Final with the six other first-placed winners from the French and German competitions.

The overall Beluga Signature winner will receive a monetary reward and an Beluga trophy.

“The launch of the Beluga Signature programme is an incredibly exciting time for the brand in the UK,” said Katie Warren, UK group marketing manager.

“Not only will bartenders be able to show off their mixology skills, they will also be receiving excellent one-on-one training from a variety of our experts, including our brand ambassador team. We are really looking forward to the UK cocktail entries, and to see how they compare to those from our French and German entrants.”

Earlier this year Beluga Vodka rolled out its latest expression, Noble Celebration, to mark the 115th anniversary of the brand’s Mariinsk Distillery in Siberia.