Tales of the Table · Bartenders · Macau
Pétur Kolka of OTO wins his category in Macau
The Bartenders' Club of Iceland sent nine people to Macau for the IBA World Cocktail Championships this week – and the first Icelandic win came on day one.
This year's World Cocktail Championships and the annual conference of the International Bartenders Association are being held in Macau from 19 to 24 October, in the association's 75th anniversary year. Iceland is represented by two competitors, backed by a group from the Bartenders' Club of Iceland.
On 20 October Pétur Hafsteinn Kolka Úlfsson, who tends bar at OTO on Hverfisgata, won his group in the classic category of the Lotus Prestige Cup – an international competition built around baijiu, the Chinese grain spirit, under the theme "Oriental Fusion". He earned near-perfect marks for technique and professionalism, even after cutting himself while preparing his garnish. Pétur took second place at the Icelandic Bartending Championship in April with his drink Atomic Joe.
Reigning Icelandic champion Leó Snæfeld Pálsson of Jungle competed on 21 October in the coffee-cocktail category of the World Cocktail Championships with his drink Button-Down. The finals and awards are held on 23 October – we will add the results here when they are published.
Want to taste what these bartenders do at home? OTO and Jungle are both on our Eat & Drink map.
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